Identification of a growth hormone gene promoter repressor element and its cognate double- and single-stranded DNA-binding proteins

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A/B and G inhibits the transcription of gonadotropin-releasing-hormone 1

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (GnRH1) causes the release of gonadotropins from the pituitary to control reproduction. Here we report that two heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNP-A/B and hnRNP-G) bind to the GnRH-I upstream promoter region in a cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. We identified these binding proteins using a newly developed homology based method of mass spectrometric peptide mapping. We show that both hnRNP-A/B and hnRNP-G co-localize with GnRH1 in the pre-optic area of the hypothalamus in the brain. We also demonstrated that these ribonucleoproteins exhibit similar binding capacity in vivo, using immortalized mouse GT1-7 cells where overexpression of either hnRNP-A/B or hnRNP-G significantly down-regulates GnRH1 mRNA levels in GT1-7 cells, suggesting that both act as repressors in GnRH1 transcriptional regulation.

Regulation of 5'-promoter activity of the rat growth hormone and growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor genes in the MtT/S and MtT/E cells

The MtT/E and MtT/S cells have been established from a mammotrophic pituitary tumor, and postulated to be progenitor and premature growth hormone (GH) cells, respectively. The difference in the regulation of GH and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor gene transcription in relation to the developmental stage of GH cells were examined in these two cell lines. In MtT/S cells, triiodothyronine (T3), all-trans retinoic acid (RA) and 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA) stimulated GH promoter activity but dexamethasone (DEX) did not. On the other hand, DEX stimulated GHRH-receptor promoter alone. T3, RA and 9cRA showed little effect alone but each of them augmented the effect of DEX when used together with DEX. In MtT/E cells, DEX, RA and 9cRA showed similar effect as observed in MtT/S cells on both GH and GHRH-receptor promoter activity. However, T3 neither stimulated GH promoter activity nor augmented the DEX-induced GHRH-receptor gene transcription in MtT/E cells. RT-PCR analyses revealed that both cell types expressed TRalpha1, TRbeta1 and TRalpha2, but expression of TRbeta2, a pituitary specific isoform of TR, was only detected in MtT/S cells. However, the deficiency of TRbeta2 for its own sake does not appear to be a reason why T3 action was not observed in MtT/E cells, because co-transfection of expression plasmids for TRbeta2 and RXRalpha failed in conferring on the cells an ability to respond to T3 by increased GH or GHRH-receptor promoter activity. These results suggest that the acquisition of mechanisms responsible for the regulation of GH or GHRH-receptor transcription by T3 may be involved in the process of functional development of GH cells.

Transcriptional control during mammalian anterior pituitary development

The mammalian anterior pituitary gland is a compound endocrine organ that regulates reproductive development and fitness, growth, metabolic homeostasis, the response to stress, and lactation, by actions on target organs such as the gonads, the liver, the thyroid, the adrenals, and the mammary gland. The protein and peptide hormones that control these physiological parameters are secreted by specialized pituitary cell types that derive from a common origin in the early ectoderm. Collectively, the broad physiological importance of the pituitary gland, its intriguing organogenesis, and the clinical and agricultural significance of its actions, have established pituitary development as an excellent model system for the study of the gene-regulatory cascades that guide vertebrate cell determination and differentiation. We review the transcriptional pathways that regulate the commitment of the individual pituitary cell lineages and that subsequently modulate trophic hormone gene activity in the differentiated cells of the mature gland.

Pituitary and extrapituitary growth hormone: Pit-1 dependence?

Growth hormone (GH) is primarily produced in pituitary somatotrophs. The synthesis of this hormone is thought to be dependent upon a pituitary-specific transcription factor (Pit-1). However, many extrapituitary tissues are now known to express GH genes. The extrapituitary production of GH may therefore indicate an extrapituitary distribution of the Pit-1 gene. The extrapituitary production of GH may, alternatively, indicate that GH expression occurs independently of Pit-1 in extrapituitary tissues. These possibilities are considered in this brief review.Key words: growth hormone, pituitary, pituitary transcription factor 1.

Transcriptional regulation of the MN/CA 9 gene coding for the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase IX. Identification and characterization of a proximal silencer element

The MN/CA 9 (MN) gene encodes a tumor-associated isoenzyme of the carbonic anhydrase family. Functional characterization of the 3. 5-kilobase pair MN 5' upstream region by deletion analysis led to the identification of the -173 to +31 fragment as the MN promoter. In vitro DNase I footprinting revealed the presence of five protected regions (PRs) within the MN promoter. Detailed deletion analysis of the promoter identified PR1 and PR2 (numbered from the transcription start) as the most critical for transcriptional activity. PR4 negatively affected transcription, since its deletion led to increased promoter activity and was confirmed to function as a promoter-, position-, and orientation-independent silencer element. Mutational analysis indicated that the direct repeat AGGGCacAGGGC is required for efficient repressor binding. Two components of the repressor complex (35 and 42 kDa) were found to be in direct contact with PR4 by UV cross-linking. Increased cell density, known to induce MN expression, did not affect levels of PR4 binding in HeLa cells. Significantly reduced repressor level seems to be responsible for MN up-regulation in the case of tumorigenic CGL3 as compared with nontumorigenic CGL1 HeLa x normal fibroblast hybrid cells.

Cloning of a cDNA encoding a sequence-specific single-stranded-DNA-binding protein from Rattus norvegicus

In this paper, we report the isolation of a cDNA clone encoding a sequence-specific single-stranded-DNA-binding protein (SSDP) from rat (Rattus norvegicus). The full-length nucleotide sequence was determined and encodes a 361 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 37.7 kDa. This clone has approximately 80% homology to a previously isolated partial cDNA clone for SSDP from chicken (Gallus gallus). Northern blot analysis revealed two transcripts of 2.0 and 3.0 kb. The protein appears to be evolutionarily highly conserved with > 97% identity between chicken, rat, mouse and human. Chicken SSDP has been proposed to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of the alpha 2(I) collagen gene.

Enhancer and silencer binding proteins involved in the rat cdc2 promoter activation at the G1/S boundary

BACKGROUND

Expression of the rat cdc2 gene during G1-S phase progression is negatively and positively regulated by the silencer and enhancer elements located upstream of the basal promoter. The silencer and enhancer sequences resemble each other, but the silencer contains extra internal AG residues.

RESULTS

The cDNA clones encoding the enhancer binding proteins cdc2E1 and cdc2E2 were isolated by South-Western blotting. cdc2E1 and cdc2E2 comprise 436 and 256 amino acids and have two RNA binding domains which contain an RNP1 octamer and an RNP 2 hexamer. Both cdc2E1 and cdc2E2 bind to the double-stranded and single-stranded silencer and enhancer sequences, but their binding affinity to the enhancer was stronger than that to the silencer. Transfection of quiescent 3Y1 cells with the cdc2 promoter-luciferase constructs, followed by serum stimulation, showed that the promoter activation at the G1-S phase boundary was reduced greatly by base substitutions within the enhancer, but not within the silencer. Gel shift assays with oligonucleotides containing both the silencer and enhancer showed that formation of the large complex was greatly reduced if base-substitutions were introduced into the enhancer, but not within the silencer. The complex was supershifted completely by anti-cdc2E1 antibody and partially by anti-cdc2E2 antibody.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that cdc2E1 and cdc2E2 preferentially form the multimeric complex at the enhancer site after the late G1 phase for activation of the cdc2 promoter.

Smubp-2 represses the Epstein-Barr virus lytic switch promoter

Smubp-2 is a novel transcription factor that was first identified through its interaction with the immunoglobulin Smu region (Mizuta et al., 1993) and has been cloned by virtue of its binding to two 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive elements in the Epstein-Barr virus immediate-early BZLF1 promoter (Gulley et al., 1997). In this report, we examined the effect of Smubp-2 overexpression on BZLF1 prom oter activity. Overexpression of Smubp-2 in the B lymphocyte cell line BJAB caused repression of the BZLF1 gene promoter. A 14-bp region that partially overlaps with a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive element was required for maximal repression by Smubp-2, but some repression was also seen with a minimal promoter containing only the BZLF1 promoter TATA box and an initiation site. A 30-bp fragment containing the 14-bp region could transfer Smubp-2-mediated repression to heterologous promoters. Smubp-2 was found to associate with the basal transcription factor TATA binding protein (TBP) and to disrupt the formation of a stable TBP-TFIIA-DNA complex on the BZLF1 promoter TATA box and the adenovirus E1B promoter TATA box. Repression of the BZLF1 promoter by overexpressed Smubp-2 was rescued by overexpression of the basal factor TFIIA. These results suggest that complete repression of the BZLF1 promoter by Smubp-2 involves disruption of a functional TBP-TFIIA-TATA box complex and requires the -93 bp-to--79 bp region of the promoter.

Molecular mechanisms of the negative effect of insulin-like growth factor-I on growth hormone gene expression in MtT/S somatotroph cells

Although insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is shown to have a suppressive effect on GH gene expression at the pituitary level, its molecular mechanism has not yet been clarified. To study the issue, we established a new in vitro system using MtT/S, a recently established rat somatotroph tumor cell line that retains the basic characteristics of somatotroph function. Plasmids containing the GH 5' promoter (approximately 1.75 kb or shorter)-luciferase fusion gene were transfected stably or transiently into the cells, and the effect of IGF-I on the GH promoter activity was estimated by a luciferase assay. The results showed that IGF-I inhibited GH promotor activity (more than 50% suppression) in a time- and dose-related manner. IGF-I also inhibited GH secretion. A study using deletion mutants of the GH promoter revealed that the negative effect was maintained in the shortest construct (-80 to +6), suggesting that IGF-I-related factor is acting at the region very close to the minimal promoter. Interestingly, the negative effect was completely eliminated by a PI3 kinase inhibitor wortmannin (1 microM), whereas a MAP kinase inhibitor PD98059 (20 microM) or S6 kinase inhibitor rapamycin (10 nM) did not influence the effect. Our results suggest that IGF-I suppresses GH gene expression at the transcriptional level and that the PI3 kinase-mediated signaling pathway plays a major role in the negative effect of IGF-I. We believe that our system using MtT/S cells is an excellent experimental model system for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the transcriptional regulation of GH in vitro.

Cloning of the Xenopus laevis aldolase C gene and analysis of its promoter function in developing Xenopus embryos and A6 cells

A Xenopus aldolase C gene (XAClambda3-1), much longer (9.6 kb) than human and rat genes (3.7-3.6 kb), was isolated and characterized, and expression studies were performed using Xenopus embryos and A6 cells, a kidney cell line constitutively expressing aldolase C gene. The Xenopus gene contained nine exons, and in its proximal 5'-upstream region a GC box and a 16 bp long aldolase C-specific element (ACSE), and in addition, a CCAAT box and a TATA-like element, both missing in mammalian genes. The lacZ gene connected to the 5'-upstream region (1.6 kb) of the aldolase gene containing many potentially regulative sequence elements was expressed in embryos temporally and spatially like the endogenous aldolase C gene. Deletion experiments using embryos and A6 cells suggested that this 5'-upstream DNA contained in its distal part a region which negatively affected on its expression in embryos, but not in A6 cells. The proximal-most region contained a basal promoter (68 bp) essential for expression in both embryos and A6 cells. Deletion experiments using A6 cells failed to detect such regulative regions within the first intron (spanning ca. 4 kb). Analyses with mutated promoters in A6 cells revealed that the GC box was the crucial element in the basal promoter, although the TATA-like element appeared to have a slightly stimulative effect on the GC box functioning. Gel retardation and foot-printing assays revealed the occurrence in A6 cells of a nuclear factor(s) that binds specifically to the GC box. Since Xenopus aldolase C gene has several unique structural features, we expect that it will provide an interesting material for studying the evolution and developmental control of the aldolase C gene.

Single-stranded DNA-binding proteins and neuron-restrictive silencer factor participate in cell-specific transcriptional control of the NMDAR1 gene

Our previous studies revealed that a proximal region of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1) promoter is important for cell-type-specific expression. We have now explored the contributions of several regulatory elements to this specificity. Deletion of the neuron-restrictive silencer element partially relieved the suppression of promoter activity in C6 glioma and HeLa cells. An overlapping G(C/G)G/tandem Sp1-containing region crucial for both basal and nerve growth factor (NGF)-regulated promoter activity specifically bound nuclear proteins on its purine-rich sense strand. A faster migrating complex, single-stranded binding protein complex 1 (SBPC1), was highly enriched in HeLa cells, whereas a slower migrating complex, SBPC2, was enriched in PC12 cells. A high ratio of 2/1 complex correlated with a high level of promoter activity. NGF treatment of PC12 cells reduced SBPC1 but increased SBPC2. Competition experiments showed that the SBPC1 binding required a dG4 sequence and the SBPC2 needed a core of TG3A plus a 5'-flanking sequence. Single-stranded DNA encompassing TG3A and/or dG4 specifically suppressed cotransfected NMDAR1 promoter activity. UV cross-linking studies indicated that a 31.5-kDa protein mainly formed SBPC1, whereas SBPC2 contained several larger proteins. Our results suggest that neuron-restrictive silencer factor and single-stranded DNA-binding proteins may both play a role in cell-type specificity of the NMDAR1 gene, and the latter may also be involved in basal and NGF-regulated activity.

Sequence of cDNAs encoding components of vascular actin single-stranded DNA-binding factor 2 establish identity to Puralpha and Purbeta

Transcriptional repression of the mouse vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene in fibroblasts and myoblasts is mediated, in part, by the interaction of two single-stranded DNA binding activities with opposite strands of an essential transcription enhancer factor-1 recognition element (Sun, S., Stoflet, E. S., Cogan, J. G., Strauch, A. R., and Getz, M. J. (1995) Mol. Cell. Biol. 15, 2429-2436). One of these activities, previously designated vascular actin single-stranded DNA-binding factor 2 includes two distinct polypeptides (p44 and p46) which specifically interact with the purine-rich strand of both the enhancer and a related element in a protein coding exon of the gene (Kelm, R. J., Jr., Sun, S., Strauch, A. R., and Getz, M. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 24278-24285). Expression screening of a mouse lung cDNA library with a vascular actin single-stranded DNA-binding factor 2 recognition element has now resulted in the isolation of two distinct cDNA clones that encode p46 and p44. One of these proteins is identical to Puralpha, a retinoblastoma-binding protein previously implicated in both transcriptional activation and DNA replication. The other is a related family member, presumably Purbeta. Comparative band shift and Southwestern blot analyses conducted with cellular p46, p44, and cloned Pur proteins synthesized in vitro and in vivo, establish identity of p46 with Puralpha and p44 with Purbeta. This study implicates Puralpha and/or Purbeta in the control of vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene transcription.

Repression of MHC class II gene transcription in trophoblast cells by novel single-stranded DNA binding proteins

The maintenance of the fetus during pregnancy has been attributed to the absence of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens on fetal trophoblastic cells that make contact with the maternal immune system. However, the mechanism(s) by which class II genes are regulated in trophoblast cells is unclear. We have identified a negative regulatory element (IA alpha NRE) in the promoter of the mouse class II gene IA alpha that represses IA alpha transcription in trophoblast cells. IA alpha NRE, located from-839 to -828, binds transacting factors from rat, mouse and human trophoblast cells, but not from 18 other cell lines tested. These results indicate that IA alpha NRE binding proteins (IA alpha NRE BPs) are conserved in species with hemochordial placentas, and suggest that IA alpha NRE binding activity is restricted primarily to trophoblast cells. Interestingly, the IA alpha NRE BPs bind to the IA alpha NRE antisense strand in a sequence-specific manner. IA alpha NRE represses transcription from the IA alpha promoter in a position-dependent manner, and has a minor down-regulatory effect on the activity of the SV40 promoter/enhancer. Our results demonstrate that MHC class II gene transcription is repressed in fetal trophoblast cells by sequence-specific, single-stranded DNA binding proteins, and suggest a possible mechanism by which the conceptus is protected from immune rejection during pregnancy.

Repression of transcriptional enhancer factor-1 and activator protein-1-dependent enhancer activity by vascular actin single-stranded DNA binding factor 2

Transcriptional repression of the murine vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene in fibroblasts results from the interaction of two sequence-specific single-stranded DNA binding activities (VACssBF1 and VACssBF2) with opposite strands of an essential transcriptional enhancer factor-1 (TEF-1) element (Sun, S., Stoflet, E. S., Cogan, J. G., Strauch, A. R., and Getz, M. J. (1995) Mol. Cell. Biol. 15, 2429-2436). Here, we identify a sequence element located within a protein-coding exon of the gene that bears structural similarity with the TEF-1 enhancer. This includes a 30-base pair region of purine-pyrimidine asymmetry encompassing a perfect 6-base pair GGAATG TEF-1 recognition motif. Unlike the enhancer, however, the exon sequence exhibits no TEF-1 binding activity nor does the pyrimidine-rich strand bind VACssBF1. However, VACssBF2 interacts equally well with the purine-rich strand of both the enhancer and the exon sequence. To test the ability of VACssBF2 to independently repress transcription, the exon sequence was placed upstream of a deletionally activated promoter containing an intact TEF-1 binding site. The exon sequence repressed promoter activity, whereas a mutant deficient in VACssBF2 binding did not. Moreover, VACssBF2 similarly repressed activator protein-1-dependent transcription of a heterologous tissue factor promoter. These results suggest that VACssBF2 possesses an intrinsic ability to disrupt enhancer function independently of the enhancer-binding proteins involved.

The different activities of the two activation domains of the Brn-3a transcription factor are dependent on the context of the binding site

The POU (Pit-Oct-Unc) family transcription factor Brn-3a contains two distinct activation domains, one at the N terminus of the molecule and one at the C terminus coincident with the DNA binding domain. These different activation domains have been shown previously to differ in their ability to activate an artificial test promoter containing a Brn-3a binding site and the naturally occurring alpha-internexin gene promoter. Here we identify the target site for Brn-3a in the alpha-internexin gene promoter and show that it can confer responsiveness to Brn-3a on a heterologous promoter. One of the single-stranded DNA sequences derived from either this novel Brn-3a binding site or from the previously characterized site in the test promoter are shown to bind Brn-3a preferentially compared with the complementary single strand or the corresponding double-stranded sequence. The pattern of responsiveness of these two sequences when cloned upstream of the same test promoter and co-transfected with constructs encoding various portions of Brn-3a indicates that the activity of the two Brn-3a activation domains is dependent upon differences in the context of the target sequence in each promoter rather than on differences in the target sequence itself.

Hormonally regulated double- and single-stranded DNA-binding complexes involved in mouse beta-casein gene transcription

Transcription of the 252-base pair-long mouse beta-casein gene promoter is induced by the synergistic action of insulin, prolactin, and glucocorticoid in a primary mammary epithelial cell culture. The promoter contains a region termed block C having a highly conserved sequence and position among many casein genes. Mutation of block C reduced the response of the promoter to lactogenic hormones 84%. Nuclear extracts from lactating mouse mammary glands contained both a double-stranded and a single-stranded DNA binding protein complex (DS1 and SS), which specifically bind to the sequences AAATTAGCATGT and CCACAA of block C, respectively. The DS1 and the SS protein complexes were approximately 400 and 280 kDa, respectively. Each complex contained a DNA-binding component(s) having a molecular mass of approximately 120 kDa for DS1 and 80 and 65 kDa for SS. Deoxycholate, which interferes with the protein-protein interactions, inhibited the binding activities of DS1 and SS. The maximal increase in the binding activity of DS1 and SS in the mammary gland occurred during pregnancy and during lactation, respectively. In organ culture, the DS1 activity is increased by epidermal growth factor or prolactin in combination with insulin, whereas the SS activity is enhanced by insulin, prolactin, and glucocorticoid. These results suggest that multiprotein complexes binding to the double- and single-stranded DNA of block C mediate hormonal induction of beta-casein gene transcription.

Control of growth hormone synthesis

A large body of research, primarily in the rodent and human species, has elucidated many of the details regarding the control of GH synthesis and release. Cell type-specific transcriptional control has been identified as the main mechanism of the somatotroph-specific expression of GH. The recent detailed analysis in rodents and humans of a highly specific transcriptional activator protein, PIT-1, has opened several new areas of study. This is especially true for research in the farm animal species, where PIT-1 has been cloned and its binding elements on the GH gene are being investigated in a number of economically important species. Genetic and biochemical analyses of PIT-1 and other GH regulators have shown the central role of PIT-1 not only in the cell-autonomous stimulation of GH gene transcription, but also in the participation of PIT-1 in the response at the GH gene to exogenous hormones such as RA and TH. PIT-1 has been implicated in the proliferative development of the pituitary itself, in the maintenance of anterior pituitary cell types once cell types are defined, and in the mechanism by which the hypothalamic signal for GH release is transduced. However, PIT-1 by itself does not activate the GH gene, so that additional unknown factors exist that need to be identified to fully understand the cell type-specific activation of the GH gene. In addition, GH gene regulatory elements acting through well-characterized systems such as TH have seemingly different effects; the specific context of the regulatory elements relative to the promoter elements appear to be crucial. These contextual details of GH gene regulation are not well understood for any species and need to be further studied to be able to make predictions for particular elements and regulatory mechanisms across species. The regulation of the pulsatile secretion of GH by GHRH and SRIH is reasonably well understood after the cloning and analysis of the two releasing factors and their receptors. Modification or manipulation of the pathways involved in the regulation of GH secretion is a potential means of enhancing the lean tissue growth of meat animals. However, further understanding of the systems controlling the in vivo release of GH is needed before such manipulations are likely to be productive. Several other research questions regarding the control of GH expression and release remain to be answered. What is the biochemical connection between exogenous signal transduction (i.e., GRH/GHRH-R, TR, ER, RAR) and PIT-1 at the GH gene? Are there additional coactivators or repressors of GH that respond to cAMP levels? Do ubiquitous regulatory factors such as GHF-3 and Zn-15, identified thus far only in the rat, exist in humans or livestock? Zn-15 is expected to be found in many mammalian species, because its recognition sequence between the PIT-1 binding sites is highly conserved across mammals (Figure 2). What is the mechanism causing GH levels to drop during aging? Does PIT-1 expression decrease during the lifespan of animals? Is it possible to increase GH gene expression within target tissues by directing the expression of PIT-1 to these tissues via transgenesis, or are other factors limiting in peripheral tissues so that the lack of PIT-1 expression is not the deciding factor? Finally, is there genetic variation in the expression of GHRH and/or SRIH or in their respective receptors? These questions are relevant to and could be investigated in several of the livestock species.

Constitutively active Gq-alpha stimulates prolactin promoter activity via a pathway involving Raf activity

We have investigated the ability of a constitutively active Gq-alpha mutant, Q209L-alpha q, to regulate target gene expression. Transient expression in GH3 pituitary cells of a rat proximal prolactin promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase construct (-187)PRL-CAT, was stimulated by co-expression of Q209L alpha q, but not by wild-type alpha q. Q209L-alpha q stimulated expression of constructs driven by promoters for either rat prolactin or growth hormone, but not of a control construct driven by the thymidine kinase promoter. Thus, transcriptional effects of alpha q are specific both for the activated state of this G-alpha subunit and the promoter examined. Since both the prolactin and growth hormone promoters are activated by the pituitary cell-specific transcription factor Pit-1, we examined whether a Pit-1 binding site could direct a response to Q209L-alpha q. Two copies of prolactin promoter Pit-1 binding site 1P conferred upon a heterologous metallothionein promoter a response to Q209L-alpha q, implying an involvement of this site in the transcriptional action of Q209L-alpha q on the prolactin promoter. The phorbol ester activator of protein kinase C, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, stimulated (-187)PRL-CAT activity, but opposed the action of Q209L-alpha q on activity of this PRL-CAT construct. Q209L-alpha q stimulation of (-187)PRL-CAT activity was inhibited by co-expression of a dominant negative Raf mutant, Raf-C4, but not by a point mutant of Raf-C4 with reduced inhibitory properties. These results imply that activated alpha q subunits can stimulate prolactin promoter activity via a pathway that involves a Pit-1 DNA binding site(s), is opposed by protein kinase C, and is mediated by a pathway in which Raf-1 kinase plays a role.

The rat growth hormone proximal silencer contains a novel DNA-binding site for multiple nuclear proteins that represses basal promoter activity

Cell-type-specific expression of the rat growth hormone (rGH) gene is determined by the interaction of both positive as well as negative regulatory proteins with cis-acting elements located upstream of the rGH mRNA start site. We have recently shown that the rat liver transcription factor NF1-L binds to the proximal rGH silencer (called silencer-1) to repress its transcriptional activity. However, this single factor proved to be insufficient by itself to confer cell-specific gene repression. We therefore attempted to identify other regulatory proteins interacting with silencer 1, which might be needed to achieve full cell-specific repression of that gene. A common recognition site for three yet uncharacterized nuclear proteins (designated as SBP1, SBP2 and SBP3) which bind a DNA sequence adjacent to the NF1-L-binding site in the rGH silencer-1 element were identified. UV crosslinking of DNA/protein complexes and nuclear protein fractionation/renaturation from SDS/polyacrylamide gels further indicated that the molecular masses for SBP1-3 are 41, 26 and 17 kDa respectively, the major species being the 26-kDa protein (SBP2) which account for 83% of the shifted SBP double-stranded oligonucleotide in gel mobility-shift assays. For this reason, most of this study focussed on the characterization of SBP2. We demonstrated that binding of NF1-L and SBP2 to their respective recognition sequence is a mutually exclusive event. Although an SBP-binding activity has been found in every non-pituitary tissue or cell line tested, no such activity could be detected in either rat pituitaries or rat pituitary GH4C1 cells. Insertion of the SBP element upstream of the basal promoter of the mouse p12 heterologous gene resulted in a consistent decrease in chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene expression following transient transfections in non-pituitary cells only, suggesting that the related SBP1-3 proteins might be involved in generally repressing gene transcription in a cell-specific manner.

Single-stranded DNA-protein binding in the procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) promoter of Trypanosoma brucei

We performed gel retardation analyses of DNA-protein interactions using DNA from the procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) promoter of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. The PARP genes of Trypanosoma brucei are transcribed in an alpha-amanitin resistant manner, and it has been proposed that RNA polymerase I, rather than RNA polymerase II, transcribes the PARP genes. Double-stranded restriction fragments containing the essential PARP-promoter regions bound only sequence-nonspecific nuclear factors, even though protein factors that bind specifically to double-stranded DNA from the snRNA U2 promoter were present in the extracts. In contrast, single-stranded DNA-binding proteins bound with high affinity, nucleotide-sequence and strand-specificity to the -69/-55 element and the coding and non-coding strands of the -37/-11 element.

Hormonal regulation of transcription factor activity in mammary epithelial cells

The multihormonal control of milk protein gene transcription in mammary epithelial cells has been investigated. Although the hormones regulating milk protein gene expression are known, the interaction of the signal transduction pathways of steroid (glucocorticoids) and peptide (insulin and prolactin) hormones remains undefined in molecular terms. These signals converge on the level of nuclear factors binding to regulatory elements in the beta-casein gene promoter. The promoter has a modular architecture and is composed of positive and negative response elements. Nuclear transcription factors which bind to these elements have been identified. The mammary gland factor, MGF, is an essential mediator of lactogenic hormone action and is itself positively regulated in its DNA binding activity. It binds to the promoter region between positions -80 to -100. MGF counteracts a repressor element, constituted by two components, which is located adjacent to the MGF binding site at positions -100 to -150. The transcription factor YY1 binds to the proximal half of the repressor element which overlaps with the MGF binding site. Specific single-stranded DNA binding proteins contribute to the negative regulation of the promoter by interacting with sequence elements between -160 and -190. DNA binding of these proteins is negatively regulated by the lactogenic hormones.

The 30-kDa rat liver transcription factor nuclear factor 1 binds the rat growth-hormone proximal silencer

Transcription of the gene encoding rat growth hormone is under the influence of cis-acting negative regulatory elements termed silencers. We showed previously that one such element, designated the rat growth hormone proximal silencer-1 site, binds a nuclear protein, the nuclear-factor-1-like protein that is probably a member of the CAAT transcription factor/nuclear-factor-1 (CTF/NF-I) family of transcription factors. This nuclear protein possesses DNA-binding activity as well as biochemical properties similar to those reported for the 30-kDa rat liver form of nuclear factor 1 (NF1-L). Results from both gel mobility supershift assays and Western-blot analyses, performed in combination with a polyclonal antibody directed against the DNA-binding domain of NF1-L, indicated that rat liver nuclear factor 1 might indeed correspond to one of the transcription factors interacting with the rat growth-hormone proximal silencer element. Further experiments using gel mobility shift assays also indicated that, as for NF1-L, multiple proteins among the 52-66-kDa CTF/NF-I isoforms from human HeLa cells also possess the ability to bind the rat growth-hormone silencer.

Protein product of the somatic-type transcript of the Hoxa-4 (Hox-1.4) gene binds to homeobox consensus binding sites in its promoter and intron

The murine Hoxa-4 gene encodes a protein with a homeodomain closely related to those produced by the Antennapedia-like class of Drosophila genes. Drosophila homeodomain proteins can function as transcription factors, binding to several specific DNA sequences. One sequence that is frequently encountered contains a core ATTA motif within a larger consensus sequence, such as CAATTAA. The in vitro synthesized protein product of Hoxa-4 was shown to bind to a subset of restriction fragments of the Hoxa-4 gene itself as determined by gel retardation experiments. Direct examination of the sequences of the fragments bound by Hoxa-4 protein revealed the presence of four regions containing the core ATTA motif. Two regions contained sequences of the CAATTAA class and were located approximately 1 kb upstream from the putative somatic Hoxa-4 promoter and within the intron. Two additional binding sites containing the consensus target sequence involved in autoregulation of Drosophila Deformed gene were identified: one immediately downstream of the putative embryonic transcription start site and one within the intron, respectively. Specific binding of the in vitro produced Hoxa-4 protein to oligonucleotides corresponding to these sequences was observed in gel retardation assays. The same results were obtained with Hoxa-4 protein produced in a Baculovirus expression system. Experiments using oligonucleotides containing base substitutions in positions 1, 3, 4, and 5 in the sequence CAATTAA showed severely reduced binding. The use of truncated mutant Hoxa-4 proteins in gel retardation assays and in transient co-transfection experiments revealed that the intact homeodomain was required for the binding. These results also suggested that the Hoxa-4 gene has the potential to auto-regulate its expression by interacting with the homeodomain binding sites present in the promoter as well as in the intron.

Analysis of estrogen receptor interaction with tertiary-structured estrogen responsive elements

An initial crucial step in estrogen activation of gene expression is the interaction of the estrogen receptor with a specific nucleotide sequence [estrogen responsive element (ERE)]. Previously, we found that the estrogen receptor binds preferentially and with high affinity to the lower strand of the rat prolactin imperfect ERE which contains tertiary structure (Lannigan DA and Notides AC, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 863-867, 1989). Using perfect and imperfect EREs from the upstream region of the chicken vitellogenin II gene, we have now extended our findings and have determined that the estrogen receptor preferentially interacts with either perfect or imperfect EREs which contain tertiary structure. A similar structure is present in a synthetic 42 bp oligonucleotide corresponding to the lower strand of a perfect ERE with flanking sequences from the rat prolactin ERE. Moreover, deviations from the ERE consensus sequence decrease the binding of the estrogen receptor to the tertiary-structured ERE. We also have determined that ERE flanking sequences contribute to the affinity of the receptor for the tertiary-structured ERE. Furthermore, ERE flanking sequences can influence the types of interactions that the estrogen receptor makes with the tertiary-structured ERE.

Expression of the rat growth-hormone gene is under the influence of a cell-type-specific silencer element

We have previously shown that a cell-type-specific negative-regulatory element, or silencer, acts to specifically restrict rat-growth-hormone(rGH)-promoter activity to pituitary cells. Here we report a detailed characterization of this element. The activity of the silencer is dependent on its position relative to the promoter. The negative regulatory effect can be diminished by cotransfection with a high-copy-number, silencer-containing competitor plasmid, suggesting that the function of the element is mediated by specific binding of a trans-acting negative-regulatory factor. The minimal region required for silencer function is contained between positions -309 and -266 relative to the start of the rGH mRNA. The specific interaction of a nuclear protein from non-pituitary cells with this rGH DNA segment was shown by DNaseI as well as dimethylsulfate methylation-interference footprinting. A detailed examination of the DNA-binding site for that protein clearly suggest that it belongs to the NF1 family of transcription factors.

Sequence-specific single-strand DNA-binding proteins that interact with the regulatory regions of wheat histone H3 and H4 genes

We identified two novel DNA-binding proteins, ssDBP-1 and ssDBP-2, in wheat germ nuclear extract that interact with the proximal sequences of the promoter regions of the wheat histone H3 and H4 genes. Mobility shift and methylation interference assays have demonstrated that these factors specifically bind to the single-strand DNA which partially overlaps the hexamer and octamer cis-elements of the H3 promoter. Both proteins are distinguishable from HBP-1a and HBP-1b which specifically bind to the H3 hexamer sequence. These ssDNA-binding proteins are supposed to regulate the transcription of the wheat histone genes.