scholarly journals Ambient pH Signaling Regulates Nuclear Localization of the Aspergillus nidulans PacC Transcription Factor

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1688-1699 ◽  
Author(s):  
José M. Mingot ◽  
Eduardo A. Espeso ◽  
Eliecer Dı́ez ◽  
MiguelÁ. Peñalva
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Aspergillus Nidulans ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Proteolytic Processing ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Alkaline Ph ◽  
Open Conformation ◽  
Processed Form

ABSTRACT The Aspergillus nidulans zinc finger transcription factor PacC is activated by proteolytic processing in response to ambient alkaline pH. The pH-regulated step is the transition of full-length PacC from a closed to an open, protease-accessible conformation. Here we show that in the absence of ambient pH signaling, the C-terminal negative-acting domain prevents the nuclear localization of full-length closed PacC. In contrast, the processed PacC form is almost exclusively nuclear at any ambient pH. In the presence of ambient pH signaling, the fraction of PacC that is in the open conformation but has not yet been processed localizes to the nucleus. Therefore, ambient alkaline pH leads to an increase in nuclear PacC by promoting the proteolytic elimination of the negative-acting domain to yield the processed form and by increasing the proportion of full-length protein that is in the open conformation. These findings explain why mutations resulting in commitment of PacC to processing irrespective of ambient pH lead to permanent PacC activation and alkalinity mimicry. A nuclear import signal that targetsEscherichia coli β-galactosidase to the nucleus has been located to the PacC zinc finger region. A mutation abolishing DNA binding does not prevent nuclear localization of the processed form, showing that PacC processing does not lead to nuclear localization by passive diffusion of the protein made possible by the reduction in size, followed by retention in the nucleus after DNA binding.

scholarly journals Human GATA-3 trans-activation, DNA-binding, and nuclear localization activities are organized into distinct structural domains.

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 2201-2212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Yang ◽  
L Gu ◽  
P H Romeo ◽  
D Bories ◽  
H Motohashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Structural Domains ◽  
Cellular Genes ◽  
Dna Binding Site ◽  
Discrete Domains ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Site Recognition

GATA-3 is a zinc finger transcription factor which is expressed in a highly restricted and strongly conserved tissue distribution pattern in vertebrate organisms, specifically, in a subset of hematopoietic cells, in cells within the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the kidney, and in placental trophoblasts. Tissue-specific cellular genes regulated by GATA-3 have been identified in T lymphocytes and the placenta, while GATA-3-regulated genes in the nervous system and kidney have not yet been defined. We prepared monoclonal antibodies with which we could dissect the biochemical and functional properties of human GATA-3. The results of these experiments show some anticipated phenotypes, for example, the definition of discrete domains required for specific DNA-binding site recognition (amino acids 303 to 348) and trans activation (amino acids 30 to 74). The signaling sequence for nuclear localization of human GATA-3 is a property conferred by sequences within and surrounding the amino finger (amino acids 249 to 311) of the protein, thereby assigning a function to this domain and thus explaining the curious observation that this zinc finger is dispensable for DNA binding by the GATA family of transcription factors.

Human GATA-3 trans-activation, DNA-binding, and nuclear localization activities are organized into distinct structural domains

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 2201-2212
Author(s):  
Z Yang ◽  
L Gu ◽  
P H Romeo ◽  
D Bories ◽  
H Motohashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Structural Domains ◽  
Cellular Genes ◽  
Dna Binding Site ◽  
Discrete Domains ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Site Recognition

GATA-3 is a zinc finger transcription factor which is expressed in a highly restricted and strongly conserved tissue distribution pattern in vertebrate organisms, specifically, in a subset of hematopoietic cells, in cells within the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the kidney, and in placental trophoblasts. Tissue-specific cellular genes regulated by GATA-3 have been identified in T lymphocytes and the placenta, while GATA-3-regulated genes in the nervous system and kidney have not yet been defined. We prepared monoclonal antibodies with which we could dissect the biochemical and functional properties of human GATA-3. The results of these experiments show some anticipated phenotypes, for example, the definition of discrete domains required for specific DNA-binding site recognition (amino acids 303 to 348) and trans activation (amino acids 30 to 74). The signaling sequence for nuclear localization of human GATA-3 is a property conferred by sequences within and surrounding the amino finger (amino acids 249 to 311) of the protein, thereby assigning a function to this domain and thus explaining the curious observation that this zinc finger is dispensable for DNA binding by the GATA family of transcription factors.

Xenopus nuclear factor 7 (xnf7) possesses an NLS that functions efficiently in both oocytes and embryos

1993 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-395
Author(s):  
X. Li ◽  
L.D. Etkin
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signal ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Nuclear Factor ◽  
Zinc Finger Gene ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Localization Signal ◽  
Nuclear Phosphoprotein

Xenopus nuclear factor 7 (xnf7) is a nuclear phosphoprotein that is encoded by a member of a novel zinc finger gene family and likely functions as a transcription factor. It possesses a nuclear localization signal (NLS) similar to the bipartite basic NLS of nucleoplasmin, but unlike nucleoplasmin, which re-enters nuclei immediately after fertilization, xnf7 remains cytoplasmic until the mid-blastula transition (MBT). We have measured the accumulation of injected labeled xnf7 protein or protein produced from synthetic xnf7 transcripts in the oocyte nuclei (GV). The data show that the NLS of xnf7 functions efficiently in oocytes. Mutations in either of the bipartite basic domains of the xnf7 NLS inhibit nuclear accumulation, while mutations in the spacer sequences have no effect. The xnf7 NLS linked to pyruvate kinase directs the efficient accumulation of this protein into nuclei of early embryos prior to the MBT. These data suggest that retention of the xnf7 protein during development is the result of a mechanism that interferes with the xnf7 NLS function.

scholarly journals A Highly Organized Structure Mediating Nuclear Localization of a Myb2 Transcription Factor in the Protozoan Parasite Trichomonas vaginalis

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1607-1617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien-Hsin Chu ◽  
Lung-Chun Chang ◽  
Hong-Ming Hsu ◽  
Shu-Yi Wei ◽  
Hsing-Wei Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Trichomonas Vaginalis ◽  
Simian Virus 40 ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
T Antigen ◽  
Structural Domain ◽  
Dna Binding Activity

ABSTRACT Nuclear proteins usually contain specific peptide sequences, referred to as nuclear localization signals (NLSs), for nuclear import. These signals remain unexplored in the protozoan pathogen, Trichomonas vaginalis . The nuclear import of a Myb2 transcription factor was studied here using immunodetection of a hemagglutinin-tagged Myb2 overexpressed in the parasite. The tagged Myb2 was localized to the nucleus as punctate signals. With mutations of its polybasic sequences, 48KKQK51 and 61KR62, Myb2 was localized to the nucleus, but the signal was diffusive. When fused to a C-terminal non-nuclear protein, the Myb2 sequence spanning amino acid (aa) residues 48 to 143, which is embedded within the R2R3 DNA-binding domain (aa 40 to 156), was essential and sufficient for efficient nuclear import of a bacterial tetracycline repressor (TetR), and yet the transport efficiency was reduced with an additional fusion of a firefly luciferase to TetR, while classical NLSs from the simian virus 40 T-antigen had no function in this assay system. Myb2 nuclear import and DNA-binding activity were substantially perturbed with mutation of a conserved isoleucine (I74) in helix 2 to proline that altered secondary structure and ternary folding of the R2R3 domain. Disruption of DNA-binding activity alone by point mutation of a lysine residue, K51, preceding the structural domain had little effect on Myb2 nuclear localization, suggesting that nuclear translocation of Myb2, which requires an ordered structural domain, is independent of its DNA binding activity. These findings provide useful information for testing whether myriad Mybs in the parasite use a common module to regulate nuclear import.

scholarly journals Sequence and functional analysis of the positively acting regulatory gene amdR from Aspergillus nidulans.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 3194-3203 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Andrianopoulos ◽  
M J Hynes
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Aspergillus Nidulans ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Regulatory Gene ◽  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Amino Terminal ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal

The positively acting regulatory gene amdR of Aspergillus nidulans coordinately regulates the expression of five structural genes involved in the catabolism of certain amides (amdS), omega amino acids (gatA and gabA), and lactams (lamA and lamB) in the presence of omega amino acid inducers. Analysis of the amdR gene showed that it contains three small introns, heterogeneous 5' and 3' transcription sites, and multiple AUG codons prior to the major AUG initiator. The predicted amdR protein sequence has a cysteine-rich "zinc finger" DNA-binding motif at the amino-terminal end, four putative acidic transcription activation motifs in the carboxyl-terminal half, and two sequences homologous to the simian virus 40 large T antigen nuclear localization motif. These nuclear localization sequences overlap the cysteine-rich DNA-binding motif. A series of 5', 3', and internal deletions were examined in vivo for transcription activator function and showed that the amdR product contains at least two activation regions in the carboxyl-terminal half. Each of these activator amdR product contains at least two activation regions in the carboxyl-terminal half. Each of these activator regions may function independently, but both are required for wild-type levels of transcription activation. A number of the amdR deletion products were found to compete with the wild-type amdR product in vivo. Development of a rapid method for the localization of amdR mutations is presented, and using this technique, we localized and sequenced the mutation in the semiconstitutive amdR6c allele. The amdR6c missense mutation occurs in the middle of the gene, and it is suggested that it results in an altered protein which activates gene expression efficiently in the absence of an inducer.

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