scholarly journals Beyond Trees: Regulons and Regulatory Motif Characterization

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 995
Author(s):  
Xuhua Xia
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Biological Function ◽  
Regulatory Motifs ◽  
Candidate Target ◽  
Tree Genetics ◽  
Growth And Reproduction

Trees and their seeds regulate their germination, growth, and reproduction in response to environmental stimuli. These stimuli, through signal transduction, trigger transcription factors that alter the expression of various genes leading to the unfolding of the genetic program. A regulon is conceptually defined as a set of target genes regulated by a transcription factor by physically binding to regulatory motifs to accomplish a specific biological function, such as the CO-FT regulon for flowering timing and fall growth cessation in trees. Only with a clear characterization of regulatory motifs, can candidate target genes be experimentally validated, but motif characterization represents the weakest feature of regulon research, especially in tree genetics. I review here relevant experimental and bioinformatics approaches in characterizing transcription factors and their binding sites, outline problems in tree regulon research, and demonstrate how transcription factor databases can be effectively used to aid the characterization of tree regulons.

scholarly journals The Th1 cell regulatory circuitry is largely conserved between human and mouse

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. e202101075
Author(s):  
Stephen Henderson ◽  
Venu Pullabhatla ◽  
Arnulf Hertweck ◽  
Emanuele de Rinaldis ◽  
Javier Herrero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Type I ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Species Specific

Gene expression programs controlled by lineage-determining transcription factors are often conserved between species. However, infectious diseases have exerted profound evolutionary pressure, and therefore the genes regulated by immune-specific transcription factors might be expected to exhibit greater divergence. T-bet (Tbx21) is the immune-specific, lineage-specifying transcription factor for T helper type I (Th1) immunity, which is fundamental for the immune response to intracellular pathogens but also underlies inflammatory diseases. We compared T-bet genomic targets between mouse and human CD4+ T cells and correlated T-bet binding patterns with species-specific gene expression. Remarkably, we found that the majority of T-bet target genes are conserved between mouse and human, either via preservation of binding sites or via alternative binding sites associated with transposon-linked insertion. Species-specific T-bet binding was associated with differences in transcription factor–binding motifs and species-specific expression of associated genes. These results provide a genome-wide cross-species comparison of Th1 gene regulation that will enable more accurate translation of genetic targets and therapeutics from pre-clinical models of inflammatory and infectious diseases and cancer into human clinical trials.

Enhancer-Promoter Looping Deciphers Dosage of the Haploinsufficient Transcription Factor, CUX1

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 2700-2700
Author(s):  
Robert K Arthur ◽  
Ningfei An ◽  
Saira Kahn ◽  
Megan E. McNerney
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Tumor Suppressor ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Tumor Suppressor Genes ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Suppressor Genes ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Altered Expression

Abstract One third of tumor suppressor genes encode haploinsufficient transcriptional regulators, including transcription factors and chromatin remodelers. This presents a major barrier in oncology, as tumor suppressor genes and transcription factors are inherently difficult to target therapeutically. It remains unknown how a 50% reduction of a transcriptional regulator translates at the cis-regulatory level into a malignant transcriptional program. It is imperative to address this question, in order to predict and target aberrant downstream pathways. CUX1 encodes a quintessential haploinsufficient transcription factor that is recurrently mutated or deleted, monoallelically, in high-risk myeloid neoplasms and across solid tumor types. We hypothesized that the transcriptional response to changes in CUX1 level is encoded within the cis-regulatory architecture of dosage-sensitive CUX1 target genes. In this study, we determined that CUX1 primarily binds distal enhancers, in a tissue-specific manner. CUX1 binding sites are significantly enriched for co-binding with transcriptional activators and cohesin components. Haploinsufficiency of CUX1 in K562 myeloid leukemia cells led to altered expression of mitotic and apoptotic genes with concomitant increased cellular proliferation. Surprisingly, ChIP-seq of CUX1 in the haploinsufficient state revealed a unimodal decrease in CUX1 occupancy genome-wide, with no relevance to differential gene expression. Thus we used a machine-learning algorithm to identify characteristics of CUX1 binding sites at dosage-sensitive target genes and revealed a relationship with distance to the transcription start site, chromatin accessibility, and enhancer activity. Finally, we demonstrate that CUX1 binding sites at dosage-sensitive genes loop to the promoter, and those genes with an intermediate number of Hi-C loops are most responsive to changes in CUX1 abundance. Overall, these data point to a novel mechanism of transcription factor dose-responsiveness mediated by enhancer-promoter looping. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Biochemical and redox characterization of the mediator complex and its associated transcription factor GeBPL, a GLABROUS1 enhancer binding protein

2015 ◽  
Vol 468 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jehad Shaikhali ◽  
Céline Davoine ◽  
Kristoffer Brännström ◽  
Nicolas Rouhier ◽  
Joakim Bygdell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Redox Regulation ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Mediator Complex ◽  
Environmental Signals ◽  
Enhancer Binding Protein ◽  
Regulatory Information

Mediator is a protein complex that relays regulatory information for the proper expression of specific target genes. We studied redox regulation of mediator subunits and found that they form disulfide bonds which might be crucial to modulate the activity of transcription factors (TFs) in response to environmental signals/stress.

scholarly journals Regulatory Network Analysis in Estradiol-Treated Human Endothelial Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8193
Author(s):  
Daniel Pérez-Cremades ◽  
Ana B. Paes ◽  
Xavier Vidal-Gómez ◽  
Ana Mompeón ◽  
Carlos Hermenegildo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Mirna Target ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Human Endothelial Cells ◽  
Mrna Targets ◽  
Canonical Pathways

Background/Aims: Estrogen has been reported to have beneficial effects on vascular biology through direct actions on endothelium. Together with transcription factors, miRNAs are the major drivers of gene expression and signaling networks. The objective of this study was to identify a comprehensive regulatory network (miRNA-transcription factor-downstream genes) that controls the transcriptomic changes observed in endothelial cells exposed to estradiol. Methods: miRNA/mRNA interactions were assembled using our previous microarray data of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) treated with 17β-estradiol (E2) (1 nmol/L, 24 h). miRNA–mRNA pairings and their associated canonical pathways were determined using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. Transcription factors were identified among the miRNA-regulated genes. Transcription factor downstream target genes were predicted by consensus transcription factor binding sites in the promoter region of E2-regulated genes by using JASPAR and TRANSFAC tools in Enrichr software. Results: miRNA–target pairings were filtered by using differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs characterized by a regulatory relationship according to miRNA target prediction databases. The analysis identified 588 miRNA–target interactions between 102 miRNAs and 588 targets. Specifically, 63 upregulated miRNAs interacted with 295 downregulated targets, while 39 downregulated miRNAs were paired with 293 upregulated mRNA targets. Functional characterization of miRNA/mRNA association analysis highlighted hypoxia signaling, integrin, ephrin receptor signaling and regulation of actin-based motility by Rho among the canonical pathways regulated by E2 in HUVEC. Transcription factors and downstream genes analysis revealed eight networks, including those mediated by JUN and REPIN1, which are associated with cadherin binding and cell adhesion molecule binding pathways. Conclusion: This study identifies regulatory networks obtained by integrative microarray analysis and provides additional insights into the way estradiol could regulate endothelial function in human endothelial cells.

scholarly journals Persistent Interactions of Core Histone Tails with Nucleosomal DNA following Acetylation and Transcription Factor Binding

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6293-6304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesco Mutskov ◽  
Delphine Gerber ◽  
Dimitri Angelov ◽  
Juan Ausio ◽  
Jerry Workman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Uv Laser ◽  
Histone Tail ◽  
Histone Tails ◽  
Nucleosomal Dna ◽  
Core Histones

ABSTRACT In this study, we examined the effect of acetylation of the NH2 tails of core histones on their binding to nucleosomal DNA in the absence or presence of bound transcription factors. To do this, we used a novel UV laser-induced protein-DNA cross-linking technique, combined with immunochemical and molecular biology approaches. Nucleosomes containing one or five GAL4 binding sites were reconstituted with hypoacetylated or hyperacetylated core histones. Within these reconstituted particles, UV laser-induced histone-DNA cross-linking was found to occur only via the nonstructured histone tails and thus presented a unique tool for studying histone tail interactions with nucleosomal DNA. Importantly, these studies demonstrated that the NH2 tails were not released from nucleosomal DNA upon histone acetylation, although some weakening of their interactions was observed at elevated ionic strengths. Moreover, the binding of up to five GAL4-AH dimers to nucleosomes occupying the central 90 bp occurred without displacement of the histone NH2 tails from DNA. GAL4-AH binding perturbed the interaction of each histone tail with nucleosomal DNA to different degrees. However, in all cases, greater than 50% of the interactions between the histone tails and DNA was retained upon GAL4-AH binding, even if the tails were highly acetylated. These data illustrate an interaction of acetylated or nonacetylated histone tails with DNA that persists in the presence of simultaneously bound transcription factors.

scholarly journals Low-affinity transcription factor binding sites shape morphogen responses and enhancer evolution

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1632) ◽  
pp. 20130018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea I. Ramos ◽  
Scott Barolo
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Binding Affinity ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Gene Activation ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Morphogen Gradients ◽  
Weak Binding ◽  
Initial Hypothesis

In the era of functional genomics, the role of transcription factor (TF)–DNA binding affinity is of increasing interest: for example, it has recently been proposed that low-affinity genomic binding events, though frequent, are functionally irrelevant. Here, we investigate the role of binding site affinity in the transcriptional interpretation of Hedgehog (Hh) morphogen gradients . We noted that enhancers of several Hh-responsive Drosophila genes have low predicted affinity for Ci, the Gli family TF that transduces Hh signalling in the fly. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, improving the affinity of Ci/Gli sites in enhancers of dpp , wingless and stripe , by transplanting optimal sites from the patched gene, did not result in ectopic responses to Hh signalling. Instead, we found that these enhancers require low-affinity binding sites for normal activation in regions of relatively low signalling. When Ci/Gli sites in these enhancers were altered to improve their binding affinity, we observed patterning defects in the transcriptional response that are consistent with a switch from Ci-mediated activation to Ci-mediated repression. Synthetic transgenic reporters containing isolated Ci/Gli sites confirmed this finding in imaginal discs. We propose that the requirement for gene activation by Ci in the regions of low-to-moderate Hh signalling results in evolutionary pressure favouring weak binding sites in enhancers of certain Hh target genes.

Specific transcription factors stimulate simian virus 40 and polyomavirus origins of DNA replication

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2514-2524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z S Guo ◽  
M L DePamphilis
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Simian Virus 40 ◽  
Simian Virus ◽  
T Antigen ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Auxiliary Component ◽  
Cell Extracts

The origins of DNA replication (ori) in simian virus 40 (SV40) and polyomavirus (Py) contain an auxiliary component (aux-2) composed of multiple transcription factor binding sites. To determine whether this component stimulated replication by binding specific transcription factors, aux-2 was replaced by synthetic oligonucleotides that bound a single transcription factor. Sp1 and T-antigen (T-ag) sites, which exist in the natural SV40 aux-2 sequence, provided approximately 75 and approximately 20%, respectively, of aux-2 activity when transfected into monkey cells. In cell extracts, only T-ag sites were active. AP1 binding sites could replace completely either SV40 or Py aux-2. Mutations that eliminated AP1 binding also eliminated AP1 stimulation of replication. Yeast GAL4 binding sites that strongly stimulated transcription in the presence of GAL4 proteins failed to stimulate SV40 DNA replication, although they did partially replace Py aux-2. Stimulation required the presence of proteins consisting of the GAL4 DNA binding domain fused to specific activation domains such as VP16 or c-Jun. These data demonstrate a clear role for transcription factors with specific activation domains in activating both SV40 and Py ori. However, no correlation was observed between the ability of specific proteins to stimulate promoter activity and their ability to stimulate origin activity. We propose that only transcription factors whose specific activation domains can interact with the T-ag initiation complex can stimulate SV40 and Py ori-core activity.

scholarly journals HOT or not: examining the basis of high-occupancy target regions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Wreczycka ◽  
Vedran Franke ◽  
Bora Uyar ◽  
Ricardo Wurmus ◽  
Altuna Akalin
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Gene Promoters ◽  
Quadruplex Dna ◽  
Golden Standard ◽  
Multiple Cell ◽  
Multiple Species

AbstractHigh-occupancy target (HOT) regions are the segments of the genome with unusually high number of transcription factor binding sites. These regions are observed in multiple species and thought to have biological importance due to high transcription factor occupancy. Furthermore, they coincide with house-keeping gene promoters and the associated genes are stably expressed across multiple cell types. Despite these features, HOT regions are solemnly defined using ChIP-seq experiments and shown to lack canonical motifs for transcription factors that are thought to be bound there. Although, ChIP-seq experiments are the golden standard for finding genome-wide binding sites of a protein, they are not noise free. Here, we show that HOT regions are likely to be ChIP-seq artifacts and they are similar to previously proposed “hyper-ChIPable” regions. Using ChIP-seq data sets for knocked-out transcription factors, we demonstrate presence of false positive signals on HOT regions. We observe sequence characteristics and genomic features that are discriminatory of HOT regions, such as GC/CpG-rich k-mers and enrichment of RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops) and DNA tertiary structures (G-quadruplex DNA). The artificial ChIP-seq enrichment on HOT regions could be associated to these discriminatory features. Furthermore, we propose strategies to deal with such artifacts for the future ChIP-seq studies.

scholarly journals TFutils: Data structures for transcription factor bioinformatics

F1000Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Stubbs ◽  
Shweta Gopaulakrishnan ◽  
Kimberly Glass ◽  
Nathalie Pochet ◽  
Celine Everaert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Data Structures ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Genome Wide Association Study ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Bioconductor Package ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Integrative Analyses

DNA transcription is intrinsically complex. Bioinformatic work with transcription factors (TFs) is complicated by a multiplicity of data resources and annotations. The Bioconductor package TFutils includes data structures and functions to enhance the precision and utility of integrative analyses that have components involving TFs. TFutils provides catalogs of human TFs from three reference sources (CISBP, HOCOMOCO, and GO), a catalog of TF targets derived from MSigDb, and multiple approaches to enumerating TF binding sites. Aspects of integration of TF binding patterns and genome-wide association study results are explored in examples.

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