E2F is known to regulate the cell cycle, but Fajas and colleagues now show that E2F acts as a switch to allow cells to adapt to stressful metabolic conditions. Under basal conditions, E2F promotes cell-cycle progression and represses transcription of genes required for mitochondrial oxidative metabolism; however, this repression is alleviated on energy starvation.
- Emilie Blanchet
- Jean-Sébastien Annicotte
- Lluis Fajas