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OVO transcription factors function antagonistically in the Drosophila female germline.

OVO controls germline and epidermis differentiation in flies and mice. In the Drosophila germline, alternative OVO-B and OVO-A isoforms have a common DNA-binding domain, but different N-termini. We show that these isoforms are transcription factors with opposite regulatory activities. Using yeast one-hybrid assays, we identified a strong activation domain within a common region and a counteracting repression domain within the OVO-A-specific region. In flies, OVO-B positively regulated the ovarian tumor promoter, while OVO-A was a negative regulator of the ovarian tumor and ovo promoters. OVO-B isoforms supplied ovo(+) function in the female germline and epidermis, while OVO-A isoforms had dominant-negative activity in both tissues. Moreover, elevated expression of OVO-A resulted in maternal-effect lethality while the absence of OVO-A resulted in maternal-effect sterility. Our data indicate that tight regulation of antagonistic OVO-B and OVO-A isoforms is critical for germline formation and differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The organized chromatin domain of the repressed yeast a cell-specific gene STE6 contains two molecules of the corepressor Tup1p per nucleosome.

In yeast alpha cells the a cell-specific genes STE6 and BAR1 are packaged as gene-sized chromatin domains of positioned nucleosomes. Organized chromatin depends on Tup1p, a corepressor that interacts with the N-terminal regions of H3 and H4. If Tup1p functions to organize or stabilize a chromatin domain, the protein might be expected to be present at a level stoichiometric with nucleosomes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays using Tup1p antibodies showed Tup1p to be associated with the entire genomic STE6 coding region. To determine stoichiometry of Tup1p associated with the gene, a yeast plasmid containing varying lengths of the STE6 gene including flanking control regions and an Escherichia coli lac operator sequence was constructed. After assembly into chromatin in vivo in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, minichromosomes were isolated using an immobilized lac repressor. In these experiments, Tup1p was found to be specifically associated with repressed STE6 chromatin in vivo at a ratio of about two molecules of the corepressor per nucleosome. These observations strongly suggest a structural role for Tup1p in repression and constrain models for organized chromatin in repressive domains.

Chromatin↗

Three conserved transcriptional repressor domains are a defining feature of the TIEG subfamily of Sp1-like zinc finger proteins.

Sp1-like transcription factors are characterized by three highly homologous C-terminal zinc finger motifs that bind GC-rich sequences. These proteins behave as either activators or repressors and have begun to be classified into different subfamilies based upon the presence of conserved motifs outside the zinc finger domain. This classification predicts that different Sp1-like subfamilies share certain functional properties. TIEG1 and TIEG2 constitute a new subfamily of transforming growth factor-beta-inducible Sp1-like proteins whose zinc finger motifs also bind GC-rich sequences. However, regions outside of the DNA-binding domain that differ in structure from other Sp1-like family members remain poorly characterized. Here, we have used extensive mutagenesis and GAL4-based transcriptional assays to identify three repression domains within TIEG1 and TIEG2 that we call R1, R2, and R3. R1 is 10 amino acids, R2 is 12 amino acids, and R3 is approximately 80 amino acids long. None of these domains share homology with previously described transcriptional regulatory motifs, but they share strong sequence homology and are functionally conserved between TIEG1 and TIEG2. Together, these data demonstrate that TIEG proteins are capable of repressing transcription, define domains critical for this function, and further support the idea that different subfamilies of Sp1-like proteins have evolved to mediate distinct transcriptional functions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Two distinct subgroups of Group B Sox genes for transcriptional activators and repressors: their expression during embryonic organogenesis of the chicken.

Group B Sox genes, Sox1, -2 and -3 are known to activate crystallin genes and to be involved in differentiation of lens and neural tissues. Screening of chicken genomic sequences for more Group B Sox genes identified two additional genes, Sox14 and Sox21. Proteins encoded by Sox14 and Sox21 genes are similar to each other but distinct from those coded by Sox1-3 (subgroup B1) except for the HMG domain and Group B homology immediately C-proximal of the HMG domain. C-terminal domains of SOX21 and SOX14 proteins function as strong and weak repression domains, respectively, when linked to the GAL4 DNA binding domain. These SOX proteins strongly (SOX21) or moderately (SOX14) inhibited activation of delta1-crystallin DC5 enhancer by SOX1 or SOX2, establishing that Sox14 and Sox21 are repressing subgroup (B2) of Group B Sox genes. This provides the first evidence for the occurrence of repressor SOX proteins. Activating (B1) and repressing (B2) subgroups of Group B Sox genes display interesting overlaps of expression domains in developing tissues (e.g. optic tectum, spinal cord, inner ear, alimentary tract, branchial arches). Within each subgroup, most expression domains of Sox1 and -3 are included in those of Sox2 (e.g. CNS, PNS, inner ear), while co-expression of Sox14 and Sox21 occurs in highly restricted sites of the CNS, with the likely temporal order of Sox21 preceding Sox14 (e.g. interneurons of the spinal cord). These expression patterns suggest that target genes of Group B SOX proteins are finely regulated by the counterbalance of activating and repressing SOX proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The tumor suppressor gene HIC1 (hypermethylated in cancer 1) is a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor: definition of its consensus binding sequence and analysis of its DNA binding and repressive properties.

HIC1 (hypermethylated in cancer 1) is a tumor suppressor gene located at chromosome 17p13.3, a region frequently hypermethylated or deleted in human tumors and in a contiguous-gene syndrome, the Miller-Dieker syndrome. HIC1 is a transcriptional repressor containing five Krüppel-like C(2)H(2) zinc fingers and an N-terminal dimerization and autonomous repression domain called BTB/POZ. Although some of the HIC1 transcriptional repression mechanisms have been recently deciphered, target genes are still to be discovered. In this study, we determined the consensus binding sequence for HIC1 and investigated its DNA binding properties. Using a selection and amplification of binding sites technique, we identified the sequence 5'-(C)/(G)NG(C)/(G)GGGCA(C)/(A) CC-3' as an optimal binding site. In silico and functional analyses fully validated this consensus and highlighted a GGCA core motif bound by zinc fingers 3 and 4. The BTB/POZ domain inhibits the binding of HIC1 to a single site but mediates cooperative binding to a probe containing five concatemerized binding sites, a property shared by other BTB/POZ proteins. Finally, full-length HIC1 proteins transiently expressed in RK13 cells and more importantly, endogenous HIC1 proteins from the DAOY medulloblastoma cell line, repress the transcription of a reporter gene through their direct binding to these sites, as confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments. The definition of the HIC1-specific DNA binding sequence as well as the requirement for multiple sites for optimal binding of the full-length protein are mandatory prerequisites for the identification and analyses of bona fide HIC1 target genes.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Neuronal PAS domain protein 1 is a transcriptional repressor and requires arylhydrocarbon nuclear translocator for its nuclear localization.

Neuronal PAS domain protein 1 (NPAS1), a basic helix-loop-helix-PAS transcription factor expressed in the central nervous system, has been suggested to be involved in neuronal differentiation. However, relatively little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying the role of NPAS1 during development. In this study we set out to characterize the different domains within NPAS1. We showed that the nuclear localization of NPAS1 is dependent on the presence of ARNT. In addition, the transcriptional potential of ARNT is not required for this localization. In the absence of ARNT, NPAS1 is excluded from the nucleus, and this exclusion is due to the presence of a nuclear export signal within the N terminus of NPAS1. The interaction between NPAS1 and ARNT is via their N termini. We found no transactivation domain within NPAS1; instead, we mapped out at least three repression domains within NPAS1, suggesting that NPAS1 acts as a repressor. Furthermore, our experiments showed that NPAS1 is able to repress the transactivation functions of ARNT and ARNT2. We suggest that NPAS1 is guided into the nucleus by ARNT via the ARNT nuclear localization signal, and NPAS1 can override the activation function of adjacent transcription factors, providing a mechanism by which NPAS1 may inhibit transcription.

Animals↗

Transcriptionally active heterodimer formation of an Arnt-like PAS protein, Arnt3, with HIF-1a, HLF, and clock.

We isolated a cDNA clone encoding a polypeptide of 626 amino acids containing basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) and PAS domains from a mouse cDNA library of P19 cells. This protein, termed Arnt3, showed the highest similarity to Arnt and Arnt2 in the bHLH and PAS regions. Arnt3 mRNA was expressed in brain, skeletal muscle, 13.5-day embryos, and P19 cells treated with retinoic acid. The partner PAS proteins of Arnt3 were searched for by the two-hybrid system in yeast, and HIF-1 alpha, HLF, and Clock among various bHLH/PAS proteins were found. Gel mobility shift analysis using nuclear extracts from 293T cells cotransfected with Arnt3 and HIF-1 alpha (or HLF) expression plasmids revealed that these complexes specifically bound the hypoxia-response element (HRE). Coexpression of Arnt3 and HIF-1 alpha (or HLF) in Arnt-deficient c4 cells enhanced transcription of a reporter gene driven by the HRE sequences. We also showed that Arnt3 contained an activation domain at the C-terminal region and a repression domain between the PAS-A and PAS-B regions.

ARNTL Transcription Factors↗

Influence of mutation type and location on phenotype in 123 patients with Rett syndrome.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that almost exclusively affects girls. It is caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene that encodes the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). In this study we correlated mutation type and location with the severity of the phenotype in 123 girls with RTT. The ability to sit, walk, speak, hand function, head growth, occurrence of epilepsy and a combined severity score were assessed in all girls at 5 years of age and then statistically correlated with the results of the molecular genetic tests. We found that patients who carry either missense mutations or deletions located within the hotspot for deletions, an area between the base pairs (bp) 1030 and 1207 of the MECP2 gene, present with a milder phenotype than other patients. We correlated the location of the mutations with the phenotype and found that all mutations that lead to either a complete or partial truncation of the region coding for the nuclear localisation signal (NLS) are associated with a more severe phenotype than other truncating mutations (p = 0.001). We did not find a significant difference between the patients with mutations in the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) and those with mutations in the transcriptional repression domain (TRD). We conclude that mutation type and location correlate with the phenotype in Rett syndrome. All mutations that impair the nuclear localisation signal (NLS) are associated with more severe phenotypes.

Binding Sites↗

The inv(16) encodes an acute myeloid leukemia 1 transcriptional corepressor.

The inv(16) is one of the most frequent chromosomal translocations associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The inv(16) fusion protein acts by dominantly interfering with AML-1/core binding factor beta-dependent transcriptional regulation. Here we demonstrate that the inv(16) fusion protein cooperates with AML-1B to repress transcription. This cooperativity requires the ability of the translocation fusion protein to bind to AML-1B. Mutational analysis and cell fractionation experiments indicated that the inv(16) fusion protein acts in the nucleus and that repression occurs when the complex is bound to DNA. We also found that the inv(16) fusion protein binds to AML-1B when it is associated with the mSin3A corepressor. An AML-1B mutant that fails to bind mSin3A was impaired in cooperative repression, suggesting that the inv(16) fusion protein acts through mSin3 and possibly other corepressors. Finally, we demonstrate that the C-terminal portion of the inv(16) fusion protein contains a repression domain, suggesting a molecular mechanism for AML-1-mediated repression.

Animals↗

Structure-function analysis reveals the molecular determinants of the impaired biological function of DAX-1 mutants in AHC patients.

Mutations in the DAX-1 (NR0B1) gene cause the X-linked form of adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC), which is constantly found associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HHG). DAX-1 encodes an atypical orphan member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. DAX-1 acts at multiple levels to repress the expression of genes involved in steroid hormone metabolism through a potent transcriptional repression domain present in its C-terminus, which is similar to the nuclear receptors' ligand binding domain. All DAX-1 mutations causing AHC/HHG alter the protein C-terminal domain, impairing its nuclear localization and, consequently, its transcriptional repression activity. Here we show that DAX-1 AHC mutants have a misfolded conformation, which correlates with their cytoplasmic retention. Extensive structure-function analysis reveals that the chemical nature of amino acid residues at positions interested by AHC mutations and critical determinants in helix 12 affect DAX-1 nuclear localization and transcriptional silencing. Surprisingly, mutations in a conserved putative corepressor binding surface have a negative effect upon DAX-1 transcriptional repression only when they also affect protein expression levels. These data suggest that a folding defect underlies the impaired function of DAX-1 missense mutants found in AHC/HHG patients and that interactions with transcriptional cofactors different from known corepressors mediate DAX-1 silencing properties.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

The human interferon-inducible protein, IFI 16, is a repressor of transcription.

IFI 16 is a member of a family of interferon-inducible proteins, including the human MNDA (myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen), the recently identified AIM-2 (absent in melanoma), and the homologous murine molecules, p202, p204, and D3. IFI 16 contains a domain at the amino terminus capable of binding double-stranded DNA and a bipartite nuclear localization signal. No molecular or biological function has been assigned to any of the human family members, although a role in transcription regulation has been proposed. In the present study, we show IFI 16 fused to the GAL4 DNA binding domain can function as a transcriptional repressor. IFI 16-mediated repression is not dependent on the position or distance of IFI 16 binding, relative to the site of transcription initiation, and it can significantly repress when only one GAL4 DNA element is present in the promoter. We mapped the transcriptional repression domains to the 200 amino acid repeat regions common to all human and mouse family members. We also demonstrate that wild type IFI 16 can repress transcription of a reporter gene containing the minimal promoter region of the human cytomegalovirus UL54 gene. Thus, IFI 16 is a transcriptional repressor, with a modular structure typical of many known transcription regulators.

Base Sequence↗

A beta-catenin/engrailed chimera selectively suppresses Wnt signaling.

beta-catenin plays an integral role in cell-cell adhesion by linking the cadherin complex of the adherens junction to the underlying actin cytoskeleton. In addition, beta-catenin transduces intracellular signals within the Wnt developmental pathway that are crucial to the proper establishment of embryonic axes and pattern formation of early mesoderm and ectoderm. For example, in the context of a defined dorsal 'organizer' region of early Xenopus embryos, beta-catenin enters the nucleus and associates with transcription factors of the HMG (High Mobility Group) Lef/Tcf protein family. Consequently, genes such as siamois, a homeobox gene contributing to the specification of the dorsoanterior axis, are activated. To further examine the role that beta-catenin plays in Wnt signaling, we generated a chimeric protein, beta-Engrailed (beta-Eng), in which the C-terminal trans-activation domain of beta-catenin is replaced with the transcriptional repression domain of Drosophila Engrailed. Dorsal overexpression of this mRNA in early Xenopus embryos leads to suppression of organizer-specific molecular markers such as siamois, Xnr-3 and goosecoid, corresponding with the dramatic morphological ventralization of embryos. Ventralized embryos further exhibit reduced activity of the Wnt pathway, as indicated by the loss of the notochord/organizer marker, chordin. Importantly, beta-Eng associates and functions normally with the known components of the cadherin complex, providing the experimental opportunity to repress beta-catenin's signaling function apart from its role in cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion.

Animals↗

SMRTE inhibits MEF2C transcriptional activation by targeting HDAC4 and 5 to nuclear domains.

The silencing mediator for retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) mediates transcriptional repression by recruiting histone deacetylases (HDACs) to the DNA-bound nuclear receptor complex. The full-length SMRT (SMRTe) contains an N-terminal sequence that is highly conserved to the nuclear receptor corepressor N-CoR. To date, little is known about the activity and function of the full-length SMRTe protein, despite extensive studies on separated receptor interaction and transcriptional repression domains. Here we show that SMRTe inhibits MEF2C transcriptional activation by targeting selective HDACs to unique subnuclear domains. Indirect immunofluorescence studies with anti-SMRTe antibody reveal discrete cytoplasmic and nuclear speckles, which contain RARalpha in an RA-sensitive manner. Formation of the SMRTe nuclear speckles results in recruitment of several class I and class II HDACs to these subnuclear domains in a process depending on HDAC enzymatic activity. Intriguingly, although HDAC4 is located primarily in the cytoplasm, coexpression of SMRTe dramatically translocates HDAC4 from the cytoplasm into the nucleus, where HDAC4 prevents MEF2C from activating muscle differentiation. SMRTe also translocates HDAC5 from diffusive nucleoplasm into discrete nuclear domains. Accordingly, SMRTe synergizes with HDAC4 and 5 to inhibit MEF2C transactivation of target promoter, suggesting that nuclear domain targeting of HDAC4/5 may be important in preventing muscle cell differentiation. These results highlight an unexpected new function of the nuclear receptor corepressor SMRTe for its role in regulating cellular trafficking of nuclear receptor and selective HDACs that may play an important role in regulation of cell growth and differentiation.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

Hormone-dependent tumor regression in vivo by an inducible transcriptional repressor directed at the PAX3-FKHR oncogene.

In alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas (ARMSs), a specific chromosomal translocation creates a fusion transcription factor, PAX3-FKHR, that is oncogenic due to transcriptional activation. As a strategy for down-regulation of PAX3-FKHR target genes, we created conditional PAX3 repressors by fusing the PAX3 DNA-binding motifs to the hormone binding domain (HBD) of the estrogen receptor and to the KRAB repression domain. We validated proper expression, specific DNA binding, corepressor interaction, and nuclear localization for the KRAB-PAX3-HBD protein and showed it to be a 4-hydroxytamoxifen-dependent transcriptional repressor of transiently transfected and integrated PAX3 reporters in ARMS cells. We established ARMS cell lines that exhibited stable expression of the conditional PAX3 repressor proteins and used them to down-regulate the malignant growth under low serum or anchorage-independent conditions in a hormone-dependent manner. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling assays revealed that hormonal activation of the PAX3 repressors induced extensive apoptosis that correlated with down-regulation of BCL-X(L) expression. SCID mice that were engrafted with the KRAB-PAX3-HBD ARMS cell lines and were implanted with 4-hydroxytamoxifen timed-release pellets exhibited suppression of tumor growth and an altered vascularity that was not observed in the control mice. These observations strongly suggest that we have directly repressed the PAX3 target genes that are deregulated by the PAX3-FKHR oncogene in ARMS.

3T3 Cells↗

Tbx3 impinges on the p53 pathway to suppress apoptosis, facilitate cell transformation and block myogenic differentiation.

Tbx3 is a member of the T-box family of transcription factors. Mutations in Tbx3 cause ulnar-mammary syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by upper limb defects, apocrine-gland defects including mammary hypoplasia, and tooth, hair and genital defects. In cell culture, Tbx3 and its close relative Tbx2 are capable of immortalizing mouse embryo fibroblasts. We show that expression of Tbx3 together with Myc or oncogenic Ras (H-Ras(Val17)) leads to efficient transformation of mouse embryo fibroblasts. Oncogene cooperation by Tbx3 correlates with an ability of Tbx3 to suppress the induction of p19ARF and p53 that is typically caused by overexpression Myc and Ras, and to protect against Myc-induced apoptosis. Whereas Tbx3 is capable of interfering with apoptosis caused by excessive Myc levels, a Tbx3 mutant lacking its C-terminal repression domain shows no anti-apoptotic activity and fails to repress levels of p19ARF or p53. Consistent with an ability to suppress p53 pathway function, we find that Tbx3, but not a Tbx3 C-terminal mutant, efficiently blocks myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts. Our results support the idea that deregulation and/or excessive levels of Tbx3 may have oncogenic potential in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗

The impact of MECP2 mutations in the expression patterns of Rett syndrome patients.

Rett syndrome (RTT), the second most common cause of mental retardation in females, has been associated with mutations in MeCP2, the archetypical member of the methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) family of proteins. MeCP2 additionally possesses a transcriptional repression domain (TRD). We have compared the gene expression profiles of RTT- and normal female-derived lymphoblastoid cells by using cDNA microarrays. Clustering analysis allowed the classification of RTT patients according to the localization of the MeCP2 mutation (MBD or TRD) and those with clinically diagnosed RTT but without detectable MeCP2 mutations. Numerous genes were observed to be overexpressed in RTT patients compared with control samples, including excellent candidate genes for neurodevelopmental disease. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that binding of MeCP2 to corresponding promoter CpG islands was lost in RTT-derived cells harboring a mutation in the region of the MECP2 gene encoding the MBD. Bisulfite genomic sequencing demonstrated that the majority of MeCP2 binding occurred in DNA sequences with methylation-associated silencing. Most importantly, the finding that these genes are also methylated and bound by MeCP2 in neuron-related cells suggests a role in this neurodevelopmental disease. Our results provide new data of the underlying mechanisms of RTT and unveil novel targets of MeCP2-mediated gene repression.

Blotting, Western↗

Human Thyroid Oxidases genes promoter activity in thyrocytes does not appear to be functionally dependent on Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 or Pax8.

Thyroid Oxidases (ThOX/DUOX) genes encode proteins that are thought to play a crucial role in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormone by providing the oxidizing agent required to allow the organification of iodine. The expression of these genes is not restricted to the thyroid, but the corresponding mRNAs are found in the thyrocyte more abundantly than in several other cell types. It raises the question whether the same transcription factors, namely Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 (TTF-1) and Pax8, that control the expression of other genes involved in the differentiated thyroid function, also regulate ThOX/DUOX gene transcription in the thyrocyte. We set up a functional co-transfection assay in which fusion proteins composed of the DNA-binding domain of either TTF-1 or Pax8 fused to the repressive domain of the drosophila engrailed protein were used to competitively counteract the activity of endogenous TTF-1 or Pax8 factor in the differentiated thyroid cell line PCCl3. Contrary to the Thyroglobulin or Thyroid Peroxidase promoter, the known regulatory elements of the human ThOX/DUOX genes displayed no reduction in transcriptional activity when either TTF-1 or Pax8 competitor was produced in the cell, indicating that the presently characterized control elements of human ThOX/DUOX genes are not responsive to these thyroid-specific transcription factors.

Animals↗

Transcriptional activity and constitutive nuclear localization of the ETS protein Elf-1.

Elf-1 is a lymphoid-specific transcription factor that belongs to the ETS protein family. It can bind to DNA target sequences within a variety of cytokine genes. We demonstrate that Elf-1 is constitutively localized in the nucleus which is dependent on the presence of amino acids 86-265. Analysis of Gal4-Elf-1 fusion proteins revealed that the N-terminal 86 amino acids of Elf-1 contain a transcriptional activation domain, the activity of which is attenuated by an internal repression domain. Furthermore, Elf-1 interacts specifically with the E74 target sequence and can stimulate transcription driven by the E74 site independent of mitogenic signaling. Thus, Elf-1 is able to stimulate gene transcription which may be required for the development and activity of lymphocytes.

Animals↗