scholarly journals Regulation of Virulence of Entamoeba histolytica by the URE3-BP Transcription Factor

mBio ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Gilchrist ◽  
Ellyn S. Moore ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Christina B. Bousquet ◽  
Joanne A. Lannigan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Liver Abscess ◽  
Intestinal Epithelium ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Upstream Regulatory Element

ABSTRACTIt is not understood why only some infections withEntamoeba histolyticaresult in disease. The calcium-regulated transcription factor upstream regulatory element 3-binding protein (URE3-BP) was initially identified by virtue of its role in regulating the expression of two amebic virulence genes, the Gal/GalNac lectin and ferredoxin. Here we tested whether this transcription factor has a broader role in regulating virulence. A comparison ofin vivotoin vitroparasite gene expression demonstrated that 39% ofin vivoregulated transcripts contained the URE3 motif recognized by URE3-BP, compared to 23% of all promoters (P< 0.0001). Amebae induced to express a dominant positive mutant form of URE3-BP had an increase in an elongated morphology (30% ± 6% versus 14% ± 5%;P= 0.001), a 2-fold competitive advantage at invading the intestinal epithelium (P= 0.017), and a 3-fold increase in liver abscess size (0.1 ± 0.1 g versus 0.036 ± 0.1 g;P= 0.03). These results support a role for URE3-BP in virulence regulation.IMPORTANCEAmebic dysentery and liver abscess are caused byEntamoeba histolytica. Amebae colonize the colon and cause disease by invading the intestinal epithelium. However, only one in fiveE. histolyticainfections leads to disease. The factors that govern the transition from colonization to invasion are not understood. The transcription factor upstream regulatory element 3-binding protein (URE3-BP) is a calcium-responding regulator of theE. histolyticaGal/GalNAc lectin and ferredoxin genes, both implicated in virulence. Here we discovered that inducible expression of URE3-BP changed trophozoite morphology and promoted parasite invasion in the colon and liver. These results indicate that one determinant of virulence is transcriptional regulation by URE3-BP.

scholarly journals Phospholipid-Binding Protein EhC2A Mediates Calcium-Dependent Translocation of Transcription Factor URE3-BP to the Plasma Membrane of Entamoeba histolytica

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 695-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heriberto Moreno ◽  
Alicia S. Linford ◽  
Carol A. Gilchrist ◽  
William A. Petri
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Phospholipid Liposomes

ABSTRACT The Entamoeba histolytica upstream regulatory element 3-binding protein (URE3-BP) is a transcription factor that binds DNA in a Ca2+-inhibitable manner. The protein is located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm but has also been found to be enriched in the plasma membrane of amebic trophozoites. We investigated the reason for the unusual localization of URE3-BP at the amebic plasma membrane. Here we identify and characterize a 22-kDa Ca2+-dependent binding partner of URE3-BP, EhC2A, a novel member of the C2-domain superfamily. Immunoprecipitations of URE3-BP and EhC2A showed that the proteins interact and that such interaction was enhanced in the presence of Ca2+. Recombinant and native EhC2A bound phospholipid liposomes in a Ca2+-dependent manner, with half-maximal binding occurring at 3.4 μM free Ca2+. A direct interaction between EhC2A and URE3-BP was demonstrated by the ability of recombinant EhC2A to recruit recombinant URE3-BP to phospholipid liposomes in a Ca2+-dependent manner. URE3-BP and EhC2A were observed to translocate to the amebic plasma membrane upon an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration of trophozoites, as revealed by subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescent staining. Short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of EhC2A protein expression significantly modulated the mRNA levels of URE3-BP-regulated transcripts. Based on these results, we propose a model for EhC2A-mediated regulation of the transcriptional activities of URE3-BP via Ca2+-dependent anchoring of the transcription factor to the amebic plasma membrane.

Autoregulation of the Transcription Factor PU.1 Via Its Evolutionarily Conserved Upstream Regulatory Element Is Critical in Adult Mouse Hematopoiesis.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 1468-1468
Author(s):  
Philipp B. Staber ◽  
Pu Zhang ◽  
Min Ye ◽  
Gang Huang ◽  
Boris Bartholdy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
B Cells ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Hematopoietic Differentiation ◽  
Targeted Disruption ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Upstream Regulatory Element

Abstract Abstract 1468 Poster Board I-491 Background: Levels of the Ets transcription factor PU.1 control normal hematopoietic differentiation and even modest alterations can lead to leukemia and lymphoma. Regulation of PU.1 levels at different stages of hematopoiesis requires multiple interactions between several regulatory elements and transcription factors. Our previous studies identified a potential autoregulatory mechanism of the PU.1 gene through the combined activity of the proximal promoter and an evolutionarily conserved upstream regulatory element (URE), located at –14 kb relative to the transcription start site in mice. PU.1 binds to a conserved PU.1 site in the PU.1 URE both in vitro and in vivo. Approach: To ask at which stages of hematopoietic differentiation autoregulation of PU.1 via binding to its URE might play a role, we developed a mouse model with targeted disruption of the PU.1 binding site in the PU.1 URE. Results: Targeted mutation of the PU.1 autoregulatory site in PU.1 URE abolished PU.1 binding as verified by Chromatin Immuno-precipitation (ChIP). PU.1 URE activity was manifestly reduced resulting in a variety of lineage-specific abnormalities. As shown here in adult mice, the absence of the autoregulatory PU.1 site affected PU.1 expression in a lineage dependent manner. PU.1 expression was markedly decreased in phenotypic long term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSC: CD150+/CD48−/ c-kit+/sca-1+/lin−) and short term HSCs (ST-HSCs: CD150−/CD48+/ c-kit+/sca-1+/lin−) and, to a lesser extent, in Common Myeloid Progenitors (CMPs: lin−/c-kit+/Sca-1−/CD34+/FcrRlow), and Megakaryocyte/Erythrocyte Progenitors (MEPs: lin−/c-kit+/Sca-1−/CD34−/FcrRhigh). Within the lymphoid linage, PU.1 levels were unchanged in Common Lymphoid Progenitors (CLPs: lin−/c-kitlow/Sca-1low /IL-7Ra+/Thy1.1−) and pre-B-cells (B220+/ CD43−), up in pro-B-cells (B220+/CD43+), and down in mature B cells. Myeloid cells appeared to be unaffected. Interestingly, while PU.1 levels were decreased in LT- and ST-HSC populations, only phenotypic LT-HSCs were reduced in number. To further analyze HSC function of PU.1 site mutated mice we performed limiting dilution transplantation assays and measured the frequency of competitive repopulation units (CRU) using the congenic Ly5.1/Ly5.2 system. Our preliminary data indicated a decrease of LT-HSC function in PU.1 site mutated mice, although their homing and engraftment functions were not affected. This was also observed in mice with targeted disruption of all three AML-1 sites that are in close proximity of the PU.1 site at the PU.1 URE. While AML-1 itself appeared not to influence LT-HSC function (M. Ichikawa, T. Asai et al. Nature Medicine, 2004), we found that the conformational changes of the URE present in mice with disrupted AML-1 binding sites, as measured by Quantitative Chromosome Conformation Capture, impede PU.1 binding to its autoregulatory site. Conclusion: PU.1 indeed autoregulates its expression via binding to the -14kb URE in a lineage specific manner in vivo. Our data point to a critical role of PU.1 autoregulation especially for long-term hematopoietic stem cell function. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Potential Autoregulation of Transcription Factor PU.1 by an Upstream Regulatory Element

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 2832-2845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yutaka Okuno ◽  
Gang Huang ◽  
Frank Rosenbauer ◽  
Erica K. Evans ◽  
Hanna S. Radomska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Homologous Region ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Upstream Regulatory Element

ABSTRACT Regulation of the hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 (Spi-1) plays a critical role in the development of white cells, and abnormal expression of PU.1 can lead to leukemia. We previously reported that the PU.1 promoter cannot induce expression of a reporter gene in vivo, and cell-type-specific expression of PU.1 in stable lines was conferred by a 3.4-kb DNA fragment including a DNase I hypersensitive site located 14 kb upstream of the transcription start site. Here we demonstrate that this kb −14 site confers lineage-specific reporter gene expression in vivo. This kb −14 upstream regulatory element contains two 300-bp regions which are highly conserved in five mammalian species. In Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia, the spleen focus-forming virus integrates into the PU.1 locus between these two conserved regions. DNA binding experiments demonstrated that PU.1 itself and Elf-1 bind to a highly conserved site within the proximal homologous region in vivo. A mutation of this site abolishing binding of PU.1 and Elf-1 led to a marked decrease in the ability of this upstream element to direct activity of reporter gene in myelomonocytic cell lines. These data suggest that a potential positive autoregulatory loop mediated through an upstream regulatory element is essential for proper PU.1 gene expression.

scholarly journals Arsenic Directly Binds to and Activates the Yeast AP-1-Like Transcription Factor Yap8

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 913-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nallani Vijay Kumar ◽  
Jianbo Yang ◽  
Jitesh K. Pillai ◽  
Swati Rawat ◽  
Carlos Solano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Yeast Protein ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Arsenic Tolerance ◽  
Arsenic Sensing

The AP-1-like transcription factor Yap8 is critical for arsenic tolerance in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the mechanism by which Yap8 senses the presence of arsenic and activates transcription of detoxification genes is unknown. Here we demonstrate that Yap8 directly binds to trivalent arsenite [As(III)]in vitroandin vivoand that approximately one As(III) molecule is bound per molecule of Yap8. As(III) is coordinated by three sulfur atoms in purified Yap8, and our genetic and biochemical data identify the cysteine residues that form the binding site as Cys132, Cys137, and Cys274. As(III) binding by Yap8 does not require an additional yeast protein, and Yap8 is regulated neither at the level of localization nor at the level of DNA binding. Instead, our data are consistent with a model in which a DNA-bound form of Yap8 acts directly as an As(III) sensor. Binding of As(III) to Yap8 triggers a conformational change that in turn brings about a transcriptional response. Thus, As(III) binding to Yap8 acts as a molecular switch that converts inactive Yap8 into an active transcriptional regulator. This is the first report to demonstrate how a eukaryotic protein couples arsenic sensing to transcriptional activation.

scholarly journals Transcription Factor Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 Regulates Scavenger Receptor Cla-1 Gene Expression

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 2358-2364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Tréguier ◽  
Chantal Doucet ◽  
Martine Moreau ◽  
Christiane Dachet ◽  
Joëlle Thillet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Scavenger Receptor ◽  
Element Binding Protein ◽  
Sterol Regulatory Element

scholarly journals The Pu.1 Locus Is Differentially Regulated at the Level of Chromatin Structure and Noncoding Transcription by Alternate Mechanisms at Distinct Developmental Stages of Hematopoiesis

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (21) ◽  
pp. 7425-7438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten Hoogenkamp ◽  
Hanna Krysinska ◽  
Richard Ingram ◽  
Gang Huang ◽  
Rachael Barlow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
B Cells ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Precursor Cells ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Tissue Specific ◽  
Specific Regulation

ABSTRACT The Ets family transcription factor PU.1 is crucial for the regulation of hematopoietic development. Pu.1 is activated in hematopoietic stem cells and is expressed in mast cells, B cells, granulocytes, and macrophages but is switched off in T cells. Many of the transcription factors regulating Pu.1 have been identified, but little is known about how they organize Pu.1 chromatin in development. We analyzed the Pu.1 promoter and the upstream regulatory element (URE) using in vivo footprinting and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. In B cells, Pu.1 was bound by a set of transcription factors different from that in myeloid cells and adopted alternative chromatin architectures. In T cells, Pu.1 chromatin at the URE was open and the same transcription factor binding sites were occupied as in B cells. The transcription factor RUNX1 was bound to the URE in precursor cells, but binding was down-regulated in maturing cells. In PU.1 knockout precursor cells, the Ets factor Fli-1 compensated for the lack of PU.1, and both proteins could occupy a subset of Pu.1 cis elements in PU.1-expressing cells. In addition, we identified novel URE-derived noncoding transcripts subject to tissue-specific regulation. Our results provide important insights into how overlapping, but different, sets of transcription factors program tissue-specific chromatin structures in the hematopoietic system.

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