The homeodomain transcription factor CDP/cut interacts with the cell cycle regulatory element of histone H4 genes packaged into nucleosomes

The homeodomain transcription factor CDP/cut contains four separate DNA binding domains and interacts with large segments of DNA. Thus, CDP/cut has the potential to function as an architectural protein and perhaps to support modifications in chromatin structure and nucleosomal organization. To begin to examine the ability of CDP/cut to interact with chromatin, we analyzed binding of CDP/cut to the histone H4 gene promoter (-90 to +75) reconstituted into nucleosome cores. The -90 to +75 region encompasses the cell cycle regulatory element (Site II) that controls histone H4 gene transcription, a CDP/cut binding site and a nuclease hypersensitive region. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting experiments, we show that CDP/cut specifically interacts with its recognition motif in a nucleosomal context without displacing the nucleosome core. The competency of CDP/cut to interact with nucleosomes suggests that this transcription factor may facilitate chromatin remodeling in response to cell cycle regulatory and/or developmental cues.

Multiple interactions of the transcription factor YY1 with human histone H4 gene regulatory elements

Multiple regulatory elements and intricate protein-DNA interactions mediate the transcription of the human histone H4 genes in a cell growth-dependent manner. Upon analysis of the regulatory elements of the FO108 histone H4 gene, we identified several potential YY1 binding sites. In this study, we have analyzed the ability of the transcription factor YY1 to interact at these sites in vitro by using electrophoretic mobility shift assays in combination with oligonucleotide competition and antibody immunoreactivity. We show that YY1 specifically binds transcriptional regulatory elements at -340 nt (site III), -100 nt (site I) and at least two domains within the coding region of the histone H4 gene. To test if these elements were functionally responsive to YY1, we performed transient expression experiments in Drosophila S-2 cells transfected with heterologous reporter gene constructs driven by histone H4 gene segments fused to the thymidine kinase promoter. Co-expression of YY1 stimulated promoter activity of these constructs relative to the reporter construct lacking histone H4 gene fragments. Our results suggest that YY1 contributes to transcriptional regulation of the histone H4 gene through interactions at multiple regulatory elements.

Repressor elements in the coding region of the human histone H4 gene interact with the transcription factor CDP/cut

The coding region of the human histone H4 gene FO108 undergoes dynamic changes in chromatin structure that correlate with modifications in gene expression. Such structural alterations generally reflect transcription factor interactions with gene regulatory sequences. To test for regulatory elements within the coding region, we performed transient transfection experiments in HeLa cells using constructs with histone H4 sequences fused upstream of a heterologous thymidine kinase promoter and CAT reporter gene. H4 gene sequences from -10 to +210 repressed transcription 4.8-fold. Further deletion and mutational analysis delineated three repressor elements within this region. Using oligonucleotide competition analysis and specific antibody recognition in electrophoretic mobility shift assays, as well as methylation interference and DNase I footprinting analyses, we have identified the CCAAT displacement protein (CDP/cut) as the factor that interacts with these three repressor elements. CDP/cut binding to these repressor sites is proliferation-specific and cell-cycle-regulated, increasing in mid to late S phase. Our results indicate that the proximal 200 nucleotides of the histone H4-coding region contain transcriptional regulatory elements that may contribute to cell-cycle control of histone gene expression by interacting with repressor complexes containing CDP/cut homeodomain transcription factors.

CDP/cut is the DNA-binding subunit of histone gene transcription factor HiNF-D: a mechanism for gene regulation at the G1/S phase cell cycle transition point independent of transcription factor E2F

Transcription of the genes for the human histone proteins H4, H3, H2A, H2B, and H1 is activated at the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle. We have previously shown that the promoter complex HiNF-D, which interacts with cell cycle control elements in multiple histone genes, contains the key cell cycle factors cyclin A, CDC2, and a retinoblastoma (pRB) protein-related protein. However, an intrinsic DNA-binding subunit for HiNF-D was not identified. Many genes that are up-regulated at the G1/S phase boundary are controlled by E2F, a transcription factor that associates with cyclin-, cyclin-dependent kinase-, and pRB-related proteins. Using gel-shift immunoassays, DNase I protection, and oligonucleotide competition analyses, we show that the homeodomain protein CDP/cut, not E2F, is the DNA-binding subunit of the HiNF-D complex. The HiNF-D (CDP/cut) complex with the H4 promoter is immunoreactive with antibodies against CDP/cut and pRB but not p107, whereas the CDP/cut complex with a nonhistone promoter (gp91-phox) reacts only with CDP and p107 antibodies. Thus, CDP/cut complexes at different gene promoters can associate with distinct pRB-related proteins. Transient coexpression assays show that CDP/cut modulates H4 promoter activity via the HiNF-D-binding site. Hence, DNA replication-dependent histone H4 genes are regulated by an E2F-independent mechanism involving a complex of CDP/cut with cyclin A/CDC2/ RB-related proteins.

Sp1 trans-activation of cell cycle regulated promoters is selectively repressed by Sp3

The transcription factor Sp1 plays a key role in the activation of many cellular and viral gene promoters, including those that are regulated during the cell cycle. However, recent evidence indicates that Sp1 belongs to a larger family of factors which bind G/C box elements in order to either activate or repress transcription. Sp3, a member of this family, functions to repress transcriptional activation in two viral promoters, most likely by competing with Sp1 for GC box/Sp binding sites. However, the physiological role of Sp3 in the repression of endogenous cellular promoters has not been experimentally addressed. In the present study, we analyze the activity and binding of Sp3 on several eukaryotic promoters that contain G/C boxes and are known to be regulated during cellular proliferation and the cell cycle. Using antibodies specific for Sp1 and Sp3, we observe that both of these factors localize to the cell nucleus and have a similar, dispersed subnuclear distribution. Further, using gel mobility shift assays, we show that both Sp1 and Sp3 interact specifically with the histone H4 promoter. Transient cotransfections of Drosophila cells with Sp1 and Sp3 expression vectors and with the histone H4, thymidine kinase (TK), or dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) promoters show that only the DHFR promoter, containing multiple functional GC boxes, displays Sp3 repression of Sp1 activation. In contrast, the single G/C boxes within the histone H4 or TK promoters, which confer transcriptional activation via Sp1 binding, are not responsive to repression by Sp3. Therefore, we demonstrate that the endogenous cellular DHFR promoter is selectively responsive to Sp3 repression. The data suggest that Sp3 may contribute to the control of proliferation- and/or cell-regulated promoters depending upon the context and/or number of functional Sp1 binding sites.

The nuclear matrix protein NMP-1 is the transcription factor YY1

NMP-1 was initially identified as a nuclear matrix-associated DNA-binding factor that exhibits sequence-specific recognition for the site IV regulatory element of a histone H4 gene. This distal promoter domain is a nuclear matrix interaction site. In the present study, we show that NMP-1 is the multifunctional transcription factor YY1. Gel-shift and Western blot analyses demonstrate that NMP-1 is immunoreactive with YY1 antibody. Furthermore, purified YY1 protein specifically recognizes site IV and reconstitutes the NMP-1 complex. Western blot and gel-shift analyses indicate that YY1 is present within the nuclear matrix. In situ immunofluorescence studies show that a significant fraction of YY1 is localized in the nuclear matrix, principally but not exclusively associated with residual nucleoli. Our results confirm that NMP-1/YY1 is a ubiquitous protein that is present in both human cells and in rat osteosarcoma ROS 17/2.8 cells. The finding that NMP-1 is identical to YY1 suggests that this transcriptional regulator may mediate gene-matrix interactions. Our results are consistent with the concept that the nuclear matrix may functionally compartmentalize the eukaryotic nucleus to support regulation of gene expression.

Functional role for Sp1 in the transcriptional amplification of a cell cycle regulated histone H4 gene

The promoter of the cell cycle regulated histone FO108 H4 gene is mediated by two in vivo protein/DNA interaction domains, sites I and II. We have shown previously that site II mediates the cell cycle controlled enhancement of H4 gene transcription at the G1/S phase boundary. Here we show that site I, an element containing both G-rich and ATF-like consensus sequences, confers maximal levels of transcription in proliferating cells. By the combined application of gel shift assays with site-directed mutagenesis, DNase I footprinting, oligonucleotide competition, in vitro expression of recombinant proteins, and specific antibody supershift studies, we demonstrate that the proximal G-rich sequence within site I interacts with the transcription factor Sp1, while the distal portion of site I interacts with members of the ATF family of proteins, including ATF-1. In vitro transcription studies as well as expression assays of transiently and stably transfected genes in HeLa cells reveal that the deletion of site I causes a dramatic decrease in expression. Mutation of the Sp1 element, which abolishes Sp1 binding, results in a 6-10-fold reduction in reporter activity. In addition, overexpression of Sp1 in Sp1-deficient cells results in the dramatic activation of the histone promoter. In contrast, mutation of the asymmetric ATF binding site, located distally within site I, has a more limited effect upon expression. Interestingly, the contribution of the Sp1 site to maximal transcription was cell type dependent. Thus, we demonstrate that the Sp1 binding site of the site I histone H4 promoter in particular is critical for maximal expression in living cells and postulate that this site may act to amplify the cell cycle response.

Transcription of histone H4, H3, and H1 cell cycle genes: promoter factor HiNF-D contains CDC2, cyclin A, and an RB-related protein

Cell cycle-controlled human histone genes are coordinately expressed during S phase, and transcriptional regulation involves a series of trans-acting factors (HiNFs). The proliferation-specific factor HiNF-D interacts with multiple recognition motifs in histone H4, H3, and H1 promoters. Using gel shift immunoassays, we show that CDC2, cyclin A, and an RB-related protein are ubiquitous subunits of HiNF-D binding activity isolated from several cell types. HiNF-D levels in vivo are sensitive to okadaic acid and staurosporine, indicating that HiNF-D activity and/or assembly is influenced by phosphorylation status. Thus, HiNF-D appears to be a multicomponent phosphoprotein that participates in coordinate control of multiple histone H4, H3, and H1 genes during the cell cycle. The presence of cell cycle mediators in the HiNF-D complex suggests linkage between transcriptional control of histones, enzymes involved in DNA synthesis, and the onset of DNA replication during the G1/S phase transition.

Expression of cell growth and bone phenotypic genes during the cell cycle of normal diploid osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cells

Establishing regulatory mechanisms that mediate proliferation of osteoblasts while restricting expression of genes associated with mature bone cell phenotypic properties to post-proliferative cells is fundamental to understanding skeletal development. To gain insight into relationships between growth control and the developmental expression of genes during osteoblast differentiation, we have examined expression of three classes of genes during the cell cycle of normal diploid rat calvarial-derived osteoblasts and rat osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8): cell cycle and growth-related genes (e.g., histone), genes that encode major structural proteins (e.g., actin and vimentin), and genes related to the biosynthesis, organization, and mineralization of the bone extracellular matrix (e.g., alkaline phosphatase, collagen I, osteocalcin, and osteopontin). In normal diploid osteoblasts as well as in osteosarcoma cells we found that histone genes, required for cell progression, are selectively expressed during S phase. All other genes studied were constitutively expressed both at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Alkaline phosphatase, an integral membrane protein in both osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cells, exhibited only minimal changes in activity during the osteoblast and osteosarcoma cell cycles. Our findings clearly indicate that despite the loss of normal proliferation-differentiation interrelationships in osteosarcoma cells, cell cycle regulation or constitutive expression of growth and phenotypic genes is maintained.

Small RNA expression from the oncogenic region of a highly oncogenic strain of herpesvirus saimiri

Herpesvirus saimiri induces acute lymphomas and leukemias in primates and rabbits. Sequence divergence of the right end unique region of the genome classifies virus strains into three groups (A, B, and C), and previous studies have demonstrated correlation between DNA grouping and oncogenicity. In order to relate different oncogenicity to the underlying molecular mechanisms, we reported earlier the expression of a bicistronic mRNA from the oncogenic region in a highly oncogenic group C strain, and the present study is the first report on small RNA transcripts from the same region. The transcripts and 6.2 kbp on the oncogenic region were sequenced and characterized. We show that four U-type small RNAs are expressed in tumor cells transformed by this strain, in contrast to the seven small RNAs reported from a weakly oncogenic group A strain. Sequence comparisons between the two strains showed that the right end region of strain 484-77 of group C is about 1 kbp shorter. The conserved 5' AUUUA repeats of some small RNAs, and their proposed implication in lymphokine mRNA stabilization, are also discussed.

Concerted control of multiple histone promoter factors during cell density inhibition of proliferation in osteosarcoma cells: reciprocal regulation of cell cycle-controlled and bone-related genes

Cell density-induced growth inhibition of osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8) results in the shutdown of proliferation-specific histone H4 and H2B genes and the concomitant up-regulation of several osteoblast-related genes. In several respects, this reciprocal regulatory relationship is analogous to the proliferation/differentiation transition stage during development of the bone cell phenotype in normal diploid osteoblasts. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the promoter binding activities interfacing with key regulatory elements in the cell cycle-dependent histone and bone-specific osteocalcin genes. Similarly, we examined factors interacting with a series of general transcription regulatory elements that are present in a broad spectrum of promoters. The results show that histone promoter binding activities HiNF-D, HiNF-P/H4TF-2, H4UA-1, and OCT-1, as well as AP-1 activity, are proliferation dependent. These factors decline coordinately during the cessation of proliferation in both ROS 17/2.8 bone tumor cells and normal diploid osteoblasts. Collective down-regulation of these trans-activating factors occurs in both cell types within the physiological context of constitutive regulation of ubiquitous transcription factors (Sp1, ATF, and CCAAT binding proteins). In addition, during growth inhibition of ROS 17/2.8 cells we observe a complex series of modifications in protein/DNA interactions of the osteocalcin gene. These modifications include both increased and decreased representation of promoter factor complexes occurring at steroid hormone response elements as well as tissue-specific basal promoter sequences. These results demonstrate cell growth regulation of the promoter factors binding to the proliferation-specific histone and tissue-specific osteocalcin genes during the cessation of proliferation.

Intracellular localization of tyrosine kinase substrates beneath crosslinked surface immunoglobulins in B cells

Crosslinking of surface immunoglobulins (sIg) in B cells led to the accumulation of submembranal phosphotyrosine, which was followed morphologically with the PY20 antiphosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody. Phosphotyrosine was not detected before sIg crosslinking. After sIg crosslinking, phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were redistributed from scattered small clusters near the plasma membrane to a juxtanuclear region, where immunofluorescent staining decreased with time. Double immunofluorescent staining of individual cells showed accumulation of phosphotyrosine beneath crosslinked sIg molecules at the cell surface. The sIg molecules were subsequently internalized more rapidly than the phosphotyrosine-containing molecules were redistributed. Genistein, a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, blocked intracellular tyrosine phosphorylations but not cell surface patching of crosslinked sIg. When polyacrylamide beads coated with anti-Ig antibodies were added to the cells, intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation occurred beneath the regions of contact with the beads. This study provides an independent line of evidence confirming recent biochemical experiments that show that crosslinking of the antigen receptor induces PTK activity in B cells, and that components of the newly described sIg complex are among the PTK substrates. The surprising finding that the bulk of the induced phosphotyrosine remains associated with crosslinked sIg for many minutes suggests a role for complex local protein interactions in phosphotyrosine-mediated signal transduction through the antigen receptor of B cells.