Identification of a yeast protein with properties similar to those of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer-binding protein NF-muE3

Interactions of the yeast centromere and promoter factor, Cpf1p, with the cytochrome c1 upstream region and functional implications on regulated gene expression

The upstream activation site (UAS) of the cytochrome c1 gene, CYT1, contains sequences for DNA-binding of several transcription factors. Among them are the heme-dependent protein, Hap1p, and the multiprotein complex, Hap2/3/4/5, which mediate transcriptional induction under aerobic conditions and after exhaustion of glucose, respectively. The multiple interactions of nuclear proteins with the UAS region of CYT1 observed in electrophoretic mobility shift experiments are influenced by carbon source and oxygen tension, but are independent of both regulators, Hap1p and Hap2/3/4/5. All protein-DNA complexes obtained are solely due to the association of the centromere and promoter factor 1 (Cpf1p) with the centromere determining element (CDE I)-like motif at the 5' boundary of the UAS(CYT1). This motif overlaps with a consensus sequence for the binding of the general factor Abf1p. Functional analyses after the separate introduction of point mutations into both elements reveal no role for the latter protein and only a minor role for Cpf1p in the regulated expression of CYT1/lacZ chimaeric proteins. However, in cpf1-mutants, induction of CYT1 reaches higher steady state levels and adaptation to aerobic conditions occurs faster than in wild-type. Thus, Cpf1p seems to reduce CYT1 promoter activity under partly inducing conditions, e.g. when only one of the activators, Hap1p or the Hap2 complex, exerts its function.

A yeast homolog of the human UEF stimulates transcription from the adenovirus 2 major late promoter in yeast and in mammalian cell-free systems

We report the identification and purification of a yeast factor functionally homologous to the human upstream element factor (UEFh). Although the yeast protein (UEFy) has a higher molecular weight than the HeLa UEF (60 kD versus 45 kD) both have identical DNA-binding properties: the purified UEFy recognizes the Adenovirus 2 (Ad2) major late promoter upstream element (MLP-UE; from nucleotide -49 to -67) as well as the IVa2 upstream element (IVa2-UE; from nucleotide -98 to -122) with a higher affinity for the MLP-UE than for the IVa2-UE. Based on its DNA binding specificity, size and thermostability, the UEFy protein appears also similar or equivalent to the centromere binding protein CP1. In a competition assay with oligonucleotides containing the MLP-UE binding site, a drastic reduction of Ad2 MLP transcription was observed both in a HeLa and in a yeast cell free system, which was restored by addition of either the purified UEFh or UEFy proteins. We conclude that both UEFh and UEFy activate transcription from the Ad2 MLP upon binding to the upstream element, whatever is the in vitro cell-free system (yeast or HeLa). This indicate that some regulatory function represented by the upstream element and its cognate factor, is well conserved between human and yeast.