The GATA family of transcription factors are proteins that bind to DNA sites with the consensus sequence (A/T)GATA(A/G), found within the regulatory region of a number of genes. Proteins currently known to belong to this family are:

• GATA-1 [1] (also known as Eryf1, GF-1 or NF-E1), which binds to the GATA region of globin genes and other genes expressed in erythroid cells. It is a transcriptional activator which probably serves as a general 'switch' factor for erythroid development.
• GATA-2 [2], a transcriptional activator which regulates endothelin-1 gene expression in endothelial cells.
• GATA-3 [3], a transcriptional activator which binds to the enhancer of the T-cell receptor α and delta genes.
• GATA-4 [4], a transcriptional activator expressed in endodermally derived tissues and heart.
• Drosophila protein pannier (or DGATAa) (gene pnr) which acts as a repressor of the achaete-scute complex (as-c).
• Bombyx mori BCFI [5], which regulates the expression of chorion genes.
• Caenorhabditis elegans elt-1 and elt-2, transcriptional activators of genes containing the GATA region, including vitellogenin genes [6].
• Ustilago maydis urbs1 [7], a protein involved in the repression of the biosynthesis of siderophores.
• Fission yeast protein GAF2.

All these transcription factors contain a pair of highly similar 'zinc finger' type domains with the consensus sequence C-x2-C-x17-C-x2-C.

Some other proteins contain a single zinc finger motif highly related to those of the GATA transcription factors. These proteins are:

• Drosophila box A-binding factor (ABF) (also known as protein serpent (gene srp)) which may function as a transcriptional activator protein and may play a key role in the organogenesis of the fat body.
• Emericella nidulans areA [8], a transcriptional activator which mediates nitrogen metabolite repression.
• Neurospora crassa nit-2 [9], a transcriptional activator which turns on the expression of genes coding for enzymes required for the use of a variety of secondary nitrogen sources, during conditions of nitrogen limitation.
• Neurospora crassa white collar proteins 1 and 2 (WC-1 and WC-2), which control expression of light-regulated genes.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae DAL81 (or UGA43), a negative nitrogen regulatory protein.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae GLN3, a positive nitrogen regulatory protein.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAT1 to GAT4.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae GZF3.