scholarly journals MOT1 Can Activate Basal Transcription In Vitro by Regulating the Distribution of TATA Binding Protein between Promoter and Nonpromoter Sites

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 2835-2845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara A. Muldrow ◽  
Allyson M. Campbell ◽  
P. Anthony Weil ◽  
David T. Auble

ABSTRACT MOT1 is an ATPase which can dissociate TATA binding protein (TBP)-DNA complexes in a reaction requiring ATP hydrolysis. Consistent with this observation, MOT1 can repress basal transcription in vitro. Paradoxically, however, some genes, such as HIS4, appear to require MOT1 as an activator of transcription in vivo. To further investigate the function of MOT1 in basal transcription, we performed in vitro transcription reactions using yeast nuclear extracts depleted of MOT1. Quantitation of MOT1 revealed that it is an abundant protein, with nuclear extracts from wild-type cells containing a molar excess of MOT1 over TBP. Surprisingly, MOT1 can weakly activate basal transcription in vitro. This activation by MOT1 is detectable with amounts of MOT1 that are approximately stoichiometric to TBP. With amounts of MOT1 similar to those present in wild-type nuclear extracts, MOT1 behaves as a weak repressor of basal transcription. These results suggest that MOT1 might activate transcription via an indirect mechanism in which limiting TBP can be liberated from nonpromoter sites for use at promoters. In support of this idea, excess nonpromoter DNA sequesters TBP and represses transcription, but this effect can be reversed by addition of MOT1. These results help to reconcile previous in vitro and in vivo results and expand the repertoire of transcriptional control strategies to include factor-assisted redistribution of TBP between promoter and nonpromoter sites.

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3771-3781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Li ◽  
James L. Manley

ABSTRACT The Drosophila homeodomain protein Even-skipped (Eve) is a transcriptional repressor, and previous studies have suggested that it functions by interfering with the basal transcription machinery. Here we describe experiments indicating that the mechanism of Eve repression involves a direct interaction with the TATA binding protein (TBP) that blocks binding of TBP-TFIID to the promoter. We first compared Eve activities in in vitro transcription systems reconstituted with either all the general transcription factors or only TBP, TFIIB, TFIIF30, and RNA polymerase II. In each case, equivalent and very efficient levels of repression were observed, indicating that no factors other than those in the minimal system are required for repression. We then show that Eve can function efficiently when its recognition sites are far from the promoter and that the same regions of Eve required for repression in vivo are necessary and sufficient for in vitro repression. This includes, in addition to an Ala-Pro-rich region, residues within the homeodomain. Using GAL4-Eve fusion proteins, we demonstrate that the homeodomain plays a role in repression in addition to DNA binding, which is to facilitate interaction with TBP. Single-round transcription experiments indicate that Eve must function prior to TBP binding to the promoter, suggesting a mechanism whereby Eve represses by competing with the TATA box for TBP binding. Consistent with this, excess TATA box-containing oligonucleotide is shown to specifically and efficiently disrupt the TBP-Eve interaction. Importantly, we show that Eve binds directly to TFIID and that this interaction can also be disrupted by the TATA oligonucleotide. We conclude that Eve represses transcription via a direct interaction with TBP that blocks TFIID binding to the promoter.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1407-1418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Oda ◽  
Kentaro Kayukawa ◽  
Hiroko Hagiwara ◽  
Henrik T. Yudate ◽  
Yasuhiko Masuho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Identification of a novel mouse nuclear protein termed activator of basal transcription 1 (mABT1) that associates with the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and enhances basal transcription activity of class II promoters is described. We also identify mABT1 homologous counterparts in Caenorhabditis elegans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and show the homologous yeast gene to be essential for growth. The mABT1 associated with TBP in HeLa nuclear extracts and with purified mouse TBP in vitro. In addition, ectopically expressed mABT1 was coimmunoprecipitated with endogenous TBP in transfected cells. More importantly, mABT1 significantly enhanced transcription from an adenovirus major late promoter in a reconstituted cell-free system. We furthermore demonstrate that mABT1 consistently enhanced transcription from a reporter gene with a minimal core promoter as well as from reporter genes with various enhancer elements in a cotransfection assay. Taken together, these results suggest that mABT1 is a novel TBP-binding protein which can function as a basal transcription activator.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6733-6741
Author(s):  
X Xu ◽  
C Prorock ◽  
H Ishikawa ◽  
E Maldonado ◽  
Y Ito ◽  
...  

Rel family proteins regulate the expression of genes linked to kappa B-binding motifs. Little is known, however, of the mechanism by which they enhance transcription. We have investigated the ability of the v-Rel and c-Rel oncoproteins to interact with components of the basal transcription machinery. Here we report that both the acidic transcription activation domain mapping to the unique C terminus of chicken c-Rel and the F9 cell-specific activation region common to both v-Rel and c-Rel interact with the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) in vitro and in vivo. We also demonstrate that TPB interaction with Rel activation regions leads to synergistic activation of transcription of a kappa B-linked reporter gene. Combined with the observation that the mouse c-Rel and human RelA proteins also interact with TBP and TFIIB in vitro, these results suggest that association with basal transcription factors is important for the transcriptional activities of Rel family proteins.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 2839-2848 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Melcher ◽  
S A Johnston

A major goal in understanding eukaryotic gene regulation is to identify the target(s) of transcriptional activators. Efforts to date have pointed to various candidates. Here we show that a 34-amino-acid peptide from the carboxy terminus of GAL4 is a strong activation domain (AD) and retains at least four proteins from a crude extract: the negative regulator GAL80, the TATA-binding protein (TBP), and the putative coactivators SUG1 and ADA2. TFIIB was not retained. Concentrating on TBP, we demonstrate in in vitro binding assays that its interaction with the AD is specific, direct, and salt stable up to at least 1.6 M NaCl. The effects of mutations in the GAL4 AD on transcriptional activation in vivo correlate with their affinities to TBP. A point mutation (L114K) in yeast TBP, which has been shown to compromise the mutant protein in both binding to the VP16 AD domain and activated transcription in vitro, reduces the affinity to the GAL4 AD to the same degree as to the VP16 AD. This suggests that these two prototypic activators make similar contacts with TBP.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6733-6741 ◽  
Author(s):  
X Xu ◽  
C Prorock ◽  
H Ishikawa ◽  
E Maldonado ◽  
Y Ito ◽  
...  

Rel family proteins regulate the expression of genes linked to kappa B-binding motifs. Little is known, however, of the mechanism by which they enhance transcription. We have investigated the ability of the v-Rel and c-Rel oncoproteins to interact with components of the basal transcription machinery. Here we report that both the acidic transcription activation domain mapping to the unique C terminus of chicken c-Rel and the F9 cell-specific activation region common to both v-Rel and c-Rel interact with the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) in vitro and in vivo. We also demonstrate that TPB interaction with Rel activation regions leads to synergistic activation of transcription of a kappa B-linked reporter gene. Combined with the observation that the mouse c-Rel and human RelA proteins also interact with TBP and TFIIB in vitro, these results suggest that association with basal transcription factors is important for the transcriptional activities of Rel family proteins.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2832-2841
Author(s):  
N Mechti ◽  
M Piechaczyk ◽  
J M Blanchard ◽  
P Jeanteur ◽  
B Lebleu

A strong block to the elongation of nascent RNA transcripts by RNA polymerase II occurs in the 5' part of the mammalian c-fos proto-oncogene. In addition to the control of initiation, this mechanism contributes to transcriptional regulation of the gene. In vitro transcription experiments using nuclear extracts and purified transcription templates allowed us to map a unique arrest site within the mouse first intron 385 nucleotides downstream from the promoter. This position is in keeping with that estimated from nuclear run-on assays performed with short DNA probes and thus suggests that it corresponds to the actual block in vivo. Moreover, we have shown that neither the c-fos promoter nor upstream sequences are absolute requirements for an efficient transcription arrest both in vivo and in vitro. Finally, we have characterized a 103-nucleotide-long intron 1 motif comprising the arrest site and sufficient for obtaining the block in a cell-free transcription assay.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2832-2839
Author(s):  
A S Ponticelli ◽  
K Struhl

The promoter region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae his3 gene contains two TATA elements, TC and TR, that direct transcription initiation to two sites designated +1 and +13. On the basis of differences between their nucleotide sequences and their responsiveness to upstream promoter elements, it has previously been proposed that TC and TR promote transcription by different molecular mechanisms. To begin a study of his3 transcription in vitro, we used S. cerevisiae nuclear extracts together with various DNA templates and transcriptional activator proteins that have been characterized in vivo. We demonstrated accurate transcription initiation in vitro at the sites used in vivo, transcriptional activation by GCN4, and activation by a GAL4 derivative on various gal-his3 hybrid promoters. In all cases, transcription stimulation was dependent on the presence of an acidic activation region in the activator protein. In addition, analysis of promoters containing a variety of TR derivatives indicated that the level of transcription in vitro was directly related to the level achieved in vivo. The results demonstrated that the in vitro system accurately reproduced all known aspects of in vivo his3 transcription that depend on the TR element. However, in striking contrast to his3 transcription in vivo, transcription in vitro yielded approximately 20 times more of the +13 transcript than the +1 transcript. This result was not due to inability of the +1 initiation site to be efficiently utilized in vitro, but rather it reflects the lack of TC function in vitro. The results support the idea that TC and TR mediate transcription from the wild-type promoter by distinct mechanisms.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3841-3849
Author(s):  
B Zenzie-Gregory ◽  
A Khachi ◽  
I P Garraway ◽  
S T Smale

Promoters containing Sp1 binding sites and an initiator element but lacking a TATA box direct high levels of accurate transcription initiation by using a mechanism that requires the TATA-binding protein (TBP). We have begun to address the role of TBP during transcription from Sp1-initiator promoters by varying the nucleotide sequence between -14 and -33 relative to the start site. With each of several promoters containing different upstream sequences, we detected accurate transcription both in vitro and in vivo, but the promoter strengths varied widely, particularly with the in vitro assay. The variable promoter activities correlated with, but were not proportional to, the abilities of the upstream sequences to function as TATA boxes, as assessed by multiple criteria. These results confirm that accurate transcription can proceed in the presence of an initiator, regardless of the sequence present in the -30 region. However, the results reveal a role for this upstream region, most consistent with a model in which initiator-mediated transcription requires binding of TBP to the upstream DNA in the absence of a specific recognition sequence. Moreover, in vivo it appears that the promoter strength is modulated less severely by altering the -30 sequence, consistent with a previous suggestion that TBP is not rate limiting in vivo for TATA-less promoters. Taken together, these results suggest that variations in the structure of a core promoter might alter the rate-limiting step for transcription initiation and thereby alter the potential modes of transcriptional regulation, without severely changing the pathway used to assemble a functional preinitiation complex.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Sterner ◽  
Patrick A. Grant ◽  
Shannon M. Roberts ◽  
Laura J. Duggan ◽  
Rimma Belotserkovskaya ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT SAGA, a recently described protein complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is important for transcription in vivo and possesses histone acetylation function. Here we report both biochemical and genetic analyses of members of three classes of transcription regulatory factors contained within the SAGA complex. We demonstrate a correlation between the phenotypic severity of SAGA mutants and SAGA structural integrity. Specifically, null mutations in the Gcn5/Ada2/Ada3 or Spt3/Spt8 classes cause moderate phenotypes and subtle structural alterations, while mutations in a third subgroup, Spt7/Spt20, as well as Ada1, disrupt the complex and cause severe phenotypes. Interestingly, double mutants (gcn5Δ spt3Δand gcn5Δ spt8Δ) causing loss of a member of each of the moderate classes have severe phenotypes, similar tospt7Δ, spt20Δ, or ada1Δmutants. In addition, we have investigated biochemical functions suggested by the moderate phenotypic classes and find that first, normal nucleosomal acetylation by SAGA requires a specific domain of Gcn5, termed the bromodomain. Deletion of this domain also causes specific transcriptional defects at the HIS3 promoter in vivo. Second, SAGA interacts with TBP, the TATA-binding protein, and this interaction requires Spt8 in vitro. Overall, our data demonstrate that SAGA harbors multiple, distinct transcription-related functions, including direct TBP interaction and nucleosomal histone acetylation. Loss of either of these causes slight impairment in vivo, but loss of both is highly detrimental to growth and transcription.


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