Transcription factors comprise several [[gene family|protein families]] (groups of closely related proteins), many of which are found in every lineage of organism. Genes encoding for transcription factors make up a significant portion of every organism's genome. There are estimated to be well over 2000 genes (some estimates are as high as 3000) encoding for transcription factors in the human genome (~10% of all human genes)<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11823631</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15193307</ref>. These genes tend to be highly conserved and, in many instances, can be functionally interchangeable between organisms of different clades. | Transcription factors comprise several [[gene family|protein families]] (groups of closely related proteins), many of which are found in every lineage of organism. Genes encoding for transcription factors make up a significant portion of every organism's genome. There are estimated to be well over 2000 genes (some estimates are as high as 3000) encoding for transcription factors in the human genome (~10% of all human genes)<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11823631</ref><ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15193307</ref>. These genes tend to be highly conserved and, in many instances, can be functionally interchangeable between organisms of different clades. |