Posterior stripe expression of hunchback is driven from two promoters by a common enhancer element

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (9) ◽  
pp. 3067-3077 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.S. Margolis ◽  
M.L. Borowsky ◽  
E. Steingrimsson ◽  
C.W. Shim ◽  
J.A. Lengyel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Drosophila Embryo ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Enhancer Element ◽  
Gap Gene ◽  
Gap Genes ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient

The gap gene hunchback (hb) is required for the formation and segmentation of two regions of the Drosophila embryo, a broad anterior domain and a narrow posterior domain. Accumulation of hb transcript in the posterior of the embryo occurs in two phases, an initial cap covering the terminal 15% of the embryo followed by a stripe at the anterior edge of this region. By in situ hybridization with transcript-specific probes, we show that the cap is composed only of mRNA from the distal transcription initiation site (P1), while the later posterior stripe is composed of mRNA from both the distal and proximal (P2) transcription initiation sites. Using a series of genomic rescue constructs and promoter-lacZ fusion genes, we define a 1.4 kb fragment of the hb upstream region that is both necessary and sufficient for posterior expression. Sequences within this fragment mediate regulation by the terminal gap genes tailless (tll) and a huckebein, which direct the formation of the posterior hb stripe. We show that the tll protein binds in vitro to specific sites within the 1.4 kb posterior enhancer region, providing the first direct evidence for activation of gene expression by tll. We propose a model in which the anterior border of the posterior hb stripe is determined by tll concentration in a manner analogous to the activation of anterior hb expression by bicoid.

scholarly journals Variations in template protection by the RNA polymerase II transcription complex during the initiation process.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 3371-3379 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Cai ◽  
D S Luse
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Boundary Change ◽  
Phosphodiester Bonds ◽  
Template Protection ◽  
Major Late Promoter

Preinitiation complexes (complex 0) or complexes which either made 2 or an average of 10 phosphodiester bonds (complexes 2 and 10, respectively) were assembled in vitro on the adenovirus 2 major late promoter. Each of the complexes was digested extensively with DNase I; the protected DNAs were purified and hybridized in a series of end-labeled oligonucleotides homologous to sequences on the coding or noncoding strands near the initiation site. The hybrids were then extended with reverse transcriptase to map the extent of template protection conferred by proteins in the complex. The downstream protection edge revealed by this approach was approximately +30, +25, and +35 for complexes 0, 2, and 10, respectively. We subsequently found that the apparent inward movement of the downstream protection boundary on initiation could be produced by satisfying the energy requirement for transcription initiation (i.e., by treating with ATP or dATP). The downstream boundary change occurred as rapidly as we could perform the test (less than 60 s) and was not blocked by alpha-amanitin. DNAs from trimmed complexes 0, 2, or 10 all supported extension to a single upstream edge at about position -42. Upstream protection was stable in the preinitiation complex, but when postinitiation complexes were incubated for extended periods, protection of the entire upstream region was lost. This decay of upstream protection, like the movement of the downstream boundary, was found to result from exposure to ATP or dATP. Unlike the downstream boundary movement, however, the upstream change was relatively slow; about 15 min was required to lose one-half of the protection.

Variations in template protection by the RNA polymerase II transcription complex during the initiation process

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 3371-3379
Author(s):  
H Cai ◽  
D S Luse
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Boundary Change ◽  
Phosphodiester Bonds ◽  
Template Protection ◽  
Major Late Promoter

Preinitiation complexes (complex 0) or complexes which either made 2 or an average of 10 phosphodiester bonds (complexes 2 and 10, respectively) were assembled in vitro on the adenovirus 2 major late promoter. Each of the complexes was digested extensively with DNase I; the protected DNAs were purified and hybridized in a series of end-labeled oligonucleotides homologous to sequences on the coding or noncoding strands near the initiation site. The hybrids were then extended with reverse transcriptase to map the extent of template protection conferred by proteins in the complex. The downstream protection edge revealed by this approach was approximately +30, +25, and +35 for complexes 0, 2, and 10, respectively. We subsequently found that the apparent inward movement of the downstream protection boundary on initiation could be produced by satisfying the energy requirement for transcription initiation (i.e., by treating with ATP or dATP). The downstream boundary change occurred as rapidly as we could perform the test (less than 60 s) and was not blocked by alpha-amanitin. DNAs from trimmed complexes 0, 2, or 10 all supported extension to a single upstream edge at about position -42. Upstream protection was stable in the preinitiation complex, but when postinitiation complexes were incubated for extended periods, protection of the entire upstream region was lost. This decay of upstream protection, like the movement of the downstream boundary, was found to result from exposure to ATP or dATP. Unlike the downstream boundary movement, however, the upstream change was relatively slow; about 15 min was required to lose one-half of the protection.

Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of maize mitochondrial gene expression

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 533-543
Author(s):  
R M Mulligan ◽  
P Leon ◽  
V Walbot
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Posttranscriptional Regulation ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Gene Copy ◽  
Promoter Strength ◽  
Protein Coding

Lysed maize mitochondria synthesize RNA in the presence of radioactive nucleoside triphosphates, and this assay was utilized to compare the rates of transcription of seven genes. The rates of incorporation varied over a 14-fold range, with the following rank order: 18S rRNA greater than 26S rRNA greater than atp1 greater than atp6 greater than atp9 greater than cob greater than cox3. The products of run-on transcription hybridized specifically to known transcribed regions and selectively to the antisense DNA strand; thus, the isolated run-on transcription system appears to be an accurate representation of endogenous transcription. Although there were small differences in gene copy abundance, these differences cannot account for the differences in apparent transcription rates; we conclude that promoter strength is the main determinant. Among the protein coding genes, incorporation was greatest for atp1. The most active transcription initiation site of this gene was characterized by hybridization with in vitro-capped RNA and by primer extension analyses. The DNA sequences at this and other transcription initiation sites that we have previously mapped were analyzed with respect to the apparent promoter strengths. We propose that two short sequence elements just upstream of initiation sites form at least a portion of the sequence requirements for a maize mitochondrial promoter. In addition to modulation at the level of transcription, steady-state abundance of protein-coding mRNAs varied over a 20-fold range and did not correlate with transcriptional activity. These observations suggest that posttranscriptional processes are important in the modulation of mRNA abundance.

Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae his3 transcription in vitro: biochemical support for multiple mechanisms of transcription

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2832-2839
Author(s):  
A S Ponticelli ◽  
K Struhl
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Activator Proteins ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
Transcription In Vitro

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.

Mechanism of initiator-mediated transcription: evidence for a functional interaction between the TATA-binding protein and DNA in the absence of a specific recognition sequence

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3841-3849
Author(s):  
B Zenzie-Gregory ◽  
A Khachi ◽  
I P Garraway ◽  
S T Smale
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Tata Binding Protein ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Promoter Strength ◽  
Recognition Sequence ◽  
Specific Recognition ◽  
Rate Limiting

Promoters containing Sp1 binding sites and an initiator element but lacking a TATA box direct high levels of accurate transcription initiation by using a mechanism that requires the TATA-binding protein (TBP). We have begun to address the role of TBP during transcription from Sp1-initiator promoters by varying the nucleotide sequence between -14 and -33 relative to the start site. With each of several promoters containing different upstream sequences, we detected accurate transcription both in vitro and in vivo, but the promoter strengths varied widely, particularly with the in vitro assay. The variable promoter activities correlated with, but were not proportional to, the abilities of the upstream sequences to function as TATA boxes, as assessed by multiple criteria. These results confirm that accurate transcription can proceed in the presence of an initiator, regardless of the sequence present in the -30 region. However, the results reveal a role for this upstream region, most consistent with a model in which initiator-mediated transcription requires binding of TBP to the upstream DNA in the absence of a specific recognition sequence. Moreover, in vivo it appears that the promoter strength is modulated less severely by altering the -30 sequence, consistent with a previous suggestion that TBP is not rate limiting in vivo for TATA-less promoters. Taken together, these results suggest that variations in the structure of a core promoter might alter the rate-limiting step for transcription initiation and thereby alter the potential modes of transcriptional regulation, without severely changing the pathway used to assemble a functional preinitiation complex.

Targeting gene expression to the head: the Drosophila orthodenticle gene is a direct target of the Bicoid morphogen

Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (21) ◽  
pp. 4185-4193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Gao ◽  
R. Finkelstein
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Repeated Sequence ◽  
Drosophila Embryo ◽  
Sequence Motif ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Gap Gene

The Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen establishes the head and thorax of the Drosophila embryo. Bcd activates the transcription of identified target genes in the thoracic segments, but its mechanism of action in the head remains poorly understood. It has been proposed that Bcd directly activates the cephalic gap genes, which are the first zygotic genes to be expressed in the head primordium. It has also been suggested that the affinity of Bcd-binding sites in the promoters of Bcd target genes determines the posterior extent of their expression (the Gene X model). However, both these hypotheses remain untested. Here, we show that a small regulatory region upstream of the cephalic gap gene orthodenticle (otd) is sufficient to recapitulate early otd expression in the head primordium. This region contains two control elements, each capable of driving otd-like expression. The first element has consensus Bcd target sites that bind Bcd in vitro and are necessary for head-specific expression. As predicted by the Gene X model, this element has a relatively low affinity for Bcd. Surprisingly, the second regulatory element has no Bcd sites. Instead, it contains a repeated sequence motif similar to a regulatory element found in the promoters of otd-related genes in vertebrates. Our study is the first demonstration that a cephalic gap gene is directly regulated by Bcd. However, it also shows that zygotic gene expression can be targeted to the head primordium without direct Bcd regulation.

Identification of promoter elements necessary for transcriptional regulation of a human histone H4 gene in vitro

1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 380-389
Author(s):  
S M Hanly ◽  
G C Bleecker ◽  
N Heintz
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Histone H4 ◽  
Promoter Elements ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
Distal Promoter ◽  
Histone H4 Gene

We have examined the nucleotide sequences necessary for transcription of a human histone H4 gene in vitro. Maximal transcription of the H4 promoter requires, in addition to the TATA box and cap site, promoter elements between 70 and 110 nucleotides upstream from the transcription initiation site. These distal promoter elements are recognized preferentially in extracts from synchronized S-phase HeLa cells. The inability of non-S-phase nuclear extracts to recognize the H4 upstream sequences reflects a specific lack of a transcription factor which interacts with those sequences. These results indicate that the cell cycle regulation of human histone gene expression involves both a specific transcription factor and distal transcription signals in the H4 promoter.

scholarly journals Np4A alarmones function in bacteria as precursors to RNA caps

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (7) ◽  
pp. 3560-3567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Luciano ◽  
Joel G. Belasco
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Promoter Sequence ◽  
Rna Degradation ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
E Coli ◽  
N Incorporation ◽  
Nascent Transcripts

Stresses that increase the cellular concentration of dinucleoside tetraphosphates (Np4Ns) have recently been shown to impact RNA degradation by inducing nucleoside tetraphosphate (Np4) capping of bacterial transcripts. However, neither the mechanism by which such caps are acquired nor the function of Np4Ns in bacteria is known. Here we report that promoter sequence changes upstream of the site of transcription initiation similarly affect both the efficiency with which Escherichia coli RNA polymerase incorporates dinucleoside polyphosphates at the 5′ end of nascent transcripts in vitro and the percentage of transcripts that are Np4-capped in E. coli, clear evidence for Np4 cap acquisition by Np4N incorporation during transcription initiation in bacterial cells. E. coli RNA polymerase initiates transcription more efficiently with Np4As than with ATP, particularly when the coding strand nucleotide that immediately precedes the initiation site is a purine. Together, these findings indicate that Np4Ns function in bacteria as precursors to Np4 caps and that RNA polymerase has evolved a predilection for synthesizing capped RNA whenever such precursors are abundant.

scholarly journals Formation of an active transcription complex in the Drosophila melanogaster 5S RNA gene is dependent on an upstream region.

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 2046-2051 ◽  
Author(s):  
A D Garcia ◽  
A M O'Connell ◽  
S J Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Rna Polymerase Iii ◽  
In Vitro Transcription ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Nucleotide Position ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
5S Rna ◽  
Cell Extracts

We constructed deletion-substitution and linker-scanning mutations in the 5'-flanking region of the Drosophila melanogaster 5S RNA gene. In vitro transcription of these templates in Drosophila and HeLa cell extracts revealed the presence of an essential control region (-30 region) located between nucleotides -39 and -26 upstream of the transcription initiation site: deletion of sequences upstream of nucleotide position -39 had no detectable effect on the wild-type level of in vitro transcription, whereas mutations extending between positions -39 and 1 resulted in templates with decreased transcriptional levels; specifically, deletion and linker-scanning mutations in the -34 to -26 region (-30 region) resulted in loss of transcription. The -30 region is essential for transcription and therefore forms part of the Drosophila 5S RNA gene transcription promoter. Compared with the activity of the wild-type gene, mutant 5S DNAs exhibited no impairment in the ability to sequester limiting transcription factors in a template exclusion competition assay. While we do not know which transcription factor(s) interacts with the -30 region, the possible involvement of RNA polymerase III at this region is discussed.

scholarly journals Loss of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PhpA Aminopeptidase Activity Results in Increased algDTranscription

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (15) ◽  
pp. 4674-4679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel C. Woolwine ◽  
April B. Sprinkle ◽  
Daniel J. Wozniak
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Leucine Aminopeptidase ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Aminopeptidase Activity ◽  
Homologous Protein ◽  
Relevant Property

ABSTRACT Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phpA, encoding a putative leucine aminopeptidase, results in increased transcription ofalgD. The homologous protein in Escherichia coli, PepA, is multifunctional, possessing independent aminopeptidase and DNA-binding activities. Here we provide in vitro evidence that PhpA is an aminopeptidase and show that this activity is the relevant property with regard to algD expression. This regulation occurred at the previously mapped algDtranscription initiation site and was not due to activation of an alternative promoter.

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