Inhibition of Xbra transcription activation causes defects in mesodermal patterning and reveals autoregulation of Xbra in dorsal mesoderm

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (8) ◽  
pp. 2427-2435 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.L. Conlon ◽  
S.G. Sedgwick ◽  
K.M. Weston ◽  
J.C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Zebrafish Embryos ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Dorsal Mesoderm ◽  
Transcription Activators ◽  
Carboxy Terminal ◽  
Genetic Mutants ◽  
Axial Development

The Brachyury (T) gene is required for formation of posterior mesoderm and for axial development in both mouse and zebrafish embryos. In this paper, we first show that the Xenopus homologue of Brachyury, Xbra, and the zebrafish homologue, no tail (ntl), both function as transcription activators. The activation domains of both proteins map to their carboxy terminal regions, and we note that the activation domain is absent in two zebrafish Brachyury mutations, suggesting that it is required for gene function. A dominant-interfering Xbra construct was generated by replacing the activation domain of Xbra with the repressor domain of the Drosophila engrailed protein. Microinjection of RNA encoding this fusion protein allowed us to generate Xenopus and zebrafish embryos which show striking similarities to genetic mutants in mouse and fish. These results indicate that the function of Brachyury during vertebrate gastrulation is to activate transcription of mesoderm-specific genes. Additional experiments show that Xbra transcription activation is required for regulation of Xbra itself in dorsal, but not ventral, mesoderm. The approach described in this paper, in which the DNA-binding domain of a transcription activator is fused to the engrailed repressor domain, should assist in the analysis of other Xenopus and zebrafish transcription factors.

scholarly journals The evolution of the 9aaTAD domain in Sp2 proteins: inactivation with valines and intron reservoirs

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Piskacek ◽  
Marek Havelka ◽  
Kristina Jendruchova ◽  
Andrea Knight ◽  
Liam P. Keegan
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Transactivation Domains ◽  
Sp1 Transcription Factor ◽  
Chordate Evolution ◽  
Transcription Activators

AbstractThe Sp1 transcription factor has been defined as glutamine-rich activator. The Nine amino acid TransActivation Domains (9aaTAD) have been identified in numerous transcription activators. Here, we identified the conserved 9aaTAD motif in the Sp1 and in all nine members of SP family with broad natural 9aaTAD variations. We showed by the amino acid substitutions that the glutamine residues are completely dispensable for 9aaTADs function. We described the 9aaTAD domains’ origin and evolutionary history. The ancestral Sp2 gene with inactive 9aaTAD has duplicated in early chordates and created new paralogs Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4. We discovered that the accumulation of valines in the 9aaTADs correlated with the domain inactivation. The Sp2 activation domain, whose dormancy have lasted over 100 million years during chordate evolution, enabled later diversification in the Sp1-4 clade, including both repressors and activators. The new paralogs Sp1 and Sp3 activation domains have regained their original activator function by loss of valines in their 9aaTADs.

scholarly journals The basic region of myogenin cooperates with two transcription activation domains to induce muscle-specific transcription.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 266-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
J J Schwarz ◽  
T Chakraborty ◽  
J Martin ◽  
J M Zhou ◽  
E N Olson
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Dna Binding Domain ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
E Box ◽  
Myogenic Program ◽  
Basic Region

Myogenin is a skeletal muscle-specific transcription factor that can activate myogenesis when introduced into a variety of nonmuscle cell types. Activation of the myogenic program by myogenin is dependent on its binding to a DNA sequence known as an E box, which is associated with numerous muscle-specific genes. Myogenin shares homology with MyoD and other myogenic regulatory factors within a basic region and a helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif that mediate DNA binding and dimerization, respectively. Here we show that the basic region-HLH motif of myogenin alone lacks transcriptional activity and is dependent on domains in the amino and carboxyl termini to activate transcription. Analysis of these N- and C-terminal domains through creation of chimeras with the DNA-binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor GAL4 revealed that they act as strong transcriptional activators. These transcription activation domains are dependent for activity on a specific amino acid sequence within the basic region, referred to as the myogenic recognition motif (MRM), when an E box is the target for DNA binding. However, the activation domains function independent of the MRM when DNA binding is mediated through a heterologous DNA-binding domain. The activation domain of the acidic coactivator VP16 can substitute for the myogenin activation domains and restore strong myogenic activity to the basic region-HLH motif. Within a myogenin-VP16 chimera, however, the VP16 activation domain also relies on the MRM for activation of the myogenic program. These findings reveal that DNA binding and transcriptional activation are separable functions, encoded by different domains of myogenin, but that the activity of the transcriptional activation domains is influenced by the DNA-binding domain. Activation of muscle-specific transcription requires collaboration between the DNA-binding and activation domains of myogenin and is dependent on events in addition to DNA binding.

scholarly journals Evolution of the activation domain in a Hox transcription factor

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 745-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Liu ◽  
Annie Huang ◽  
Rebecca M. Booth ◽  
Gabriela Geraldo Mendes ◽  
Zabeena Merchant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Protein ◽  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Specific Protein ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered

Linking changes in amino acid sequences to the evolution of transcription regulatory domains is often complicated by the low sequence complexity and high mutation rates of intrinsically disordered protein regions. For the Hox transcription factor Ultrabithorax (Ubx), conserved motifs distributed throughout the protein sequence enable direct comparison of specific protein regions, despite variations in the length and composition of the intervening sequences. In cell culture, the strength of transcription activation by Drosophila melanogaster Ubx correlates with the presence of a predicted helix within its activation domain. Curiously, this helix is not preserved in species more divergent than flies, suggesting the nature of transcription activation may have evolved. To determine whether this helix contributes to Drosophila Ubx function in vivo, wild-type and mutant proteins were ectopically expressed in the developing wing and the phenotypes evaluated. Helix mutations alter Drosophila Ubx activity in the developing wing, demonstrating its functional importance in vivo. The locations of activation domains in Ubx orthologues were identified by testing the ability of truncation mutants to activate transcription in yeast one-hybrid assays. In Ubx orthologues representing 540 million years of evolution, the ability to activate transcription varies substantially. The sequence and the location of the activation domains also differ. Consequently, analogous regions of Ubx orthologues change function over time, and may activate transcription in one species, but have no activity, or even inhibit transcription activation in another species. Unlike homeodomain-DNA binding, the nature of transcription activation by Ubx has substantially evolved.

The basic region of myogenin cooperates with two transcription activation domains to induce muscle-specific transcription

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 266-275
Author(s):  
J J Schwarz ◽  
T Chakraborty ◽  
J Martin ◽  
J M Zhou ◽  
E N Olson
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Dna Binding Domain ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
E Box ◽  
Myogenic Program ◽  
Basic Region

Myogenin is a skeletal muscle-specific transcription factor that can activate myogenesis when introduced into a variety of nonmuscle cell types. Activation of the myogenic program by myogenin is dependent on its binding to a DNA sequence known as an E box, which is associated with numerous muscle-specific genes. Myogenin shares homology with MyoD and other myogenic regulatory factors within a basic region and a helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif that mediate DNA binding and dimerization, respectively. Here we show that the basic region-HLH motif of myogenin alone lacks transcriptional activity and is dependent on domains in the amino and carboxyl termini to activate transcription. Analysis of these N- and C-terminal domains through creation of chimeras with the DNA-binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor GAL4 revealed that they act as strong transcriptional activators. These transcription activation domains are dependent for activity on a specific amino acid sequence within the basic region, referred to as the myogenic recognition motif (MRM), when an E box is the target for DNA binding. However, the activation domains function independent of the MRM when DNA binding is mediated through a heterologous DNA-binding domain. The activation domain of the acidic coactivator VP16 can substitute for the myogenin activation domains and restore strong myogenic activity to the basic region-HLH motif. Within a myogenin-VP16 chimera, however, the VP16 activation domain also relies on the MRM for activation of the myogenic program. These findings reveal that DNA binding and transcriptional activation are separable functions, encoded by different domains of myogenin, but that the activity of the transcriptional activation domains is influenced by the DNA-binding domain. Activation of muscle-specific transcription requires collaboration between the DNA-binding and activation domains of myogenin and is dependent on events in addition to DNA binding.

scholarly journals Transcription activator-coactivator specificity is mediated by a large and dynamic fuzzy protein-protein complex

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Tuttle ◽  
Derek Pacheco ◽  
Linda Warfield ◽  
Jie Luo ◽  
Jeff Ranish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Disordered Proteins ◽  
Protein Interface ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Great Flexibility ◽  
Hydrophobic Residues ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Binding Domains ◽  
Complex Forms ◽  
Combinatorial Mechanism

SUMMARYTranscription activation domains (ADs) are inherently disordered proteins that often target multiple coactivator complexes, but the specificity of these interactions is not understood. Efficient activation by yeast Gcn4 requires tandem Gcn4 ADs and four activator-binding domains (ABDs) on its target, the Mediator subunit Med15. Multiple ABDs are a common feature of coactivator complexes. We find that the large Gcn4-Med15 complex is heterogeneous, containing nearly all possible AD-ABD interactions. This complex forms using a dynamic fuzzy protein-protein interface where ADs use hydrophobic residues to bind hydrophobic surfaces of the ABDs in multiple orientations. This combinatorial mechanism allows individual interactions of low affinity and specificity to generate a biologically functional, specific, and higher affinity complex despite lacking a defined protein-protein interface. This binding strategy is likely representative of many activators that target multiple coactivators and allows great flexibility in combinations of activators that synergize to regulate genes with variable coactivator requirements.

scholarly journals The regulatory domain of human heat shock factor 1 is sufficient to sense heat stress.

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 839-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
E M Newton ◽  
U Knauf ◽  
M Green ◽  
R E Kingston
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Heat Shock ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Heat Shock Factor ◽  
Acid Activation ◽  
Regulatory Domain ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Control Temperature ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Transcriptional Activation Domains

Heat shock factor (HSF) activates transcription in response to cellular stress. Human HSF1 has a central regulatory domain which can repress the activity of its activation domains at the control temperature and render them heat shock inducible. To determine whether the regulatory domain works in tandem with specific features of the HSF1 transcriptional activation domains, we first used deletion and point mutagenesis to define these activation domains. One of the activation domains can be reduced to just 20 amino acids. A GAL4 fusion protein containing the HSF 1 regulatory domain and this 20-amino-acid activation domain is repressed at the control temperature but potently activates transcription in response to heat shock. No specific amino acids in this activation domain are required for response to the regulatory domain; in particular, none of the potentially phosphorylated serine and threonine residues are required for heat induction, implying that heat-induced phosphorylation of the transcriptional activation domains is not required for induction. The regulatory domain is able to confer heat responsiveness to an otherwise completely heterologous chimeric activator that contains a portion of the VP16 activation domain, suggesting that the regulatory domain can sense heat in the absence of other portions of HSF1.

scholarly journals Transcription Activation Domains of the Yeast Factors Met4 and Ino2: Tandem Activation Domains with Properties Similar to the Yeast Gcn4 Activator

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Pacheco ◽  
Linda Warfield ◽  
Michelle Brajcich ◽  
Hannah Robbins ◽  
Jie Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Transcription Activation ◽  
Binding Studies ◽  
Eukaryotic Transcription ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Conserved Sequence ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Binding Domains ◽  
Optimal Function

ABSTRACTEukaryotic transcription activation domains (ADs) are intrinsically disordered polypeptides that typically interact with coactivator complexes, leading to stimulation of transcription initiation, elongation, and chromatin modifications. Here we examined the properties of two strong and conserved yeast ADs: Met4 and Ino2. Both factors have tandem ADs that were identified by conserved sequence and functional studies. While the AD function of both factors depended on hydrophobic residues, Ino2 further required key conserved acidic and polar residues for optimal function. Binding studies showed that the ADs bound multiple Med15 activator-binding domains (ABDs) with similar orders of micromolar affinity and similar but distinct thermodynamic properties. Protein cross-linking data show that no unique complex was formed upon Met4-Med15 binding. Rather, we observed heterogeneous AD-ABD contacts with nearly every possible AD-ABD combination. Many of these properties are similar to those observed with yeast activator Gcn4, which forms a large heterogeneous, dynamic, and fuzzy complex with Med15. We suggest that this molecular behavior is common among eukaryotic activators.

scholarly journals Fos and jun cooperate in transcriptional regulation via heterologous activation domains.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 5532-5535 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Abate ◽  
D Luk ◽  
E Gagne ◽  
R G Roeder ◽  
T Curran
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcriptional Activity ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Transcriptional Activation Domain ◽  
Transcriptional Stimulation

The products of c-fos and c-jun (Fos and Jun) function in gene regulation by interacting with the AP-1 binding site. Here we have examined the contribution of Fos and Jun toward transcriptional activity by using Fos and Jun polypeptides purified from Escherichia coli. Fos contained a transcriptional activation domain as well as a region which exerted a negative influence on transcriptional activity in vitro. Moreover, distinct activation domains in both Fos and Jun functioned cooperatively in transcriptional stimulation. Thus, regulation of gene expression by Fos and Jun results from an integration of several functional domains in a bimolecular complex.

scholarly journals Activation Domain-Specific and General Transcription Stimulation by Native Histone Acetyltransferase Complexes

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 855-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiko Ikeda ◽  
David J. Steger ◽  
Anton Eberharter ◽  
Jerry L. Workman
Keyword(s):  
Histone Acetyltransferase ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Saga Complex ◽  
Histone H4 ◽  
Activation Domain ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Nucleosomal Array ◽  
Histone H4 Acetylation

ABSTRACT Recent progress in identifying the catalytic subunits of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complexes has implicated histone acetylation in the regulation of transcription. Here, we have analyzed the function of two native yeast HAT complexes, SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase) and NuA4 (nucleosome acetyltransferase of H4), in activating transcription from preassembled nucleosomal array templates in vitro. Each complex was tested for the ability to enhance transcription driven by GAL4 derivatives containing either acidic, glutamine-rich, or proline-rich activation domains. On nucleosomal array templates, the SAGA complex selectively stimulates transcription driven by the VP16 acidic activation domain in an acetyl coenzyme A-dependent manner. In contrast, the NuA4 complex facilitates transcription mediated by any of the activation domains tested if allowed to preacetylate the nucleosomal template, indicating a general stimulatory effect of histone H4 acetylation. However, when the extent of acetylation by NuA4 is limited, the complex also preferentially stimulates VP16-driven transcription. SAGA and NuA4 interact directly with the VP16 activation domain but not with a glutamine-rich or proline-rich activation domain. These data suggest that recruitment of the SAGA and NuA4 HAT complexes by the VP16 activation domain contributes to HAT-dependent activation. In addition, extensive H4/H2B acetylation by NuA4 leads to a general activation of transcription, which is independent of activator-NuA4 interactions.

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