Nuclear factor I (NFI) is composed of a family of site-specific DNA-binding proteins which recognize a DNA-binding site with the consensus sequence TGGC/A(N)5GCCAA. Binding sites for NFI have previously been shown to stimulate mRNA synthesis in vitro when present upstream of the TATA box of the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP). We have examined the effect of NFI-binding sites on transcription in vivo in transiently transfected HeLa and COS cells. An NFI-binding site isolated from the human genome activated expression from the minimal AdMLP in vivo in both the absence and presence of the simian virus 40 enhancer. A point mutation that decreased NFI binding affinity for the site in vitro reduced expression to near the basal level of the AdMLP. Several NFI-binding sites which differed in their spacer and flanking sequences were tested for their ability to activate expression in vivo. The ability of these sites to activate expression correlated with the strength of NFI binding in vitro. An NFI-binding site stimulated expression equally well when placed from 33 to 65 bp upstream of the TATA box. However, expression dropped to basal levels when the site was located from 71 to 77 bp upstream of the TATA box. These studies indicate that an NFI-binding site in this chimeric promoter activates expression in vivo only if located within a critical distance of the TATA box.
Nuclear factor I (NFI) is composed of a family of site-specific DNA-binding proteins which recognize a DNA-binding site with the consensus sequence TGGC/A(N)5GCCAA. Binding sites for NFI have previously been shown to stimulate mRNA synthesis in vitro when present upstream of the TATA box of the adenovirus major late promoter (AdMLP). We have examined the effect of NFI-binding sites on transcription in vivo in transiently transfected HeLa and COS cells. An NFI-binding site isolated from the human genome activated expression from the minimal AdMLP in vivo in both the absence and presence of the simian virus 40 enhancer. A point mutation that decreased NFI binding affinity for the site in vitro reduced expression to near the basal level of the AdMLP. Several NFI-binding sites which differed in their spacer and flanking sequences were tested for their ability to activate expression in vivo. The ability of these sites to activate expression correlated with the strength of NFI binding in vitro. An NFI-binding site stimulated expression equally well when placed from 33 to 65 bp upstream of the TATA box. However, expression dropped to basal levels when the site was located from 71 to 77 bp upstream of the TATA box. These studies indicate that an NFI-binding site in this chimeric promoter activates expression in vivo only if located within a critical distance of the TATA box.
The estrogen-dependent binding of a protein to the upstream region of the chicken vitellogenin gene was detected by using in vivo dimethyl sulfate, genomic DNase I, and in vitro exonuclease III footprinting. The site is located between base pairs -848 and -824, and its sequence resembles that of the nuclear factor I binding site. The results suggest that a nuclear factor binding to this site is involved in the regulation of the vitellogenin gene.
Nuclear factor I is a cellular site-specific DNA-binding protein required for the efficient in vitro replication of adenovirus DNA. We have characterized human DNA sequences to which nuclear factor I binds. Three nuclear factor I binding sites (FIB sites), isolated from HeLa cell DNA, each contain the sequence TGG(N)6-7GCCAA. Comparison with other known and putative FIB sites suggests that this sequence is important for the binding of nuclear factor I. Nuclear factor I protects a 25- to 30-base-pair region surrounding this sequence from digestion by DNase I. Methylation protection studies suggest that nuclear factor I interacts with guanine residues within the TGG(N)6-7GCCAA consensus sequence. One binding site (FIB-2) contained a restriction endonuclease HaeIII cleavage site (GGCC) at the 5' end of the GCCAA motif. Digestion of FIB-2 with HaeIII abolished the binding of nuclear factor I. Southern blot analyses indicate that the cellular FIB sites described here are present within single-copy DNA in the HeLa cell genome.
DNA-binding specificity and in vivo targets of Caenorhabditis elegans nuclear factor I
