scholarly journals Power-law behaviour of transcription factor dynamics at the single-molecule level implies a continuum affinity model

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Garcia ◽  
Gregory Fettweis ◽  
Diego M. Presman ◽  
Ville Paakinaho ◽  
Christopher Jarzynski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Power Law Distribution ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Chromatin Template ◽  
Nuclear Domains

ABSTRACTSingle-molecule tracking (SMT) allows the study of transcription factor (TF) dynamics in the nucleus, giving important information regarding the search and binding behaviour of these proteins in the nuclear environment. Dwell time distributions for most TFs have been described by SMT to follow bi-exponential behaviour. This is consistent with the existence of two discrete populations bound to chromatin in vivo, one non-specifically bound to chromatin (i.e. searching mode) and another specifically bound to target sites, as originally defined by decades of biochemical studies. However, alternative models have started to emerge, from multiple exponential components to power-law distributions. Here, we present an analytical pipeline with an unbiased model selection approach based on different statistical metrics to determine the model that best explains SMT data. We found that a broad spectrum of TFs (including glucocorticoid receptor, oestrogen receptor, FOXA1, CTCF) follow a power-law distribution, blurring the temporal line between non-specific and specific binding, and suggesting that productive binding may involve longer binding events than previously thought. We propose a continuum of affinities model to explain the experimental data, consistent with the movement of TFs through complex interactions with multiple nuclear domains as well as binding and searching on the chromatin template.

scholarly journals Power-law behavior of transcription factor dynamics at the single-molecule level implies a continuum affinity model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A Garcia ◽  
Gregory Fettweis ◽  
Diego M Presman ◽  
Ville Paakinaho ◽  
Christopher Jarzynski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Dwell Time ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Power Law Distribution ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Binding Behavior ◽  
Chromatin Template ◽  
Nuclear Domains

Abstract Single-molecule tracking (SMT) allows the study of transcription factor (TF) dynamics in the nucleus, giving important information regarding the diffusion and binding behavior of these proteins in the nuclear environment. Dwell time distributions obtained by SMT for most TFs appear to follow bi-exponential behavior. This has been ascribed to two discrete populations of TFs—one non-specifically bound to chromatin and another specifically bound to target sites, as implied by decades of biochemical studies. However, emerging studies suggest alternate models for dwell-time distributions, indicating the existence of more than two populations of TFs (multi-exponential distribution), or even the absence of discrete states altogether (power-law distribution). Here, we present an analytical pipeline to evaluate which model best explains SMT data. We find that a broad spectrum of TFs (including glucocorticoid receptor, oestrogen receptor, FOXA1, CTCF) follow a power-law distribution of dwell-times, blurring the temporal line between non-specific and specific binding, suggesting that productive binding may involve longer binding events than previously believed. From these observations, we propose a continuum of affinities model to explain TF dynamics, that is consistent with complex interactions of TFs with multiple nuclear domains as well as binding and searching on the chromatin template.

scholarly journals Single molecule tracking of Ace1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae defines a characteristic residence time for non-specific interactions of transcription factors with chromatin

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (21) ◽  
pp. e160-e160 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A Ball ◽  
Gunjan D Mehta ◽  
Ronit Salomon-Kent ◽  
Davide Mazza ◽  
Tatsuya Morisaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Specific Interactions ◽  
Single Molecule Tracking ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Transient Interactions

Abstract In vivo single molecule tracking has recently developed into a powerful technique for measuring and understanding the transient interactions of transcription factors (TF) with their chromatin response elements. However, this method still lacks a solid foundation for distinguishing between specific and non-specific interactions. To address this issue, we took advantage of the power of molecular genetics of yeast. Yeast TF Ace1p has only five specific sites in the genome and thus serves as a benchmark to distinguish specific from non-specific binding. Here, we show that the estimated residence time of the short-residence molecules is essentially the same for Hht1p, Ace1p and Hsf1p, equaling 0.12–0.32 s. These three DNA-binding proteins are very different in their structure, function and intracellular concentration. This suggests that (i) short-residence molecules are bound to DNA non-specifically, and (ii) that non-specific binding shares common characteristics between vastly different DNA-bound proteins and thus may have a common underlying mechanism. We develop new and robust procedure for evaluation of adverse effects of labeling, and new quantitative analysis procedures that significantly improve residence time measurements by accounting for fluorophore blinking. Our results provide a framework for the reliable performance and analysis of single molecule TF experiments in yeast.

scholarly journals Role of chromatin and Xenopus laevis heat shock transcription factor in regulation of transcription from the X. laevis hsp70 promoter in vivo.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 6013-6024 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Landsberger ◽  
A P Wolffe
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Heat Shock ◽  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Heat Shock Transcription Factor ◽  
Chromatin Assembly ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Hsp70 Promoter ◽  
Chromatin Template

Xenopus laevis oocytes activate transcription from the Xenopus hsp70 promoter within a chromatin template in response to heat shock. Expression of exogenous Xenopus heat shock transcription factor 1 (XHSF1) causes the activation of the wild-type hsp70 promoter within chromatin. XHSF1 activates transcription at normal growth temperatures (18 degrees C), but heat shock (34 degrees C) facilitates transcriptional activation. Titration of chromatin in vivo leads to constitutive transcription from the wild-type hsp70 promoter. The Y box elements within the hsp70 promoter facilitate transcription in the presence or absence of chromatin. The presence of the Y box elements prevents the assembly of canonical nucleosomal arrays over the promoter and facilitates transcription. In a mutant hsp70 promoter lacking Y boxes, exogenous XHSF1 activates transcription from a chromatin template much more efficiently under heat shock conditions. Activation of transcription from the mutant promoter by exogenous XHSF1 correlates with the disappearance of a canonical nucleosomal array over the promoter. Chromatin structure on a mutant hsp70 promoter lacking Y boxes can restrict XHSF1 access; however, on both mutant and wild-type promoters, chromatin assembly can also restrict the function of the basal transcriptional machinery. We suggest that chromatin assembly has a physiological role in establishing a transcriptionally repressed state on the Xenopus hsp70 promoter in vivo.

scholarly journals Transcription Factor Target Search Strategy at the Single Molecule Level in Eukaryotic Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 288a
Author(s):  
Lydia Boudarene ◽  
Vincent Récamier ◽  
Davide Normanno ◽  
Ignacio Izzedine ◽  
Ibrahim Cissé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Target Search ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Transcription Factor Target

scholarly journals Tissue-specific transcription factor target identification in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis using targeted DamID

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitris Katsanos ◽  
Michalis Barkoulas
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
List Type ◽  
Tissue Specific ◽  
Transcription Factor Target

SummaryTranscription factors are key orchestrators of development in multicellular animals and display complex patterns of expression, as well as tissue-specific binding to targets. However, our ability to map transcription factor-target interactions in specific tissues of intact animals remains limited. We introduce here targeted DamID (TaDa) as a method to identify transcription factor targets with tissue-specific resolution in C. elegans. We focus on the epidermis as a paradigm and demonstrate that TaDa circumvents problems with Dam-associated toxicity and allows reproducible identification of putative targets. Using a combination of TaDa and single-molecule FISH (smFISH), we refine the positions of LIN-22 and NHR-25 within the epidermal gene network. We reveal direct links between these two factors and the cell differentiation programme, as well as the Wnt signalling pathway. Our results illustrate how TaDa and smFISH can be used to dissect the architecture of tissue-specific gene regulatory networks.HighlightsTaDa circumvents Dam-associated toxicity by keeping levels of Dam expression low.TaDa allows the recovery of tissue-specific methylation profiles representing TF binding.Methylation signal is enriched in regulatory regions of the genome.LIN-22 and NHR-25 targets reveal a link to cell differentiation and Wnt signalling.

scholarly journals Single-molecule imaging reveals the interplay between transcription factors, nucleosomes, and transcriptional bursting

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin T. Donovan ◽  
Anh Huynh ◽  
David A. Ball ◽  
Michael G. Poirier ◽  
Daniel R. Larson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Burst Size ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Single Molecule Imaging ◽  
Transcriptional Bursting

SummaryTranscription factors show rapid and reversible binding to chromatin in living cells, and transcription occurs in sporadic bursts, but how these phenomena are related is unknown. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo single-molecule imaging approaches, we directly correlated binding of the transcription factor Gal4 with the transcriptional bursting kinetics of the Gal4 target genes GAL3 and GAL10 in living yeast cells. We find that Gal4 dwell times sets the transcriptional burst size. Gal4 dwell time depends on the affinity of the binding site and is reduced by orders of magnitude by nucleosomes. Using a novel imaging platform, we simultaneously tracked transcription factor binding and transcription at one locus, revealing the timing and correlation between Gal4 binding and transcription. Collectively, our data support a model where multiple polymerases initiate during a burst as long as the transcription factor is bound to DNA, and a burst terminates upon transcription factor dissociation.

scholarly journals Nuclease dead Cas9 is a programmable roadblock for DNA replication

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Whinn ◽  
Gurleen Kaur ◽  
Jacob S. Lewis ◽  
Grant Schauer ◽  
Stefan Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Replication ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Replication Fork ◽  
Molecular Machines ◽  
Replication Forks ◽  
Chromosomal Dna ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Replication Fork Arrest

DNA replication occurs on chromosomal DNA while processes such as DNA repair, recombination and transcription continue. However, we have limited experimental tools to study the consequences of collisions between DNA-bound molecular machines. Here, we repurpose a catalytically inactivated Cas9 (dCas9) construct fused to the photo-stable dL5 protein fluoromodule as a novel, targetable protein-DNA roadblock for studying replication fork arrest at the single-molecule level in vitro as well as in vivo. We find that the specifically bound dCas9–guideRNA complex arrests viral, bacterial and eukaryotic replication forks in vitro.

scholarly journals Tracking DNA Replication Restart in vivo at the Single-Molecule Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 376a
Author(s):  
Alex L. Hargreaves ◽  
Aisha Syeda ◽  
Mark C. Leake
Keyword(s):  
Dna Replication ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Replication Restart ◽  
Dna Replication Restart

scholarly journals A Novel Complex: A Quantum Dot Conjugated to an Active T7RNA Polymerase

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Eriksen ◽  
Peter Horvath ◽  
Michael A. Sørensen ◽  
Szabolcs Semsey ◽  
Lene B. Oddershede ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Dot ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Rna Polymerases ◽  
Fluorescent Signal ◽  
Single Molecule Level ◽  
Single Molecule Studies ◽  
Novel Complex ◽  
Luminescent Nanoparticle

To perform single-molecule studies of the T7RNA polymerase, it is crucial to visualize an individual T7RNA polymerase, for example, through a fluorescent signal. We present a novel complex combining two different molecular functions, an active T7RNA polymerase and a highly luminescent nanoparticle, a quantum dot. The complex has the advantage of both constituents: the complex can traffic along DNA and simultaneously be visualized, both at the ensemble and at the single-molecule level. The labeling was mediated through anin vivobiotinylation of a His-tagged T7RNA polymerase and subsequent binding of a streptavidin-coated quantum dot. Our technique allows for easy purification of the quantum dot labeled T7RNA polymerases from the reactants. Also, the conjugation does not alter the functionality of the polymerase; it retains the ability to bind and transcribe.

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