scholarly journals An embryonic enhancer determines the temporal activation of a sea urchin late H1 gene.

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2315-2321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z C Lai ◽  
D J DeAngelo ◽  
M DiLiberto ◽  
G Childs

Normal development requires that individual genes be expressed in their correct temporal patterns, but the mechanisms regulating this process during early embryogenesis are poorly understood. We have studied the early and late sea urchin histone genes during embryogenesis to address the molecular mechanisms controlling temporal gene expression. By measuring the changes in expression of cloned H1-beta DNA constructs after microinjection into fertilized one-cell zygotes, we demonstrated that a highly conserved 30-base-pair segment of DNA between positions -288 and -317 (USE IV) is responsible for the transcriptional activation of this late histone gene at the late blastula stage. In this report, we demonstrate that an oligonucleotide corresponding to USE IV acts as an embryonic enhancer element capable of activating the simian virus 40 early promoter in a stage-specific manner. Using an in vivo competition assay and in vitro DNase I footprinting and mobility shift assays, we also identified a protein(s) that interacts with this enhancer. Results of the competition assay suggested that this factor acts to stimulate transcription of the H1-beta gene. The factor was found to be stored in mature eggs as well as in all embryonic stages examined. The mobility of the factor found in eggs, however, differed from that of the embryonic form, which suggested that posttranslational modification occurs after fertilization.

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2315-2321
Author(s):  
Z C Lai ◽  
D J DeAngelo ◽  
M DiLiberto ◽  
G Childs

Normal development requires that individual genes be expressed in their correct temporal patterns, but the mechanisms regulating this process during early embryogenesis are poorly understood. We have studied the early and late sea urchin histone genes during embryogenesis to address the molecular mechanisms controlling temporal gene expression. By measuring the changes in expression of cloned H1-beta DNA constructs after microinjection into fertilized one-cell zygotes, we demonstrated that a highly conserved 30-base-pair segment of DNA between positions -288 and -317 (USE IV) is responsible for the transcriptional activation of this late histone gene at the late blastula stage. In this report, we demonstrate that an oligonucleotide corresponding to USE IV acts as an embryonic enhancer element capable of activating the simian virus 40 early promoter in a stage-specific manner. Using an in vivo competition assay and in vitro DNase I footprinting and mobility shift assays, we also identified a protein(s) that interacts with this enhancer. Results of the competition assay suggested that this factor acts to stimulate transcription of the H1-beta gene. The factor was found to be stored in mature eggs as well as in all embryonic stages examined. The mobility of the factor found in eggs, however, differed from that of the embryonic form, which suggested that posttranslational modification occurs after fertilization.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 5004-5014
Author(s):  
L C Lutter ◽  
L Judis ◽  
R F Paretti

Recently a model for eukaryotic transcriptional activation has been proposed in which histone hyperacetylation causes release of nucleosomal supercoils, and this unconstrained tension in turn stimulates transcription (V. G. Norton, B. S. Imai, P. Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, Cell 57:449-457, 1989; V. G. Norton, K. W. Marvin, P. Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, J. Biol. Chem. 265:19848-19852, 1990). These studies analyzed the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the change in topological linking number which occurs during nucleosome assembly in vitro. We have tested this model by determining the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the linking number change which occurs during assembly in vivo. We find that butyrate treatment of cells infected with simian virus 40 results in hyperacetylation of the histones of the extracted viral minichromosome as expected. However, the change in constrained supercoils of the minichromosome DNA is minimal, a result which is inconsistent with the proposed model. These results indicate that the proposed mechanism of transcriptional activation is unlikely to take place in the cell.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 5004-5014 ◽  
Author(s):  
L C Lutter ◽  
L Judis ◽  
R F Paretti

Recently a model for eukaryotic transcriptional activation has been proposed in which histone hyperacetylation causes release of nucleosomal supercoils, and this unconstrained tension in turn stimulates transcription (V. G. Norton, B. S. Imai, P. Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, Cell 57:449-457, 1989; V. G. Norton, K. W. Marvin, P. Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, J. Biol. Chem. 265:19848-19852, 1990). These studies analyzed the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the change in topological linking number which occurs during nucleosome assembly in vitro. We have tested this model by determining the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the linking number change which occurs during assembly in vivo. We find that butyrate treatment of cells infected with simian virus 40 results in hyperacetylation of the histones of the extracted viral minichromosome as expected. However, the change in constrained supercoils of the minichromosome DNA is minimal, a result which is inconsistent with the proposed model. These results indicate that the proposed mechanism of transcriptional activation is unlikely to take place in the cell.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 524-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
J K Krady ◽  
D C Ward

The nonstructural protein NS-1, encoded by the parvovirus minute virus of mice, is a potent regulator of viral gene expression. NS-1 does not bind DNA in a sequence-specific manner, and the mechanism by which it modulates viral promoter function is unclear. We have used Gal4-NS-1 fusion protein constructs to identify and characterize an activating domain encoded within the C-terminal 88 amino acids of NS-1 which competes effectively with the acidic activator domain of the herpes simplex virus VP16 protein. DNA affinity chromatography and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that protein-protein interactions between the transcription factor Sp1 and NS-1 are required to bind NS-1 to promoter DNA in vitro. Cotransfection of Gal4-NS-1 and Sp1-VP16 acidic activator constructs into Drosophila melanogaster Schneider cells, which lack endogenous Sp1, stimulates transcription from a minimal promoter containing five Gal4 binding sites, while single-construct transfections do not. Cotransfection of Schneider cells with wild-type NS-1 and Sp1 constructs activates transcription from a simian virus 40 promoter 10- to 30-fold over that of either construct alone. Thus, Sp1-NS-1 interactions in vivo can stimulate transcription from a heterologous promoter containing Sp1 binding sites.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 2317-2323
Author(s):  
D Zarkower ◽  
P Stephenson ◽  
M Sheets ◽  
M Wickens

The sequence AAUAAA is found near the polyadenylation site of eucaryotic mRNAs. This sequence is required for accurate and efficient cleavage and polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs in vivo. In this study we show that synthetic simian virus 40 late pre-mRNAs are cleaved and polyadenylated in vitro in a HeLa cell nuclear extract, and that cleavage in vitro is abolished by each of four different single-base changes in AAUAAA. In this same extract, precleaved RNAs (RNAs with 3' termini at the polyadenylation site) are efficiently polyadenylated. This in vitro polyadenylation reaction also requires the AAUAAA sequence.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2832-2839
Author(s):  
A S Ponticelli ◽  
K Struhl

The promoter region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae his3 gene contains two TATA elements, TC and TR, that direct transcription initiation to two sites designated +1 and +13. On the basis of differences between their nucleotide sequences and their responsiveness to upstream promoter elements, it has previously been proposed that TC and TR promote transcription by different molecular mechanisms. To begin a study of his3 transcription in vitro, we used S. cerevisiae nuclear extracts together with various DNA templates and transcriptional activator proteins that have been characterized in vivo. We demonstrated accurate transcription initiation in vitro at the sites used in vivo, transcriptional activation by GCN4, and activation by a GAL4 derivative on various gal-his3 hybrid promoters. In all cases, transcription stimulation was dependent on the presence of an acidic activation region in the activator protein. In addition, analysis of promoters containing a variety of TR derivatives indicated that the level of transcription in vitro was directly related to the level achieved in vivo. The results demonstrated that the in vitro system accurately reproduced all known aspects of in vivo his3 transcription that depend on the TR element. However, in striking contrast to his3 transcription in vivo, transcription in vitro yielded approximately 20 times more of the +13 transcript than the +1 transcript. This result was not due to inability of the +1 initiation site to be efficiently utilized in vitro, but rather it reflects the lack of TC function in vitro. The results support the idea that TC and TR mediate transcription from the wild-type promoter by distinct mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-116
Author(s):  
Rui-Fang Li ◽  
Guo-Xin Nan ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
Chang Gao ◽  
Juan Yang ◽  
...  

1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-141
Author(s):  
J Brady ◽  
M Radonovich ◽  
M Thoren ◽  
G Das ◽  
N P Salzman

We have previously identified an 11-base DNA sequence, 5'-G-G-T-A-C-C-T-A-A-C-C-3' (simian virus 40 [SV40] map position 294 to 304), which is important in the control of SV40 late RNA expression in vitro and in vivo (Brady et al., Cell 31:625-633, 1982). We report here the identification of another domain of the SV40 late promoter. A series of mutants with deletions extending from SV40 map position 0 to 300 was prepared by nuclease BAL 31 treatment. The cloned templates were then analyzed for efficiency and accuracy of late SV40 RNA expression in the Manley in vitro transcription system. Our studies showed that, in addition to the promoter domain near map position 300, there are essential DNA sequences between nucleotide positions 74 and 95 that are required for efficient expression of late SV40 RNA. Included in this SV40 DNA sequence were two of the six GGGCGG SV40 repeat sequences and an 11-nucleotide segment which showed strong homology with the upstream sequences required for the efficient in vitro and in vivo expression of the histone H2A gene. This upstream promoter sequence supported transcription with the same efficiency even when it was moved 72 nucleotides closer to the major late cap site. In vitro promoter competition analysis demonstrated that the upstream promoter sequence, independent of the 294 to 304 promoter element, is capable of binding polymerase-transcription factors required for SV40 late gene transcription. Finally, we show that DNA sequences which control the specificity of RNA initiation at nucleotide 325 lie downstream of map position 294.


1981 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 919-931
Author(s):  
C L Cepko ◽  
U Hansen ◽  
H Handa ◽  
P A Sharp

Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) transcribed in vitro by using the whole-cell extract system of Manley et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:3855-3859, 1980) were tested for their efficiency and fidelity in directing protein synthesis in reticulocyte lysates. Simian virus 40 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), cleaved by various restriction endonucleases, was used as the template. Successful translation of the small tumor antigen t, as well as the capsid proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3, was detected by immunoprecipitation analysis. Although no synthesis of large T antigen was detected, use of this technology allows detection of large T synthesis resulting from the correct splicing of as little as 0.2% of the in vitro RNA transcripts, making it ideal for use as an in vitro splicing assay. Transcripts synthesized in vitro were used as messages at least as efficiently as were viral messenger RNA's (mRNA's) synthesized in vivo; and in the case of small t, there was more efficient translation of small t mRNA synthesized in vitro than of small t mRNA synthesized in vivo. The transcripts that served as mRNA's for the various polypeptides were identified by using the following two criteria. (i) The sensitivity of synthesis of a given protein to digestion of the template DNA with restriction enzymes allowed the localization of the promoter and coding regions. (ii) Translation of size-fractionated RNA allowed confirmation of the transcript-mRNA assignments. With these techniques we found that VP2, VP3 and, in some cases, VP1 synthesis resulted from the initiation of translation at internal AUG codons. In fact, families of polypeptides were produced by initiation of translation at AUG codons within sequences coding for VP1 and T, presumably as a result of transcription initiation events that generated 5' ends immediately upstream from these AUGs. Application of this technology for the identification of coding regions within cloned DNA fragments is discussed.


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