scholarly journals In vivo binding of NF-κB to the IκBβ promoter is insufficient for transcriptional activation

2006 ◽  
Vol 400 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan D. Griffin ◽  
Paul N. Moynagh

Despite certain structural and biochemical similarities, differences exist in the function of the NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) inhibitory proteins IκBα (inhibitory κBα) and IκBβ. The functional disparity arises in part from variance at the level of gene regulation, and in particular from the substantial induction of IκBα, but not IκBβ, gene expression post-NF-κB activation. In the present study, we probe the differential effects of IL (interleukin)-1β on induction of IκBα and perform the first characterization of the human IκBβ promoter. A consensus NF-κB-binding site, capable of binding NF-κB both in vitro and in vivo, is found in the IκBβ gene 5′ flanking region. However, the IκBβ promoter was not substantially activated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and tumour necrosis factor α, that are known to cause strong activation of NF-κB. Furthermore, in contrast with IκBα, NF-κB activation did not increase expression of endogenous IκBβ as assessed by analysis of mRNA and protein levels. Unlike κB-responsive promoters, IκBβ promoter-bound p65 inefficiently recruits RNA polymerase II, which stalls at the promoter. We present evidence that this stalling is likely due to the absence of transcription factor IIH engagement, a prerequisite for RNA polymerase II phosphorylation and transcriptional initiation. Differences in the conformation of promoter-bound NF-κB may underlie the variation in the ability to engage the basal transcriptional apparatus at the IκBβ and κB-responsive promoters. This accounts for the differential expression of IκB family members in response to NF-κB activation and furthers our understanding of the mechanisms involved in transcription factor activity and IκBβ gene regulation.

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2736-2742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph V. Geisberg ◽  
Frank C. Holstege ◽  
Richard A. Young ◽  
Kevin Struhl

ABSTRACT NC2 (Dr1-Drap1 or Bur6-Ydr1) has been characterized in vitro as a general negative regulator of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription that interacts with TATA-binding protein (TBP) and inhibits its function. Here, we show that NC2 associates with promoters in vivo in a manner that correlates with transcriptional activity and with occupancy by basal transcription factors. NC2 rapidly associates with promoters in response to transcriptional activation, and it remains associated under conditions in which transcription is blocked after assembly of the Pol II preinitiation complex. NC2 positively and negatively affects approximately 17% of Saccharomyces cerevisiaegenes in a pattern that resembles the response to general environmental stress. Relative to TBP, NC2 occupancy is high at promoters where NC2 is positively required for normal levels of transcription. Thus, NC2 is associated with the Pol II preinitiation complex, and it can play a direct and positive role at certain promoters in vivo.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 2350-2360 ◽  
Author(s):  
E F Michelotti ◽  
G A Michelotti ◽  
A I Aronsohn ◽  
D Levens

The CT element is a positively acting homopyrimidine tract upstream of the c-myc gene to which the well-characterized transcription factor Spl and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K, a less well-characterized protein associated with hnRNP complexes, have previously been shown to bind. The present work demonstrates that both of these molecules contribute to CT element-activated transcription in vitro. The pyrimidine-rich strand of the CT element both bound to hnRNP K and competitively inhibited transcription in vitro, suggesting a role for hnRNP K in activating transcription through this single-stranded sequence. Direct addition of recombinant hnRNP K to reaction mixtures programmed with templates bearing single-stranded CT elements increased specific RNA synthesis. If hnRNP K is a transcription factor, then interactions with the RNA polymerase II transcription apparatus are predicted. Affinity columns charged with recombinant hnRNP K specifically bind a component(s) necessary for transcription activation. The depleted factors were biochemically complemented by a crude TFIID phosphocellulose fraction, indicating that hnRNP K might interact with the TATA-binding protein (TBP)-TBP-associated factor complex. Coimmunoprecipitation of a complex formed in vivo between hnRNP K and epitope-tagged TBP as well as binding in vitro between recombinant proteins demonstrated a protein-protein interaction between TBP and hnRNP K. Furthermore, when the two proteins were overexpressed in vivo, transcription from a CT element-dependent reporter was synergistically activated. These data indicate that hnRNP K binds to a specific cis element, interacts with the RNA polymerase II transcription machinery, and stimulates transcription and thus has all of the properties of a transcription factor.


1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 4622-4632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y C Lee ◽  
S Min ◽  
B S Gim ◽  
Y J Kim

A temperature-sensitive mutation was obtained in Med6p, a component of the mediator complex from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The mediator complex has been shown to enable transcriptional activation in vitro. This mutation in Med6p abolished activation of transcription from four of five inducible promoters tested in vivo. There was no effect, however, on uninduced transcription, transcription of constitutively expressed genes, or transcription by RNA polymerases I and III. Mediator-RNA polymerase II complex isolated from the mutant yeast strain was temperature sensitive for transcriptional activation in a reconstituted in vitro system due to a defect in initiation complex formation. A database search revealed the existence of MED6-related genes in humans and Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting that the role of mediator in transcriptional activation is conserved throughout the evolution.


1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 6784-6793 ◽  
Author(s):  
C S Bangur ◽  
T S Pardee ◽  
A S Ponticelli

The general transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) plays an essential role in transcription of protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II. We have used site-directed mutagenesis to assess the role of conserved amino acids in several important regions of yeast TFIIB. These include residues in the highly conserved amino-terminal region and basic residues in the D1 and E1 core domain alpha-helices. Acidic substitutions of residues K190 (D1) and K201 (E1) resulted in growth impairments in vivo, reduced basal transcriptional activity in vitro, and an inability to form stable TFIIB-TATA-binding protein-DNA (DB) complexes. Significantly, these mutants retained the ability to respond to acidic activators in vivo and to the Gal4-VP16 activator in vitro, supporting the view that these basic residues play a role in basal transcription. In addition, 14 single-amino-acid substitutions were introduced in the conserved amino-terminal region. Three of these mutants, the L50D, R64E, and R78L mutants, displayed altered growth properties in vivo and were compromised for supporting transcription in vitro. The L50D mutant was impaired for RNA polymerase II interaction, while the R64E mutant exhibited altered transcription start site selection both in vitro and in vivo and, surprisingly, was more active than the wild type in the formation of stable DB complexes. These results support the view that the amino-terminal domain is involved in the direct interaction between yeast TFIIB and RNA polymerase II and suggest that this domain may interact with DNA and/or modulate the formation of a DB complex.


2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (22) ◽  
pp. 8323-8333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul B. Mason ◽  
Kevin Struhl

ABSTRACT The FACT complex facilitates transcription on chromatin templates in vitro, and it has been functionally linked to nucleosomes and putative RNA polymerase II (Pol II) elongation factors. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, FACT specifically associates with active Pol II genes in a TFIIH-dependent manner and travels across the gene with elongating Pol II. Conditional inactivation of the FACT subunit Spt16 results in increased Pol II density, transcription, and TATA-binding protein (TBP) occupancy in the 3′ portion of certain coding regions, indicating that FACT suppresses inappropriate initiation from cryptic promoters within coding regions. Conversely, loss of Spt16 activity reduces the association of TBP, TFIIB, and Pol II with normal promoters. Thus, FACT is required for wild-type cells to restrict initiation to normal promoters, thereby ensuring that only appropriate mRNAs are synthesized. We suggest that FACT contributes to the fidelity of Pol II transcription by linking the processes of initiation and elongation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 409 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilena Cojocaru ◽  
Célia Jeronimo ◽  
Diane Forget ◽  
Annie Bouchard ◽  
Dominique Bergeron ◽  
...  

The functions ascribed to the mammalian GTFs (general transcription factors) during the various stages of the RNAPII (RNA polymerase II) transcription reaction are based largely on in vitro studies. To gain insight as to the functions of the GTFs in living cells, we have analysed the genomic location of several human GTF and RNAPII subunits carrying a TAP (tandem-affinity purification) tag. ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) experiments using anti-tag beads (TAP-ChIP) allowed the systematic localization of the tagged factors. Enrichment of regions located close to the TIS (transcriptional initiation site) versus further downstream TRs (transcribed regions) of nine human genes, selected for the minimal divergence of their alternative TIS, were analysed by QPCR (quantitative PCR). We show that, in contrast with reports using the yeast system, human TFIIF (transcription factor IIF) associates both with regions proximal to the TIS and with further downstream TRs, indicating an in vivo function in elongation for this GTF. Unexpectedly, we found that the Rpb7 subunit of RNAPII, known to be required only for the initiation phase of transcription, remains associated with the polymerase during early elongation. Moreover, ChIP experiments conducted under stress conditions suggest that Rpb7 is involved in the stabilization of transcribing polymerase molecules, from initiation to late elongation stages. Together, our results provide for the first time a general picture of GTF function during the RNAPII transcription reaction in live mammalian cells and show that TFIIF and Rpb7 are involved in both early and late transcriptional stages.


2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Coulombe ◽  
Marie-France Langelier

High resolution X-ray crystal structures of multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAP) have contributed to our understanding of transcriptional mechanisms. They also provided a powerful guide for the design of experiments aimed at further characterizing the molecular stages of the transcription reaction. Our laboratory used tandem-affinity peptide purification in native conditions to isolate human RNAP II variants that had site-specific mutations in structural elements located strategically within the enzyme's catalytic center. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses of these mutants revealed novel features of the catalytic mechanisms involving this enzyme.Key words: RNA polymerase II, transcriptional mechanisms, mutational analysis, mRNA synthesis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth N Corry ◽  
D Alan Underhill

To date, the majority of the research regarding eukaryotic transcription factors has focused on characterizing their function primarily through in vitro methods. These studies have revealed that transcription factors are essentially modular structures, containing separate regions that participate in such activities as DNA binding, protein–protein interaction, and transcriptional activation or repression. To fully comprehend the behavior of a given transcription factor, however, these domains must be analyzed in the context of the entire protein, and in certain cases the context of a multiprotein complex. Furthermore, it must be appreciated that transcription factors function in the nucleus, where they must contend with a variety of factors, including the nuclear architecture, chromatin domains, chromosome territories, and cell-cycle-associated processes. Recent examinations of transcription factors in the nucleus have clarified the behavior of these proteins in vivo and have increased our understanding of how gene expression is regulated in eukaryotes. Here, we review the current knowledge regarding sequence-specific transcription factor compartmentalization within the nucleus and discuss its impact on the regulation of such processes as activation or repression of gene expression and interaction with coregulatory factors.Key words: transcription, subnuclear localization, chromatin, gene expression, nuclear architecture.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 913-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nallani Vijay Kumar ◽  
Jianbo Yang ◽  
Jitesh K. Pillai ◽  
Swati Rawat ◽  
Carlos Solano ◽  
...  

The AP-1-like transcription factor Yap8 is critical for arsenic tolerance in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the mechanism by which Yap8 senses the presence of arsenic and activates transcription of detoxification genes is unknown. Here we demonstrate that Yap8 directly binds to trivalent arsenite [As(III)]in vitroandin vivoand that approximately one As(III) molecule is bound per molecule of Yap8. As(III) is coordinated by three sulfur atoms in purified Yap8, and our genetic and biochemical data identify the cysteine residues that form the binding site as Cys132, Cys137, and Cys274. As(III) binding by Yap8 does not require an additional yeast protein, and Yap8 is regulated neither at the level of localization nor at the level of DNA binding. Instead, our data are consistent with a model in which a DNA-bound form of Yap8 acts directly as an As(III) sensor. Binding of As(III) to Yap8 triggers a conformational change that in turn brings about a transcriptional response. Thus, As(III) binding to Yap8 acts as a molecular switch that converts inactive Yap8 into an active transcriptional regulator. This is the first report to demonstrate how a eukaryotic protein couples arsenic sensing to transcriptional activation.


2001 ◽  
Vol 276 (15) ◽  
pp. 12266-12273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenxiang Wei ◽  
Dorjbal Dorjsuren ◽  
Yong Lin ◽  
Weiping Qin ◽  
Takahiro Nomura ◽  
...  

The general transcription factor IIF (TFIIF) assembled in the initiation complex, and RAP30 of TFIIF, have been shown to associate with RNA polymerase II (pol II), although it remains unclear which pol II subunit is responsible for the interaction. We examined whether TFIIF interacts with RNA polymerase II subunit 5 (RPB5), the exposed domain of which binds transcriptional regulatory factors such as hepatitis B virus X protein and a novel regulatory protein, RPB5-mediating protein. The results demonstrated that RPB5 directly binds RAP30in vitrousing purified recombinant proteins andin vivoin COS1 cells transiently expressing recombinant RAP30 and RPB5. The RAP30-binding region was mapped to the central region (amino acids (aa) 47–120) of RPB5, which partly overlaps the hepatitis B virus X protein-binding region. Although the middle part (aa 101–170) and the N-terminus (aa 1–100) of RAP30 independently bound RPB5, the latter was not involved in the RPB5 binding when RAP30 was present in TFIIF complex. Scanning of the middle part of RAP30 by clustered alanine substitutions and then point alanine substitutions pinpointed two residues critical for the RPB5 binding inin vitroandin vivoassays. Wild type but not mutants Y124A and Q131A of RAP30 coexpressed with FLAG-RAP74 efficiently recovered endogenous RPB5 to the FLAG-RAP74-bound anti-FLAG M2 resin. The recovered endogenous RPB5 is assembled in pol II as demonstrated immunologically. Interestingly, coexpression of the central region of RPB5 and wild type RAP30 inhibited recovery of endogenous pol II to the FLAG-RAP74-bound M2 resin, strongly suggesting that the RAP30-binding region of RPB5 inhibited the association of TFIIF and pol II. The exposed domain of RPB5 interacts with RAP30 of TFIIF and is important for the association between pol II and TFIIF.


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