scholarly journals Dissection of a carboxy-terminal region of the yeast regulatory protein RAP1 with effects on both transcriptional activation and silencing.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1209-1217 ◽  
Author(s):  
C F Hardy ◽  
D Balderes ◽  
D Shore

RAP1 is an essential sequence-specific DNA-binding protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae whose binding sites are found in a large number of promoters, where they function as upstream activation sites, and at the silencer elements of the HMR and HML mating-type loci, where they are important for repression. We have examined the involvement of specific regions of the RAP1 protein in both repression and activation of transcription by studying the properties of a series of hybrid proteins containing RAP1 sequences fused to the DNA-binding domain of the yeast protein GAL4 (amino acids 1 to 147). GAL4 DNA-binding domain/RAP1 hybrids containing only the carboxy-terminal third of the RAP1 protein (which lacks the RAP1 DNA-binding domain) function as transcriptional activators of a reporter gene containing upstream GAL4 binding sites. Expression of some hybrids from the strong ADH1 promoter on multicopy plasmids has a dominant negative effect on silencers, leading to either partial or complete derepression of normally silenced genes. The GAL4/RAP1 hybrids have different effects on wild-type and several mutated but functional silencers. Silencers lacking either an autonomously replicating sequence consensus element or the RAP1 binding site are strongly derepressed, whereas the wild-type silencer or a silencer containing a deletion of the binding site for another silencer-binding protein, ABF1, are only weakly affected by hybrid expression. By examining a series of GAL4 DNA-binding domain/RAP1 hybrids, we have mapped the transcriptional activation and derepression functions to specific parts of the RAP1 carboxy terminus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1209-1217
Author(s):  
C F Hardy ◽  
D Balderes ◽  
D Shore

RAP1 is an essential sequence-specific DNA-binding protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae whose binding sites are found in a large number of promoters, where they function as upstream activation sites, and at the silencer elements of the HMR and HML mating-type loci, where they are important for repression. We have examined the involvement of specific regions of the RAP1 protein in both repression and activation of transcription by studying the properties of a series of hybrid proteins containing RAP1 sequences fused to the DNA-binding domain of the yeast protein GAL4 (amino acids 1 to 147). GAL4 DNA-binding domain/RAP1 hybrids containing only the carboxy-terminal third of the RAP1 protein (which lacks the RAP1 DNA-binding domain) function as transcriptional activators of a reporter gene containing upstream GAL4 binding sites. Expression of some hybrids from the strong ADH1 promoter on multicopy plasmids has a dominant negative effect on silencers, leading to either partial or complete derepression of normally silenced genes. The GAL4/RAP1 hybrids have different effects on wild-type and several mutated but functional silencers. Silencers lacking either an autonomously replicating sequence consensus element or the RAP1 binding site are strongly derepressed, whereas the wild-type silencer or a silencer containing a deletion of the binding site for another silencer-binding protein, ABF1, are only weakly affected by hybrid expression. By examining a series of GAL4 DNA-binding domain/RAP1 hybrids, we have mapped the transcriptional activation and derepression functions to specific parts of the RAP1 carboxy terminus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 6491-6501 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Mai ◽  
L Breeden

We have identified Xbp1 (XhoI site-binding protein 1) as a new DNA-binding protein with homology to the DNA-binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle regulating transcription factors Swi4 and Mbp1. The DNA recognition sequence was determined by random oligonucleotide selection and confirmed by gel retardation and footprint analyses. The consensus binding site of Xbp1, GcCTCGA(G/A)G(C/A)g(a/g), is a palindromic sequence, with an XhoI restriction enzyme recognition site at its center. This Xbpl binding site is similar to Swi4/Swi6 and Mbp1/Swi6 binding sites but shows a clear difference from these elements in one of the central core bases. There are binding sites for Xbp1 in the G1 cyclin promoter (CLN1), but they are distinct from the Swi4/Swi6 binding sites in CLN1, and Xbp1 will not bind to Swi4/Swi6 or Mbp1/Swi6 binding sites. The XBP1 promoter contains several stress-regulated elements, and its expression is induced by heat shock, high osmolarity, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and glucose starvation. When fused to the LexA DNA-binding domain, Xbp1 acts as transcriptional repressor, defining it as the first repressor in the Swi4/Mbp1 family and the first potential negative regulator of transcription induced by stress. Overexpression of XBP1 results in a slow-growth phenotype, lengthening of G1, an increase in cell volume, and a repression of G1 cyclin expression. These observations suggest that Xbp1 may contribute to the repression of specific transcripts and cause a transient cell cycle delay under stress conditions.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 5986-5996
Author(s):  
S P Hunger ◽  
R Brown ◽  
M L Cleary

The t(17;19) translocation in acute lymphoblastic leukemias results in creation of E2A-hepatic leukemia factor (HLF) chimeric proteins that contain the DNA-binding and protein dimerization domains of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) protein HLF fused to a portion of E2A proteins with transcriptional activation properties. An in vitro binding site selection procedure was used to determine DNA sequences preferentially bound by wild-type HLF and chimeric E2A-HLF proteins isolated from various t(17;19)-bearing leukemias. All were found to selectively bind the consensus sequence 5'-GTTACGTAAT-3' with high affinity. Wild-type and chimeric HLF proteins also bound closely related sites identified previously for bZIP proteins of both the proline- and acidic amino acid-rich (PAR) and C/EBP subfamilies; however, E2A-HLF proteins were significantly less tolerant of certain deviations from the HLF consensus binding site. These differences were directly attributable to loss of an HLF ancillary DNA-binding domain in all E2A-HLF chimeras and were further exacerbated by a zipper mutation in one isolate. Both wild-type and chimeric HLF proteins displayed transcriptional activator properties in lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells on reporter genes containing HLF or C/EBP consensus binding sites. But on reporter genes with nonoptimal binding sites, their transcriptional properties diverged and E2A-HLF competitively inhibited activation by wild-type PAR proteins. These findings establish a spectrum of binding site-specific transcriptional properties for E2A-HLF which may preferentially activate expression of select subordinate genes as a homodimer and potentially antagonize expression of others through heteromeric interactions.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 5986-5996 ◽  
Author(s):  
S P Hunger ◽  
R Brown ◽  
M L Cleary

The t(17;19) translocation in acute lymphoblastic leukemias results in creation of E2A-hepatic leukemia factor (HLF) chimeric proteins that contain the DNA-binding and protein dimerization domains of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) protein HLF fused to a portion of E2A proteins with transcriptional activation properties. An in vitro binding site selection procedure was used to determine DNA sequences preferentially bound by wild-type HLF and chimeric E2A-HLF proteins isolated from various t(17;19)-bearing leukemias. All were found to selectively bind the consensus sequence 5'-GTTACGTAAT-3' with high affinity. Wild-type and chimeric HLF proteins also bound closely related sites identified previously for bZIP proteins of both the proline- and acidic amino acid-rich (PAR) and C/EBP subfamilies; however, E2A-HLF proteins were significantly less tolerant of certain deviations from the HLF consensus binding site. These differences were directly attributable to loss of an HLF ancillary DNA-binding domain in all E2A-HLF chimeras and were further exacerbated by a zipper mutation in one isolate. Both wild-type and chimeric HLF proteins displayed transcriptional activator properties in lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells on reporter genes containing HLF or C/EBP consensus binding sites. But on reporter genes with nonoptimal binding sites, their transcriptional properties diverged and E2A-HLF competitively inhibited activation by wild-type PAR proteins. These findings establish a spectrum of binding site-specific transcriptional properties for E2A-HLF which may preferentially activate expression of select subordinate genes as a homodimer and potentially antagonize expression of others through heteromeric interactions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (12) ◽  
pp. 6254-6264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy M. Horner ◽  
Daniel DiMaio

ABSTRACT Viral DNA binding proteins that direct nucleases or other protein domains to viral DNA in lytically or latently infected cells may provide a novel approach to modulate viral gene expression or replication. Cervical carcinogenesis is initiated by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and viral DNA persists in the cancer cells. To test whether a DNA binding domain of a papillomavirus protein can direct a nuclease domain to cleave HPV DNA in cervical cancer cells, we fused the DNA binding domain of the bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) E2 protein to the catalytic domain of the FokI restriction endonuclease, generating a BPV1 E2-FokI chimeric nuclease (BEF). BEF introduced DNA double-strand breaks on both sides of an E2 binding site in vitro, whereas DNA binding or catalytic mutants of BEF did not. After expression of BEF in HeLa cervical carcinoma cells, we detected cleavage at E2 binding sites in the integrated HPV18 DNA in these cells and also at an E2 binding site in cellular DNA. BEF-expressing cells underwent senescence, which required the DNA binding activity of BEF, but not its nuclease activity. These results demonstrate that DNA binding domains of viral proteins can target effector molecules to cognate binding sites in virally infected cells.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 1203-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Takebayashi ◽  
K Chida ◽  
I Tsukamoto ◽  
E Morii ◽  
H Munakata ◽  
...  

In the DNA binding domain of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), four mutations are reported: mi, Mi wh, mi ew, and mi or. MITFs encoded by the mi, Mi wh, mi ew, and Mi or mutant alleles (mi-MITF, Mi wh-MITF, Mi ew-MITF, and Mi or-MITF, respectively) interfered with the DNA binding of wild-type MITF, TFE3, and another basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper protein in vitro. Polyclonal antibody against MITF was produced and used for investigating the subcellular localization of mutant MITFs. Immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting revealed that more than 99% of wild-type MITF and Mi wh-MITF located in nuclei of transfected NIH 3T3 and 293T cells. In contrast, mi-MITF predominantly located in the cytoplasm of cells transfected with the corresponding plasmid. When the immunoglobulin G (IgG)-conjugated peptides representing a part of the DNA binding domain containing mi and Mi wh mutations were microinjected into the cytoplasm of NRK49F cells, wild-type peptide and Mi wh-type peptide-IgG conjugate localized in nuclei but mi-type peptide-IgG conjugate was detectable only in the cytoplasm. It was also demonstrated that the nuclear translocation potential of Mi or-MITF was normal but that Mi ew-MITF was impaired as well as mi-MITF. In cotransfection assay, a strong dominant negative effect of Mi wh-MITF against wild-type MITF-dependent transactivation system on tyrosinase promoter was observed, but mi-MITF had a small effect. However, by the conjugation of simian virus 40 large-T-antigen-derived nuclear localization signal to mi-MITF, the dominant negative effect was enhanced. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the interaction between wild-type MITF and mi-MITF occurred in the cytoplasm and that mi-MITF had an inhibitory effect on nuclear localization potential of wild-type MITF.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 5004-5014 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Fyodorov ◽  
E Deneris

In the PC12 neuroendocrine line, the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha3 gene promoter is activated by SCIP/Tst-1/Oct-6, a POU domain transcription factor proposed to be important for regulating the development of specific neural cell populations. In this study, we have investigated the SCIP polypeptide domains involved in alpha3 promoter activation. The characteristics of activation by a chimeric effector in which the GAL4 DNA binding domain was substituted for the SCIP POU domain were dramatically different from those of wild-type SCIP. At low effector masses, the chimeric polypeptide weakly activated alpha3 in a GAL4 binding-site-dependent manner but then squelched transcription at higher masses. In contrast, wild-type SCIP activation was not modulated by the presence of multimerized SCIP binding sites, and squelching was not observed. Analysis of wild-type SCIP truncations revealed that deletion of the previously characterized SCIP amino-terminal activation domain did not destroy activity of the factor. Surprisingly, a truncation expressing nothing more than the POU domain was nearly as active as wild-type SCIP. Moreover, cotransfection of a GAL4-VP16 effector with an effector expressing just the SCIP POU domain resulted in synergistic activation of the promoter. Synergistic activation did not depend on an Sp1 motif that is the only functional alpha3 cis element outside the transcription start site region. Our results show that the DNA binding domain of a POU factor is capable of transcriptional activation probably through protein-protein interactions with components of the basal transcription complex.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 5757-5761 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Xiao ◽  
J D Friesen ◽  
J T Lis

The binding of TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA element is the first step in the initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription from many promoters in vitro. It has been proposed that upstream activator proteins stimulate transcription by recruiting TBP to the promoter, thus facilitating the assembly of a transcription complex. However, the role of activator proteins acting at this step to stimulate transcription in vivo remains largely speculative. To test whether recruitment of TBP to the promoter is sufficient for transcriptional activation in vivo, we constructed a hybrid protein containing TBP of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4. Our results show that TBP recruited by the GAL4 DNA-binding domain to promoters bearing a GAL4-binding site can interact with the TATA element and direct high levels of transcription. This finding indicates that binding of TBP to promoters in S. cerevisiae is a major rate-limiting step accelerated by upstream activator proteins.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document