Question

Dioxin, produced as a by-product of various industrial chemical processes, is suspected of contributing to the development of cancer and birth defects in animals and humans. It apparently acts by entering cells by simple diffusion and binding to proteins in the cytoplasm, then altering the pattern of gene expression. What is likely to be the cytoplasmic proteins to which dioxin binds?

Answer 1

Answer: Transcription factors

Explanation:  

The dioxin enters the blood stream and the fat cells and liver cells store it.

While moving inside the cell the dioxin binds to the protein called Aryl hydrocarbon which then binds to the second receptor.  

The complex is then carried to the nucleus of the cell. This tends to on and off certain genes.

This turning on and off of the genes in the cell can lead to serious diseases like cancer, decreased immune function, et cetera.