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Promoter and exon-intron structure of the protein kinase C gene from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium: evolutionary considerations and promoter activity.

We report the gene structure of a key signaling molecule from a marine sponge, Geodia cydonium. The selected gene, which codes for a classical protein kinase C (cPKC), comprises 13 exons and 12 introns; the introns are, in contrast to those found in cPKC from higher Metazoa, small in size ranging from 93 nt to 359 nt. The complete gene has a length of 4229 nt and contains exons which encode the characteristic putative regulatory and catalytic domains of metazoan cPKCs. While in the regulatory domain only one intron is in phase 0, in the catalytic domain most introns are phase 0 introns, suggesting that the latter only rarely undergo module duplication. The 5'-flanking sequence of the sponge cPKC gene contains a TATA-box like motif which is located 35-26 nt upstream from the start of the longest sequenced cDNA. This 5'-flanking sequence was analyzed for promoter activity. The longest fragment (538 nt) was able to drive the expression of luciferase in transient transfections of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts; the strong activity of the sponge promoter was found to be half the one displayed by the SV40 reference promoter. Deletion analysis demonstrates that the AP4 site and the GC box which is most adjacent to the TATA box are the crucial elements for maximal promoter activity. The activity of the promoter is not changed in 3T3 cells which are kept serum starved or in the presence of a phorbol ester. In conclusion, these data present the phylogenetically oldest cPKC gene which contains in the 5'-flanking region a promoter functional in the heterologous mammalian cell system.

3T3 Cells↗

Structural analysis of the human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light-chain gene.

The human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) light-chain gene, which codes for the two proteins alpha 1-microglobulin (protein HC) and ITI-derived human inhibitor of 30 kDa (HI-30), was isolated from a human genomic library. This gene, present as a single copy in the human genome, is composed of 10 exons and 9 introns distributed over 20 kbp. A single transcriptional initiation site was identified in the 5'-flanking region which contained promoter elements, but no typical TATA box. However a sequence equivalent to the TATA box is present on both sense and anti-sense strands in the 5'-flanking region of the first exon coding for HI-30. The exon-intron organization suggests that the regions coding for protein HC and other members of the lipocalin superfamily evolved from a common ancestral gene that is probably different from that coding for HI-30. These data suggest that two distinct ancestral genes could have existed and fused during evolution. Several direct and one inverted repeats are also found within this gene, as well as potential glucocorticoid-receptor binding sites.

Alpha-Globulins↗

Analysis of molecular mechanisms controlling neuroendocrine cell specific transcription of the chromogranin A gene.

Chromogranin A (CgA), a member of the granin/secretogranin family of acidic glycoproteins that play multiple roles in the process of regulated secretion of peptide hormones and neurotransmitters, is specifically expressed in endocrine and neuroendocrine cells. We previously cloned and characterized the human (h) CgA gene and showed that nucleotides -55 to +32 relative to the transcriptional start site that contain a consensus cAMP element (CRE) and TATA-box motif were sufficient for neuroendocrine cell-specific expression. Here, we examined the role of the well conserved CRE in basal and cAMP-stimulated transcription in neuroendocrine cells. Transient transfection studies with hCgA gene promoter/chloroamphenical acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter constructs were conducted in a panel of neuroendocrine cell lines as well as in nonendocrine cell lines. Deletion or mutation of the CRE resulted in loss of neuroendocrine cell specific transcriptional activity. Mutation of a well conserved region (the TG-box) located between the CRE and the TATA box had no effect or resulted in only a modest decrease in activity. Mutation of the CRE in 5'-extended (-2300 to +32 and -700 to +32) constructs resulted in a 50-75% decrease in basal activity in neuroendocrine cells. This emphasized the importance of the CRE in basal transcription and also suggested that other elements between -700 and -55 may act independently of the CRE to contribute to full basal activity in some neuroendocrine cells. Dibutyryl cAMP stimulated transcriptional activity in neuroendocrine cells, and this was abolished by mutation of the CRE. In the presence of a PKA inhibitor, dibutyryl cAMP-induced activity was completely abolished and basal activity was decreased by up to 85%. Similar protein-DNA complexes were formed in gel retardation assays with a CgA-CRE oligonucleotide and nuclear extracts from both neuroendocrine and nonendocrine cells. A predominant complex that was supershifted by addition of a CREB antibody was identical in all cell types. By immunoblot analysis, levels of total CREB protein and phosphorylated (Ser 133) CREB did not differ between neuroendocrine and nonendocrine cells. Phosphorylated CREB was increased by forskolin treatment, an effect that was blocked by a PKA-inhibitor. Expression of the transcriptional cointegrator, CREB-binding protein (CBP), assessed by both RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, did not differ between neuroendocrine and nonendocrine cells. In summary, the CRE in the hCgA gene proximal promoter is critical for both basal and cAMP-induced expression in neuroendocrine cells via a PKA-mediated pathway. However, the neuroendocrine specificity of hCgA gene transcription mediated by the CRE is not a function of levels of total CREB or phosphorylated CREB or its cointegrator CBP. Specificity may be achieved by a PKA-responsive CRE-binding protein other than CREB expressed specifically in neuroendocrine cells, expression of a repressor molecule that binds CREB in nonendocrine cells, or may lie downstream of a CRE-binding protein, e.g. in the activity or amount of cointegrators other than CBP, which are required to couple transactivators to the basal transcriptional machinery.

Base Sequence↗

Two alternative pathways of transcription initiation in the yeast negative regulatory gene GAL80.

The yeast GAL80 gene, encoding a negative regulatory protein of galactose-inducible genes, shows both constitutive and galactose-inducible expression. The inducible transcription is under the control of Gal4p, a common activator for the galactose-inducible genes, which binds to an upstream activation sequence, called UASG, spanning between -105 and -89 in the 5'-flanking region of GAL80. Here we demonstrate that the constitutive transcription started at +1, whereas the inducible transcription occurs from a set of downstream sites at +37, +47, +56, and +67. Both transcriptions were enhanced 10-fold by another UAS, whose 5' boundary is located between -195 and -185. Gal4p stimulated transcription, which depends on the TATA box located at -20, from all the downstream sites. By contrast, the constitutive transcription depended on a small region of less than 16 bp long encompassing the +1 site, which directed transcription even in the absence of both the TATA box and the UASs. When a fragment covering that region was inserted immediately upstream of the open reading frame of HIS3, the resulting gene fusion, if introduced into a his3 yeast strain, supported growth on histidine-lacking medium. We detected by gel retardation assay a protein specifically interacting with this fragment. All the transcriptions observed in the in vivo experiments were faithfully reproduced in a cell-free transcription system. From these results, we suggest that initiation of GAL80 transcription involves two alternative pathways; one is initiator dependent, and the other is Gal4p regulated and TATA dependent.

Base Sequence↗

Holo-TFIID supports transcriptional stimulation by diverse activators and from a TATA-less promoter.

Transcription factor IID (TFIID) binds to TATA boxes, nucleating the assembly of initiation complexes containing several general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II. Recently, TFIID was shown to be a multisubunit complex containing a TATA box-binding polypeptide (TBP) and several tightly associated polypeptides (TAFs), which are required for transcriptional stimulation by activator proteins. Here, we report the development of a human cell line expressing an epitope-tagged TBP and the immunopurification of a native, high-molecular-weight form of TFIID that supports transcriptional stimulation by several different classes of activation domains. Recovery of basal and activated TFIID transcriptional specific activity was close to approximately 100%. Electrophoretic mobility-shift analysis demonstrated a single major DNA-protein complex. This holo-TFIID contains TAFs of approximately 250, 125, 95, 78, and 50 kD and sediments at 17S. Holo-TFIID produced an extended footprint over the adenovirus major late promoter TATA box and initiator sequence and supported transcriptional activation from a promoter lacking a TATA box. These results lead us to hypothesize that a single multisubunit TFIID protein supports transcriptional stimulation by diverse activation domains and from a TATA-less promoter.

Base Sequence↗

Requirements for activation of the herpes simplex virus glycoprotein C promoter in vitro by the viral regulatory protein ICP4.

During infection with herpes simplex virus, infected-cell polypeptide 4 (ICP4) activates transcription of most herpes simplex virus genes. In the present study, the mechanism of activation of transcription by ICP4 was investigated by using a reconstituted in vitro system with fractionated and purified general transcription factors, coupled with DNA-binding assays. The templates used in the reactions included regions of the gC and thymidine kinase (tk) promoters in plasmids, and on isolated fragments, allowing for the evaluation of the potential function of naturally occurring and inserted ICP4-binding sites and elements of the core promoter. ICP4 efficiently activated transcription of the gC promoter by facilitating the formation of transcription initiation complexes. ICP4 could not substitute for any of the basal transcription factors. Moreover, TATA-binding protein (TBP) could not substitute for TFIID in activation, suggesting a requirement for TBP-associated factors. Interactions between ICP4 and DNA 3' to the start site was necessary for activation of the gC promoter. The requirement for DNA-protein contacts could be met either by the presence of an ICP4-binding site in the gC leader, by the presence of a site more than 150 nucleotides further downstream, by an inserted site that normally acts to repress transcription, or by the addition of sufficient non-site-containing DNA. The gC TATA box and start site, or initiator element (inr), were individually sufficient for activation by ICP4 and together contributed to optimal activation. In contrast to gC, the tk promoter was poorly activated in the reconstituted system. However, the tk TATA box was efficiently activated when the tk start site region was replaced with the gC inr, suggesting that activation was mediated through the inr and inr-binding proteins. In addition, mutation of the inr core resulted in a gC promoter that was very poorly activated by ICP4. The results of this and previous studies demonstrate that ICP4 activates transcription in a complex manner involving contacts with DNA 3' to the start site, TBP, TFIIB, TBP-associated factors, and possibly proteins functioning at the start site of transcription.

Base Sequence↗

Sp1 activation of a TATA-less promoter requires a species-specific interaction involving transcription factor IID.

Sp1 is a ubiquitous activator of numerous TATA-containing and TATA-less promoters within the human genome. This transcription factor is distinct from several other mammalian activators because it cannot stimulate transcription of reporter genes when ectopically expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Here we report that in cultured cells from Drosophila melanogaster human Sp1 efficiently activates transcription from synthetic promoters containing TATA boxes, but not from promoters that contain an initiator instead of a TATA box. The inability of Sp1 to activate initiator-mediated transcription did not result from inactivity of the consensus initiator element used for the experiments, as other initiator functions were conserved in Drosophila cells. Interestingly, a difference between the Drosophila and human TFIID complexes was found to be responsible for the selective inability of Sp1 to activate initiator-mediated transcription in Drosophila; in a complementation assay with a TFIID-depleted HeLa cell extract both the Drosophila and human TFIID complexes supported TATA-mediated transcription, but only the human complex supported initiator-mediated transcription. These results suggest that a species-specific interaction is required for activation of TATA-less promoters by Sp1, revealing a difference in transcriptional activation mechanisms between vertebrates and invertebrates.

Animals↗

Binding of TBP to promoters in vivo is stimulated by activators and requires Pol II holoenzyme.

In eukaryotes, transcriptional activators have been proposed to function by recruiting the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery, by altering the conformation of this machinery, or by affecting steps after initiation, but the evidence is not definitive. Genomic footprinting of yeast TATA-box elements reveals activator-dependent alterations of chromatin structure and activator-independent protection, but little is known about the association of specific components of the Pol II machinery with promoters in vivo. Here we analyse TATA-box-binding-protein (TBP) occupancy of 30 yeast promoters in vivo. We find that TBP association with promoters is stimulated by activators and inhibited by the Cyc8-Tup1 repressor, and that transcriptional activity correlates strongly with the degree of TBP occupancy. In a small subset of promoters, TBP occupancy is higher than expected when gene activity is low, and the activator-dependent increase is modest. TBP association depends on the Pol II holoenzyme component Srb4, but not on the Kin28 subunit of the transcription factor TFIIH, even though both proteins are generally required for transcription. Thus in yeast cells, TBP association with promoters occurs in concert with the Pol II holoenzyme, activator-dependent recruitment of the Pol II machinery occurs at the vast majority of promoters, and Kin28 acts after the initial recruitment.

DNA Polymerase II↗

Alternative splicing and tissue-specific transcription of human and rodent ubiquitous 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1) genes.

The rate of haem synthesis in non-erythroid mammalian tissues is controlled by the ubiquitous isoform of 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1). In order to explore the regulation of mammalian ALAS1 genes, we have investigated the transcription of the human and rat genes. The 17 kb human gene differs from the rat gene in containing an additional untranslated exon that is alternatively spliced to produce a longer, minor mRNA transcript. Relative amounts of the two transcripts were similar in all tissues examined. Analysis of mRNA transcripts in human and rat tissues revealed tissue-specific differences in the use of transcription start sites by closely similar core promoters. In brain, initiation was from sites within and upstream from the TATA box, including an initiator-like element. In liver, initiation was TATA-driven from a single downstream site that appeared to be used exclusively for induction by drugs. Intermediate patterns were observed in other tissues and cell lines. Mutation of the TATA box did not impair transcription in transfected HeLa cells but activated upstream start sites, recapitulating the brain pattern. Our findings indicate that the conformation of the core ALAS1 promoter that directs assembly of the transcription pre-initiation complex may vary between tissues and have implications for understanding the tissue-specific regulated expression of this gene.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗

DNA sequence requirements for transcriptional initiator activity in mammalian cells.

A transcriptional initiator (Inr) for mammalian RNA polymerase II can be defined as a DNA sequence element that overlaps a transcription start site and is sufficient for (i) determining the start site location in a promoter that lacks a TATA box and (ii) enhancing the strength of a promoter that contains a TATA box. We have prepared synthetic promoters containing random nucleotides downstream of Sp1 binding sites to determine the range of DNA sequences that convey Inr activity. Numerous sequences behaved as functional Inrs in an in vitro transcription assay, but the Inr activities varied dramatically. An examination of the functional elements revealed loose but consistent sequence requirements, with the approximate consensus sequence Py Py A+1 N T/A Py Py. Most importantly, almost every functional Inr that has been described fits into the consensus sequence that we have defined. Although several proteins have been reported to bind to specific Inrs, manipulation of those elements failed to correlate protein binding with Inr activity. The simplest model to explain these results is that all or most Inrs are recognized by a universal binding protein, similar to the functional recognition of all TATA sequences by the same TATA-binding protein. The previously reported proteins that bind near specific Inr elements may augment the strength of an Inr or may impart transcriptional regulation through an Inr.

Animals↗

Architecture of a yeast U6 RNA gene promoter.

The promoters of vertebrate and yeast U6 small nuclear RNA genes are structurally dissimilar, although both are recognized by RNA polymerase III. Vertebrate U6 RNA genes have exclusively upstream promoters, while the U6 RNA gene from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SNR6) has internal and downstream promoter elements that match the tRNA gene intragenic A- and B-block elements, respectively. Substitution of the SNR6 A or B block greatly diminished U6 RNA accumulation in vivo, and a subcellular extract competent for RNA polymerase III transcription generated nearly identical DNase I protection patterns over the SNR6 downstream B block and a tRNA gene intragenic B block. We conclude that the SNR6 promoter is functionally similar to tRNA gene promoters, although the effects of extragenic deletion mutations suggest that the downstream location of the SNR6 B block imposes unique positional constraints on its function. Both vertebrate and yeast U6 RNA genes have an upstream TATA box element not normally found in tRNA genes. Substitution of the SNR6 TATA box altered the site of transcription initiation in vivo, while substitution of sequences further upstream had no effect on SNR6 transcription. We present a model for the SNR6 transcription complex that explains these results in terms of their effects on the binding of transcription initiation factor TFIIIB.

Alleles↗

Functional analysis of the regulatory region of the yeast phosphatidylserine synthase gene, PSS.

The upstream region of the PSS gene contains three positive cis-acting elements, upstream activation sequences 1 and 2 (UAS1 and UAS2) and a TATA box. The 5' end of UAS1 occurs between positions -239 and -209, and that of UAS2 is between positions -172 and -164. UAS2 contains 5'-TTCACATG-3' as a core sequence at positions -161 to -154. Mutational analysis revealed that this octamer is responsible for the control of PSS expression by inositol and choline. The TATA box is located at positions -112 to -108. In addition, PSS contains a negative cis-acting sequence between UAS2 and the TATA box.

Base Sequence↗

Promoter structure of human sonic hedgehog gene.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a secreted signal transducer responsible not only for patterning of the anterior-posterior axis during early limb and neuronal development, but also for generating cell-type diversity at later developmental stages. To elucidate the mechanism regulating human Shh gene expression, we cloned the 5'-flanking region of the human Shh gene and characterized it by transient transfection studies. Two transcription start sites were identified by primer extension analysis. Two TATA-boxes, a CCAAT-box and a palindrome-like structure constituted the basic promoter structure. Furthermore, two continuous E-boxes and a putative homeodomain containing an ATTA-box were located around 350-450 bp upstream of the upper TATA-box. Consensus binding sites of the RA, estrogen, D3 and glucocorticoid/progesterone receptors were not found within the cloned sequence. Short-term treatment with TPA increased luciferase activity up to 2.1-fold; on the other hand, treatment with dibutyryl-cyclic AMP decreased it to 0.8-fold. Retinoic acid (RA), vitamin D3, dexamethazone (DEX) and estradiol (E2) had no effect on the luciferase activity. Since the zebrafish Shh promoter contains two closely spaced axial (HNF3beta) binding sequences on its basic promoter, the palindrome-like structure located in the corresponding site of the human Shh promoter may be a crucial binding domain regulating human Shh gene expression.

Base Sequence↗

A non-universal transcription factor? The Leishmania tarentolae TATA box-binding protein LtTBP associates with a subset of promoters.

In kinetoplastids a 39-nucleotide spliced leader RNA is trans-spliced to the 5' end of nuclear mRNAs before they can be translated, thus the spliced leader is central to gene expression in kinetoplastid biology. The spliced leader RNA genes in Leishmania tarentolae contain promoters with important sites at approximately -60 and -30. A complex forms specifically on the -60 element as shown by electrophoretic mobility shift. The -60 shift complex has an estimated mass of 159 kDa. An L. tarentolae homologue of TATA-binding protein, LtTBP, co-fractionates with the -60 shift complex. Inclusion of anti-LtTBP antiserum in the shift assay disrupts the shift, indicating that LtTBP is a component of the complex that interacts with the TATA-less -60 element of the spliced leader RNA gene promoter. Both LtTBP and LtSNAP50 are found near the spliced leader RNA gene promoter and the promoters important for tRNAAla and/or U2 snRNA gene transcription, as demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. The LtTBP appears to interact with a subset of promoters in kinetoplastids with an affinity for short transcription units.

Animals↗

Adenovirus E1A N-terminal amino acid sequence requirements for repression of transcription in vitro and in vivo correlate with those required for E1A interference with TBP-TATA complex formation.

The adenovirus (Ad) E1A 243R oncoprotein encodes an N-terminal transcription repression domain that is essential for early viral functions, cell immortalization, and cell transformation. The transcription repression function requires sequences within amino acids 1 to 30 and 48 to 60. To elucidate the roles of the TATA-binding protein (TBP), p300, and the CREB-binding protein (CBP) in the mechanism(s) of E1A repression, we have constructed 29 amino acid substitution mutants and 5 deletion mutants spanning the first 30 amino acids within the E1A 1-80 polypeptide backbone. These mutant E1A polypeptides were characterized with regard to six parameters: the ability to repress transcription in vitro and in vivo, to disrupt TBP-TATA box interaction, and to bind TBP, p300, and CBP. Two regions within E1A residues 1 to 30, amino acids 2 to 6 and amino acid 20, are critical for E1A transcription repression in vitro and in vivo and for the ability to interfere with TBP-TATA interaction. Replacement of 6Cys with Ala in the first region yields the most defective mutant. Replacement of 20Leu with Ala, but not substitutions in flanking residues, yields a substantially defective phenotype. Protein binding assays demonstrate that replacement of 6Cys with Ala yields a mutant completely defective in interaction with TBP, p300, and CBP. Our findings are consistent with a model in which the E1A repression function involves interaction of E1A with p300/CBP and interference with the formation of a TBP-TATA box complex.

Adenovirus E1A Proteins↗

Stimulation of in vitro transcription by the upstream element of the adenovirus-2 major late promoter involves a specific factor.

We have previously reported that sequences located upstream from the TATA box of the Adenovirus-2 major late promoter (Ad2MLP), between -34 and -97, are necessary for efficient transcription in vivo and in vitro (1). We have utilized an in vitro competition assay to demonstrate that the upstream element requirement involves the binding of a specific factor(s), which results in stimulation of in vitro transcription from the Ad2MLP. DNA fragments prepared from Ad2MLP upstream sequence mutants which are transcribed much less efficiently than the wild-type promoter both in vivo and in vitro were shown to be unable to bind this factor. We have also constructed chimeric promoter recombinants containing the 21bp repeat upstream element of the SV40 early promoter inserted upstream from the Ad2MLP TATA box. The SV40 upstream element stimulates in vitro transcription from the heterologous Ad2MLP TATA box element; competition experiments show that the Ad2MLP upstream element-specific factor is different from the SV40-specific factor Sp1.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

An Oct-like binding factor regulates Myf-5 expression in primary avian cells.

Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) are hierarchical regulators of skeletal myogenesis. Many MRF promoters have been well characterized with respect to flanking sequences that control their expression. Yet the promoter elements that regulate Myf-5, the first MRF expressed during mammalian embryogenesis, are still largely unknown. Comparison of Myf-5 5' flanking regions from bovine, mouse, and chicken genes revealed three evolutionarily conserved elements proximal to the transcription start site: the TATA box, an octamer motif, termed OLS, and a 6-bp C-rich element. Mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting analysis demonstrated that a nuclear factor(s) present in both bovine and avian muscle and nonmuscle tissues specifically recognized OLS. Furthermore, this binding activity reacted with a polyclonal Oct-1 antibody. In avian primary myoblast and fibroblast cultures, CAT reporter constructs under regulation of the proximal Myf-5 5' flanking sequence were expressed preferentially in myoblasts with CAT levels approximately 12-fold higher than in fibroblasts. The TATA box and octamer motif were important for expression in both myoblasts and fibroblasts: loss of the TATA box abolished activity, and disruption of the OLS resulted in 50-75% loss of promoter activity.

Animals↗

Separation of the transcriptional coactivator and antirepression functions of transcription factor IIA.

Human transcription factor IIA (TFIIA) is composed of three subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma). TFIIA interacts with the TATA-box binding protein and can overcome repression of transcription. TFIIA was found to be necessary for VP16-mediated transcriptional activation through a coactivator function. We have separated the coactivator and antirepression activities of TFIIA. A TFIIA lacking the alpha subunit was isolated from HeLa cells. This "mini-TFIIA" interacts with the TATA-box binding protein and can overcome repression of transcription, but it is defective in transcriptional coactivator function.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗