scholarly journals Dissecting the Repertoire of DNA-Binding Transcription Factors of the Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus DSM 3638

Life ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Denis ◽  
Mario Alberto Martínez-Núñez ◽  
Silvia Tenorio-Salgado ◽  
Ernesto Perez-Rueda

In recent years, there has been a large increase in the amount of experimental evidence for diverse archaeal organisms, and these findings allow for a comprehensive analysis of archaeal genetic organization. However, studies about regulatory mechanisms in this cellular domain are still limited. In this context, we identified a repertoire of 86 DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) in the archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus DSM 3638, that are clustered into 32 evolutionary families. In structural terms, 45% of these proteins are composed of one structural domain, 41% have two domains, and 14% have three structural domains. The most abundant DNA-binding domain corresponds to the winged helix-turn-helix domain; with few alternative DNA-binding domains. We also identified seven regulons, which represent 13.5% (279 genes) of the total genes in this archaeon. These analyses increase our knowledge about gene regulation in P. furiosus DSM 3638 and provide additional clues for comprehensive modeling of transcriptional regulatory networks in the Archaea cellular domain.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye Gao ◽  
Hyun Gyu Lim ◽  
Hans Verkler ◽  
Richard Szubin ◽  
Daniel Quach ◽  
...  

Bacteria regulate gene expression to adapt to changing environments through transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs). Although extensively studied, no TRN is fully characterized since the identity and activity of all the transcriptional regulators that comprise a TRN are not known. Here, we experimentally evaluate 40 uncharacterized proteins in Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655, which were computationally predicted to be transcription factors (TFs). First, we used a multiplexed ChIP-exo assay to characterize genome-wide binding sites for these candidate TFs; 34 of them were found to be DNA-binding protein. We then compared the relative location between binding sites and RNA polymerase (RNAP). We found 48% (283/588) overlap between the TFs and RNAP. Finally, we used these data to infer potential functions for 10 of the 34 TFs with validated DNA binding sites and consensus binding motifs. These TFs were found to have various roles in regulating primary cellular processes in E. coli. Taken together, this study: (1) significantly expands the number of confirmed TFs, close to the estimated total of about 280 TFs; (2) predicts the putative functions of the newly discovered TFs, and (3) confirms the functions of representative TFs through mutant phenotypes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Perez-Rueda ◽  
Mario Alberto Martinez-Nuñez

The capabilities of organisms to contend with environmental changes depend on their genes and their ability to regulate their expression. DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) play a central role in this process, because they regulate gene expression positively and/or negatively, depending on the operator context and ligand-binding status. In this review, we summarise recent findings regarding the function and evolution of TFs in prokaryotes. We consider the abundance of TFs in bacteria and archaea, the role of DNA-binding domains and their partner domains, and the effects of duplication events in the evolution of regulatory networks. Finally, a comprehensive picture for how regulatory networks have evolved in prokaryotes is provided.


Author(s):  
Nawrah Khader ◽  
Virlana M Shchuka ◽  
Oksana Shynlova ◽  
Jennifer A Mitchell

Abstract The onset of labour is a culmination of a series of highly coordinated and preparatory physiological events that take place throughout the gestational period. In order to produce the associated contractions needed for fetal delivery, smooth muscle cells in the muscular layer of the uterus (i.e. myometrium) undergo a transition from quiescent to contractile phenotypes. Here, we present the current understanding of the roles transcription factors play in critical labour-associated gene expression changes as part of the molecular mechanistic basis for this transition. Consideration is given to both transcription factors that have been well-studied in a myometrial context, i.e. activator protein 1 (AP-1), progesterone receptors (PRs), estrogen receptors (ERs), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as well as additional transcription factors whose gestational event-driving contributions have been demonstrated more recently. These transcription factors may form pregnancy- and labour- associated transcriptional regulatory networks in the myometrium to modulate the timing of labour onset. A more thorough understanding of the transcription factor-mediated, labour-promoting regulatory pathways holds promise for the development of new therapeutic treatments that can be used for the prevention of preterm labour in at-risk women.


2014 ◽  
Vol 289 (31) ◽  
pp. 21605-21616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Wang ◽  
Miles H. Linde ◽  
Manoj Munde ◽  
Victor D. Carvalho ◽  
W. David Wilson ◽  
...  

1992 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.A. Lee

Dimeric transcription factors that bind to DNA are often grouped into families on the basis of dimerization and DNA-binding specificities. cDNA cloning studies have established that members of the same family have structurally related dimerisation and DNA-binding domains but diverge in other regions that are important for transcriptional activation. These features lead to the straightforward suggestion that although all members of a family bind to similar DNA elements, individual members exhibit distinct transcriptional effector functions. This simple view is now supported by experimental evidence from those systems that have proved amenable to study. There are however some largely unaddressed questions that concern the mechanisms that allow family members to go about their business without interference from their highly related siblings. Here I will discuss some insights from studies of the bZIP class of transcription factors.


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 96 (7) ◽  
pp. 2440-2450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itaru Matsumura ◽  
Akira Kawasaki ◽  
Hirokazu Tanaka ◽  
Junko Sonoyama ◽  
Sachiko Ezoe ◽  
...  

Abstract Lineage-specific transcription factors play crucial roles in the development of hematopoietic cells. In a previous study, it was demonstrated that Ras activation was involved in thrombopoietin-induced megakaryocytic differentiation. In this study, constitutive Ras activation by H-rasG12V evoked megakaryocytic maturation of erythroleukemia cell lines F-36P and K562, but not of myeloid cell line 32D cl3 that lacks GATA-1. However, the introduction of GATA-1 led to reprogramming of 32D cl3 toward erythrocytic/megakaryocytic lineage and enabled it to undergo megakaryocytic differentiation in response to H-rasG12V. In contrast, the overexpression of PU.1 and c-Myb changed the phenotype of K562 from erythroid to myeloid/monocytic lineage and rendered K562 to differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages in response to H-rasG12V, respectively. In GATA-1–transfected 32D cl3, the endogenous expression of PU.1 and c-Myb was easily detectable, but their activities were reduced severely. Endogenous GATA-1 activities were markedly suppressed in PU.1-transfected and c-myb–transfected K562. As for the mechanisms of these reciprocal inhibitions, GATA-1 and PU.1 were found to associate through their DNA-binding domains and to inhibit the respective DNA-binding activities of each other. In addition, c-Myb bound to GATA-1 and inhibited its DNA-binding activities. Mutant GATA-1 and PU.1 that retained their own transcriptional activities but could not inhibit the reciprocal partner were less effective in changing the lineage phenotype of 32D cl3 and K562. These results suggested that GATA-1 activities may be crucial for Ras-mediated megakaryocytic differentiation and that its activities may be regulated by the direct interaction with other lineage-specific transcription factors such as PU.1 and c-Myb.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 2853-2862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Wilson-Rawls ◽  
Jeffery D. Molkentin ◽  
Brian L. Black ◽  
Eric N. Olson

ABSTRACT Skeletal muscle gene expression is dependent on combinatorial associations between members of the MyoD family of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors and the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family of MADS-box transcription factors. The transmembrane receptor Notch interferes with the muscle-inducing activity of myogenic bHLH proteins, and it has been suggested that this inhibitory activity of Notch is directed at an essential cofactor that recognizes the DNA binding domains of the myogenic bHLH proteins. Given that MEF2 proteins interact with the DNA binding domains of myogenic bHLH factors to cooperatively regulate myogenesis, we investigated whether members of the MEF2 family might serve as targets for the inhibitory effects of Notch on myogenesis. We show that a constitutively activated form of Notch specifically blocks DNA binding by MEF2C, as well as its ability to cooperate with MyoD and myogenin to activate myogenesis. Responsiveness to Notch requires a 12-amino-acid region of MEF2C immediately adjacent to the DNA binding domain that is unique to this MEF2 isoform. Two-hybrid assays and coimmunoprecipitations show that this region of MEF2C interacts directly with the ankyrin repeat region of Notch. These findings reveal a novel mechanism for Notch-mediated inhibition of myogenesis and demonstrate that the Notch signaling pathway can discriminate between different members of the MEF2 family.


2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 127a
Author(s):  
Exequiel Medina ◽  
Ricardo Coñuecar ◽  
Cesar A. Ramirez-Sarmiento ◽  
Hugo Sanabria ◽  
Jorge Babul

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (21) ◽  
pp. 8202-8213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate G. R. Quinlan ◽  
Alexis Verger ◽  
Alister Kwok ◽  
Stella H. Y. Lee ◽  
José Perdomo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT C-terminal binding proteins (CtBPs) are multifunctional proteins that can mediate gene repression. CtBPs contain a cleft that binds Pro-X-Asp-Leu-Ser (PXDLS) motifs. PXDLS motifs occur in numerous transcription factors and in effectors of gene repression, such as certain histone deacetylases. CtBPs have been depicted as bridging proteins that self-associate and link PXDLS-containing transcription factors to PXDLS-containing chromatin-modifying enzymes. CtBPs also recruit effectors that do not contain recognizable PXDLS motifs. We have investigated the importance of the PXDLS binding cleft to CtBP's interactions with various partner proteins and to its ability to repress transcription. We used CtBP cleft mutant and cleft-filled fusion derivatives to distinguish between partner proteins that bind in the cleft and elsewhere on the CtBP surface. Functional assays demonstrate that CtBP mutants that carry defective clefts retain repression activity when fused to heterologous DNA-binding domains. This result suggests that the cleft is not essential for recruiting effectors. In contrast, when tested in the absence of a fused DNA-binding domain, disruption of the cleft abrogates repression activity. These results demonstrate that the PXDLS binding cleft is functionally important but suggest that it is primarily required for localization of the CtBP complex to promoter-bound transcription factors.


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