scholarly journals Molecular basis for the integration of environmental signals by FurB from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

2018 ◽  
Vol 475 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violeta C. Sein-Echaluce ◽  
María Carmen Pallarés ◽  
Anabel Lostao ◽  
Inmaculada Yruela ◽  
Adrián Velázquez-Campoy ◽  
...  

FUR (Ferric uptake regulator) proteins are among the most important families of transcriptional regulators in prokaryotes, often behaving as global regulators. In the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120, FurB (Zur, Zinc uptake regulator) controls zinc and redox homeostasis through the repression of target genes in a zinc-dependent manner. In vitro, non-specific binding of FurB to DNA elicits protection against oxidative damage and avoids cleavage by deoxyribonuclease I. The present study provides, for the first time, evidence of the influence of redox environment in the interaction of FurB with regulatory zinc and its consequences in FurB–DNA-binding affinity. Calorimetry studies showed that, in addition to one structural Zn(II), FurB is able to bind two additional Zn(II) per monomer and demonstrated the implication of cysteine C93 in regulatory Zn(II) coordination. The interaction of FurB with the second regulatory zinc occurred only under reducing conditions. While non-specific FurB–DNA interaction is Zn(II)-independent, the optimal binding of FurB to target promoters required loading of two regulatory zinc ions. Those results combined with site-directed mutagenesis and gel-shift assays evidenced that the redox state of cysteine C93 conditions the binding of the second regulatory Zn(II) and, in turn, modulates the affinity for a specific DNA target. Furthermore, differential spectroscopy studies showed that cysteine C93 could also be involved in heme coordination by FurB, either as a direct ligand or being located near the binding site. The results indicate that besides controlling zinc homeostasis, FurB could work as a redox-sensing protein probably modifying its zinc and DNA-binding abilities depending upon environmental conditions.

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 854-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian G. Noble ◽  
Faye M. Barnard ◽  
Anthony Maxwell

ABSTRACT We have investigated the interaction of quinolones with DNA by a number of methods to establish whether a particular binding mode correlates with quinolone potency. The specificities of the quinolone-mediated DNA cleavage reaction of DNA gyrase were compared for a number of quinolones. Two patterns that depended on the potency of the quinolone were identified. Binding to plasmid DNA was examined by measuring the unwinding of pBR322 by quinolones; no correlation with quinolone potency was observed. Quinolone binding to short DNA oligonucleotides was measured by surface plasmon resonance. The quinolones bound to both single- and double-stranded oligonucleotides in an Mg2+-dependent manner. Quinolones bound to single-stranded DNA with a higher affinity, and the binding exhibited sequence dependence; binding to double-stranded DNA was sequence independent. The variations in binding in the presence of metal ions showed that Mg2+ promoted tighter, more specific binding to single-stranded DNA than softer metal ions (Mn2+ and Cd2+). Single-stranded DNA binding by quinolones correlated with the in vitro quinolone potency, indicating that this mode of interaction may reflect the interaction of the quinolone with DNA in the context of the gyrase-DNA complex.


Author(s):  
Konstantin Kanofsky ◽  
Jendrik Rusche ◽  
Lea Eilert ◽  
Fabian Machens ◽  
Reinhard Hehl

Abstract Key message WRKY50 from A. thaliana requires WT-boxes at target gene promoters for activation and binding. Abstract Based on the genome-wide prediction of WRKY50 target genes and the similarity of a WRKY50 binding site to WT-boxes in microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP)-responsive cis-regulatory modules (CRM), four WT-box containing CRMs from the promoter region of three WRKY50 target genes were investigated for their interaction with WRKY50. These target genes are DJ1E, WRKY30 and ATBBE4. Two of the four CRMs, one from DJ1E and one from WRKY30, were able to activate reporter gene expression in the presence of WRKY50. Activation requires the WT-boxes GGACTTTT, GGACTTTG from DJ1E and GGACTTTC from WRKY30. WRKY50 does not activate a second CRM from WRKY30 and the CRM from ATBBE4, both containing the WT-box TGACTTTT. In vitro gel-shift assays demonstrate WT-box-specific binding of the WRKY50 DNA-binding domain to all four CRMs. This work shows a high flexibility of WRKY50 binding site recognition beyond the classic W-box TTGACC/T.


2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Kiilerich ◽  
Gérard Triqueneaux ◽  
Nynne Meyn Christensen ◽  
Vincent Trayer ◽  
Xavier Terrien ◽  
...  

The salmonid corticosteroid receptors (CRs), glucocorticoid receptors 1 and 2 (GR1 and GR2) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) share a high degree of homology with regard to structure, ligand- and DNA response element-binding, and cellular co-localization. Typically, these nuclear hormone receptors homodimerize to confer transcriptional activation of target genes, but a few studies using mammalian receptors suggest some degree of heterodimerization. We observed that the trout MR confers a several fold lower transcriptional activity compared to the trout GRs. This made us question the functional relevance of the MR when this receptor is located in the same cells as the GRs and activated by cortisol. A series of co-transfection experiments using different glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) containing promoter-reporter constructs were carried out to investigate any possible interaction between the piscine CRs. Co-transfection of the GRs with the MR significantly reduced the total transcriptional activity even at low MR levels, suggesting interaction between these receptors. Co-transfection of GR1 or GR2 with the MR did not affect the subcellular localization of the GRs, and the MR-mediated inhibition seemed to be independent of specific activation or inhibition of the MR. Site-directed mutagenesis of the DNA-binding domain and dimerization interface of the MR showed that the inhibition was dependent on DNA binding but not necessarily on dimerization ability. Thus, we suggest that the interaction between MR and the GRs may regulate the cortisol response in cell types where the receptors co-localize and propose a dominant-negative role for the MR in cortisol-mediated transcriptional activity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Narendra Pratap Singh ◽  
Bony De Kumar ◽  
Ariel Paulson ◽  
Mark E. Parrish ◽  
Carrie Scott ◽  
...  

Knowledge of the diverse DNA binding specificities of transcription factors is important for understanding their specific regulatory functions in animal development and evolution. We have examined the genome-wide binding properties of the mouse HOXB1 protein in embryonic stem cells differentiated into neural fates. Unexpectedly, only a small number of HOXB1 bound regions (7%) correlate with binding of the known HOX cofactors PBX and MEIS. In contrast, 22% of the HOXB1 binding peaks display co-occupancy with the transcriptional repressor REST. Analyses revealed that co-binding of HOXB1 with PBX correlates with active histone marks and high levels of expression, while co-occupancy with REST correlates with repressive histone marks and repression of the target genes. Analysis of HOXB1 bound regions uncovered enrichment of a novel 15 base pair HOXB1 binding motif HB1RE (HOXB1 response element). In vitro template binding assays showed that HOXB1, PBX1, and MEIS can bind to this motif. In vivo, this motif is sufficient for direct expression of a reporter gene and over-expression of HOXB1 selectively represses this activity. Our analyses suggest that HOXB1 has evolved an association with REST in gene regulation and the novel HB1RE motif contributes to HOXB1 function in part through a repressive role in gene expression.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1686-1695 ◽  
Author(s):  
M K Shivji ◽  
N B La Thangue

Murine F9 embryonal carcinoma (F9 EC) stem cells have an E1a-like transcription activity that is down-regulated as these cells differentiate to parietal endoderm. For the adenovirus E2A promoter, this activity requires at least two sequence-specific transcription factors, one that binds the cyclic AMP-responsive element (CRE) and the other, DRTF1, the DNA-binding activity of which is down-regulated as F9 EC cells differentiate. Here we report the characterization of several binding activities in F9 EC cell extracts, referred to as DRTF 1a, 1b and 1c, that recognize the DRTF1 cis-regulatory sequence (-70 to -50 region). These activities can be chromatographically separated but are not distinguishable by DNA sequence specificity. Activity 1a is a detergent-sensitive complex in which DNA binding is regulated by phosphorylation. In contrast, activities 1b and 1c are unaffected by these treatments but exist as multicomponent protein complexes even before DNA binding. Two sets of DNA-binding polypeptides, p50DR and p30DR, affinity purified from F9 EC cell extracts produce complexes 1b and 1c. Both polypeptides appear to be present in the same DNA-bound protein complex and both directly contact DNA. These affinity-purified polypeptides activate transcription in vitro in a binding-site-dependent manner. These data indicate the in F9 EC stem cells, multicomponent differentiation-regulated transcription factors contribute to the cellular E1a-like activity.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (4) ◽  
pp. 1118-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niilo Kaldalu ◽  
Urve Toots ◽  
Victor de Lorenzo ◽  
Mart Ustav

ABSTRACT The alkylbenzoate degradation genes of Pseudomonas putida TOL plasmid are positively regulated by XylS, an AraC family protein, in a benzoate-dependent manner. In this study, we used deletion mutants and hybrid proteins to identify which parts of XylS are responsible for the DNA binding, transcriptional activation, and benzoate inducibility. We found that a 112-residue C-terminal fragment of XylS binds specifically to the Pm operator in vitro, protects this sequence from DNase I digestion identically to the wild-type (wt) protein, and activates the Pm promoter in vivo. When overexpressed, that C-terminal fragment could activate transcription as efficiently as wt XylS. All the truncations, which incorporated these 112 C-terminal residues, were able to activate transcription at least to some extent when overproduced. Intactness of the 210-residue N-terminal portion was found to be necessary for benzoate responsiveness of XylS. Deletions in the N-terminal and central regions seriously reduced the activity of XylS and caused the loss of effector control, whereas insertions into the putative interdomain region did not change the basic features of the XylS protein. Our results confirm that XylS consists of two parts which probably interact with each other. The C-terminal domain carries DNA-binding and transcriptional activation abilities, while the N-terminal region carries effector-binding and regulatory functions.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2464-2476
Author(s):  
M Cockell ◽  
B J Stevenson ◽  
M Strubin ◽  
O Hagenbüchle ◽  
P K Wellauer

Footprint analysis of the 5'-flanking regions of the alpha-amylase 2, elastase 2, and trypsina genes, which are expressed in the acinar pancreas, showed multiple sites of protein-DNA interaction for each gene. Competition experiments demonstrated that a region from each 5'-flanking region interacted with the same cell-specific DNA-binding activity. We show by in vitro binding assays that this DNA-binding activity also recognizes a sequence within the 5'-flanking regions of elastase 1, chymotrypsinogen B, carboxypeptidase A, and trypsind genes. Methylation interference and protection studies showed that the DNA-binding activity recognized a bipartite motif, the subelements of which were separated by integral helical turns of DNA. The alpha-amylase 2 cognate sequence was found to enhance in vivo transcription of its own promoter in a cell-specific manner, which identified the DNA-binding activity as a transcription factor (PTF 1). The observation that PTF 1 bound to DNA sequences that have been defined as transcriptional enhancers by others suggests that this factor is involved in the coordinate expression of genes transcribed in the acinar pancreas.


2019 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
pp. 953-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Katoh

AbstractHedgehog signals are transduced through Patched receptors to the Smoothened (SMO)-SUFU-GLI and SMO-Gi-RhoA signaling cascades. MTOR-S6K1 and MEK-ERK signals are also transduced to GLI activators through post-translational modifications. The GLI transcription network up-regulates target genes, such as BCL2, FOXA2, FOXE1, FOXF1, FOXL1, FOXM1, GLI1, HHIP, PTCH1 and WNT2B, in a cellular context-dependent manner. Aberrant Hedgehog signaling in tumor cells leads to self-renewal, survival, proliferation and invasion. Paracrine Hedgehog signaling in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which harbors cancer-associated fibroblasts, leads to angiogenesis, fibrosis, immune evasion and neuropathic pain. Hedgehog-related genetic alterations occur frequently in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (85%) and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH)-subgroup medulloblastoma (87%) and less frequently in breast cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ovarian cancer. Among investigational SMO inhibitors, vismodegib and sonidegib are approved for the treatment of patients with BCC, and glasdegib is approved for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Resistance to SMO inhibitors is caused by acquired SMO mutations, SUFU deletions, GLI2 amplification, other by-passing mechanisms of GLI activation and WNT/β-catenin signaling activation. GLI–DNA-interaction inhibitors (glabrescione B and GANT61), GLI2 destabilizers (arsenic trioxide and pirfenidone) and a GLI-deacetylation inhibitor (4SC-202) were shown to block GLI-dependent transcription and tumorigenesis in preclinical studies. By contrast, SMO inhibitors can remodel the immunosuppressive TME that is dominated by M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells, and thus, a Phase I/II clinical trial of the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab with or without vismodegib in BCC patients is ongoing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 9401
Author(s):  
Antonio Bouthelier ◽  
Florinda Meléndez-Rodríguez ◽  
Andrés A. Urrutia ◽  
Julián Aragonés

Cellular response to hypoxia is controlled by the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors HIF1α and HIF2α. Some genes are preferentially induced by HIF1α or HIF2α, as has been explored in some cell models and for particular sets of genes. Here we have extended this analysis to other HIF-dependent genes using in vitro WT8 renal carcinoma cells and in vivo conditional Vhl-deficient mice models. Moreover, we generated chimeric HIF1/2 transcription factors to study the contribution of the HIF1α and HIF2α DNA binding/heterodimerization and transactivation domains to HIF target specificity. We show that the induction of HIF1α-dependent genes in WT8 cells, such as CAIX (CAR9) and BNIP3, requires both halves of HIF, whereas the HIF2α transactivation domain is more relevant for the induction of HIF2 target genes like the amino acid carrier SLC7A5. The HIF selectivity for some genes in WT8 cells is conserved in Vhl-deficient lung and liver tissue, whereas other genes like Glut1 (Slc2a1) behave distinctly in these tissues. Therefore the relative contribution of the DNA binding/heterodimerization and transactivation domains for HIF target selectivity can be different when comparing HIF1α or HIF2α isoforms, and that HIF target gene specificity is conserved in human and mouse cells for some of the genes analyzed.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1405-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
C C Adams ◽  
J L Workman

To investigate mechanisms by which multiple transcription factors access complex promoters and enhancers within cellular chromatin, we have analyzed the binding of disparate factors to nucleosome cores. We used a purified in vitro system to analyze binding of four activator proteins, two GAL4 derivatives, USF, and NF-kappa B (KBF1), to reconstituted nucleosome cores containing different combinations of binding sites. Here we show that binding of any two or all three of these factors to nucleosomal DNA is inherently cooperative. Thus, the binuclear Zn clusters of GAL4, the helix-loop-helix/basic domains of USF, and the rel domain of NF-kappa B all participated in cooperative nucleosome binding, illustrating that this effect is not restricted to a particular DNA-binding domain. Simultaneous binding by two factors increased the affinity of individual factors for nucleosomal DNA by up to 2 orders of magnitude. Importantly, cooperative binding resulted in efficient nucleosome binding by factors (USF and NF-kappa B) which independently possess little nucleosome-binding ability. The participation of GAL4 derivatives in cooperative nucleosome binding required only DNA-binding and dimerization domains, indicating that disruption of histone-DNA contacts by factor binding was responsible for the increased affinity of additional factors. Cooperative nucleosome binding required sequence-specific binding of all transcription factors, appeared to have spatial constraints, and was independent of the orientation of the binding sites on the nucleosome. These results indicate that cooperative nucleosome binding is a general mechanism that may play a significant role in loading complex enhancer and promoter elements with multiple diverse factors in chromatin and contribute to the generation of threshold responses and transcriptional synergy by multiple activator sites in vivo.


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