Hormone response element

A hormone response element (HRE) is a response element for hormones, a short sequence of DNA within the promoter of a gene that is able to bind a specific hormone receptor complex and therefore regulate transcription. The sequence is most commonly a pair of inverted repeats separated by three nucleotides, which also indicates that the receptor binds as a dimer.

A gene may have many different response elements, allowing complex control to be exerted over the level and rate of transcription.

HRE are used in transgenic animal cells as inducer of gene expression.