Nfatc1 Is a Functional Transcriptional Factor Mediating Nell-1-Induced Runx3 Upregulation in Chondrocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenshuang Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Neural EGFL like 1 (Nell-1 is essential for chondrogenic differentiation, maturation, and regeneration. Our previous studies have demonstrated that Nell-1’s pro-chondrogenic activities are predominantly reliant upon runt-related transcription factor 3 (Runx3-mediated Indian hedgehog (Ihh signaling. Here, we identify the nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1 (Nfatc1 as the key transcriptional factor mediating the Nell-1 → Runx3 signal transduction in chondrocytes. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we were able to determine that Nfatc1 binds to the −833–−810 region of the Runx3-promoter in response to Nell-1 treatment. By revealing the Nell-1 → Nfatc1 → Runx3 → Ihh cascade, we demonstrate the involvement of Nfatc1, a nuclear factor of activated T-cells, in chondrogenesis, while providing innovative insights into developing a novel therapeutic strategy for cartilage regeneration and other chondrogenesis-related conditions.

Immunophilin ligands demonstrate common features of signal transduction leading to exocytosis or transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Hultsch, T; Albers, M W; Schreiber, S L; Hohman, R J

1991-01-01

Investigations of the actions and interactions of the immunophilin ligands FK506, cyclosporin A (CsA), rapamycin, and 506BD suggest that complexes of FK506 with an FK506-binding protein or of CsA with a cyclophilin (CsA-binding protein) inhibit the T-cell receptor-mediated signal transduction that results in the transcription of interleukin 2. Now we report an identical spectrum of activities of FK506, CsA, rapamycin, and 506BD on IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction that results in exocytosis of secretory granules from the rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3, a mast cell model. Both FK506 and CsA inhibit receptor-mediated exocytosis (CsA IC50 = 200 nM; FK506 IC50 = 2 nM) without affecting early receptor-associated events (hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol, synthesis and release of eicosanoids, uptake of Ca2+). In contrast, rapamycin and 506BD, which share common structural elements with FK506, by themselves have no effect on IgE receptor-mediated exocytosis. Both compounds, however, prevent inhibition by FK506 but not by CsA. Affinity chromatography with FK506, CsA, and rapamycin matrices indicates that the same set of immunophilins present in RBL-2H3 cells have been found in Jurkat T cells and calf thymus; however, the relative amounts of these proteins differ in the two cell types. These results suggest the existence of a common step in cytoplasmic signaling in T cells and mast cells that may be part of a general signaling mechanism. Images PMID:1712484

Mechanistic Insights in Ethylene Perception and Signal Transduction1

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Chuanli; Chang, Caren

2015-01-01

The gaseous hormone ethylene profoundly affects plant growth, development, and stress responses. Ethylene perception occurs at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, and signal transduction leads to a transcriptional cascade that initiates diverse responses, often in conjunction with other signals. Recent findings provide a more complete picture of the components and mechanisms in ethylene signaling, now rendering a more dynamic view of this conserved pathway. This includes newly identified protein-protein interactions at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, as well as the major discoveries that the central regulator ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE2 (EIN2) is the long-sought phosphorylation substrate for the CONSTITUTIVE RESPONSE1 protein kinase, and that cleavage of EIN2 transmits the signal to the nucleus. In the nucleus, hundreds of potential gene targets of the EIN3 master transcription factor have been identified and found to be induced in transcriptional waves, and transcriptional coregulation has been shown to be a mechanism of ethylene cross talk. PMID:26246449

Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cartwright, P; Helin, K

2000-01-01

To elicit the transcriptional response following intra- or extracellular stimuli, the signals need to be transmitted to their site of action within the nucleus. The nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of transcription factors is a mechanism mediating this process. The activation and inactivation...... of the transcriptional response is essential for cells to progress through the cell cycle in a normal manner. The involvement of cytoplasmic and nuclear accessory molecules, and the general nuclear membrane transport components, are essential for this process. Although nuclear import and export for different...... transcription factor families are regulated by similar mechanisms, there are several differences that allow for the specific activation of each transcription factor. This review discusses the general import and export pathways found to be common amongst many different transcription factors, and highlights...

Gene expression meta-analysis identifies metastatic pathways and transcription factors in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomassen, Mads; Tan, Qihua; Kruse, Torben A

2008-01-01

Metastasis is believed to progress in several steps including different pathways but the determination and understanding of these mechanisms is still fragmentary. Microarray analysis of gene expression patterns in breast tumors has been used to predict outcome in recent studies. Besides classification of outcome, these global expression patterns may reflect biological mechanisms involved in metastasis of breast cancer. Our purpose has been to investigate pathways and transcription factors involved in metastasis by use of gene expression data sets. We have analyzed 8 publicly available gene expression data sets. A global approach, 'gene set enrichment analysis' as well as an approach focusing on a subset of significantly differently regulated genes, GenMAPP, has been applied to rank pathway gene sets according to differential regulation in metastasizing tumors compared to non-metastasizing tumors. Meta-analysis has been used to determine overrepresentation of pathways and transcription factors targets, concordant deregulated in metastasizing breast tumors, in several data sets. The major findings are up-regulation of cell cycle pathways and a metabolic shift towards glucose metabolism reflected in several pathways in metastasizing tumors. Growth factor pathways seem to play dual roles; EGF and PDGF pathways are decreased, while VEGF and sex-hormone pathways are increased in tumors that metastasize. Furthermore, migration, proteasome, immune system, angiogenesis, DNA repair and several signal transduction pathways are associated to metastasis. Finally several transcription factors e.g. E2F, NFY, and YY1 are identified as being involved in metastasis. By pathway meta-analysis many biological mechanisms beyond major characteristics such as proliferation are identified. Transcription factor analysis identifies a number of key factors that support central pathways. Several previously proposed treatment targets are identified and several new pathways that may

Transcriptional regulation by competing transcription factor modules.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rutger Hermsen

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Gene regulatory networks lie at the heart of cellular computation. In these networks, intracellular and extracellular signals are integrated by transcription factors, which control the expression of transcription units by binding to cis-regulatory regions on the DNA. The designs of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cis-regulatory regions are usually highly complex. They frequently consist of both repetitive and overlapping transcription factor binding sites. To unravel the design principles of these promoter architectures, we have designed in silico prokaryotic transcriptional logic gates with predefined input-output relations using an evolutionary algorithm. The resulting cis-regulatory designs are often composed of modules that consist of tandem arrays of binding sites to which the transcription factors bind cooperatively. Moreover, these modules often overlap with each other, leading to competition between them. Our analysis thus identifies a new signal integration motif that is based upon the interplay between intramodular cooperativity and intermodular competition. We show that this signal integration mechanism drastically enhances the capacity of cis-regulatory domains to integrate signals. Our results provide a possible explanation for the complexity of promoter architectures and could be used for the rational design of synthetic gene circuits.

VEGF-A isoform-specific regulation of calcium ion flux, transcriptional activation and endothelial cell migration.

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Fearnley, Gareth W; Bruns, Alexander F; Wheatcroft, Stephen B; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

2015-04-24

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) regulates many aspects of vascular physiology such as cell migration, proliferation, tubulogenesis and cell-cell interactions. Numerous isoforms of VEGF-A exist but their physiological significance is unclear. Here we evaluated two different VEGF-A isoforms and discovered differential regulation of cytosolic calcium ion flux, transcription factor localisation and endothelial cell response. Analysis of VEGF-A isoform-specific stimulation of VEGFR2-dependent signal transduction revealed differential capabilities for isoform activation of multiple signal transduction pathways. VEGF-A165 treatment promoted increased phospholipase Cγ1 phosphorylation, which was proportional to the subsequent rise in cytosolic calcium ions, in comparison to cells treated with VEGF-A121. A major consequence of this VEGF-A isoform-specific calcium ion flux in endothelial cells is differential dephosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NFATc2. Using reverse genetics, we discovered that NFATc2 is functionally required for VEGF-A-stimulated endothelial cell migration but not tubulogenesis. This work presents a new mechanism for understanding how VEGF-A isoforms program complex cellular outputs by converting signal transduction pathways into transcription factor redistribution to the nucleus, as well as defining a novel role for NFATc2 in regulating the endothelial cell response. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

VEGF-A isoform-specific regulation of calcium ion flux, transcriptional activation and endothelial cell migration

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Gareth W. Fearnley

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A regulates many aspects of vascular physiology such as cell migration, proliferation, tubulogenesis and cell-cell interactions. Numerous isoforms of VEGF-A exist but their physiological significance is unclear. Here we evaluated two different VEGF-A isoforms and discovered differential regulation of cytosolic calcium ion flux, transcription factor localisation and endothelial cell response. Analysis of VEGF-A isoform-specific stimulation of VEGFR2-dependent signal transduction revealed differential capabilities for isoform activation of multiple signal transduction pathways. VEGF-A165 treatment promoted increased phospholipase Cγ1 phosphorylation, which was proportional to the subsequent rise in cytosolic calcium ions, in comparison to cells treated with VEGF-A121. A major consequence of this VEGF-A isoform-specific calcium ion flux in endothelial cells is differential dephosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NFATc2. Using reverse genetics, we discovered that NFATc2 is functionally required for VEGF-A-stimulated endothelial cell migration but not tubulogenesis. This work presents a new mechanism for understanding how VEGF-A isoforms program complex cellular outputs by converting signal transduction pathways into transcription factor redistribution to the nucleus, as well as defining a novel role for NFATc2 in regulating the endothelial cell response.

The Journey of a Transcription Factor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pireyre, Marie

Plants have developed astonishing networks regulating their metabolism to adapt to their environment. The complexity of these networks is illustrated by the expansion of families of regulators such as transcription factors in the plant kingdom. Transcription factors specifically impact...... transcriptional networks by integrating exogenous and endogenous stimuli and regulating gene expression accordingly. Regulation of transcription factors and their activation is thus highly important to modulate the transcriptional programs and increase fitness of the plant in a given environment. Plant metabolism....... The biosynthetic machinery of GLS is governed by interplay of six MYB and three bHLH transcription factors. MYB28, MYB29 and MYB76 regulate methionine-derived GLS, and MYB51, MYB34 and MYB122 regulate tryptophan-derived GLS. The three bHLH transcription factors MYC2, MYC3 and MYC4 physically interact with all six...

Salinity stress induces the production of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones and regulates novel classes of responsive genes involved in signal transduction in Aquilaria sinensis calli.

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Wang, Xiaohui; Gao, Bowen; Liu, Xiao; Dong, Xianjuan; Zhang, Zhongxiu; Fan, Huiyan; Zhang, Le; Wang, Juan; Shi, Shepo; Tu, Pengfei

2016-05-26

Agarwood, is a resinous portion derived from Aquilaria sinensis, has been widely used in traditional medicine and incense. 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones are principal components responsible for the quality of agarwood. However, the molecular basis of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones biosynthesis and regulation remains almost unknown. Our research indicated that salt stress induced production of several of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in A. sinensis calli. Transcriptome analysis of A. sinensis calli treated with NaCl is required to further facilitate the multiple signal pathways in response to salt stress and to understand the mechanism of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones biosynthesis. Forty one 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones were identified from NaCl-treated A. sinensis calli. 93 041 unigenes with an average length of 1562 nt were generated from the control and salt-treated calli by Illmunina sequencing after assembly, and the unigenes were annotated by comparing with the public databases including NR, Swiss-Prot, KEGG, COG, and GO database. In total, 18 069 differentially expressed transcripts were identified by the transcriptome comparisons on the control calli and calli induced by 24 h or 120 h salinity stress. Numerous genes involved in signal transduction pathways including the genes responsible for hormone signal transduction, receptor-like kinases, MAPK cascades, Ca(2+) signal transduction, and transcription factors showed clear differences between the control calli and NaCl-treated calli. Furthermore, our data suggested that the genes annotated as chalcone synthases and O-methyltransferases may contribute to the biosynthesis of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones. Salinity stress could induce the production of 41 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in A. sinensis calli. We conducted the first deep-sequencing transcriptome profiling of A. sinensis under salt stress and observed a large number of differentially expressed genes in response to salinity stress. Moreover, salt stress induced

ProFITS of maize: a database of protein families involved in the transduction of signalling in the maize genome

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Zhang Zhenhai

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L. is an important model for plant basic and applied research. In 2009, the B73 maize genome sequencing made a great step forward, using clone by clone strategy; however, functional annotation and gene classification of the maize genome are still limited. Thus, a well-annotated datasets and informative database will be important for further research discoveries. Signal transduction is a fundamental biological process in living cells, and many protein families participate in this process in sensing, amplifying and responding to various extracellular or internal stimuli. Therefore, it is a good starting point to integrate information on the maize functional genes involved in signal transduction. Results Here we introduce a comprehensive database 'ProFITS' (Protein Families Involved in the Transduction of Signalling, which endeavours to identify and classify protein kinases/phosphatases, transcription factors and ubiquitin-proteasome-system related genes in the B73 maize genome. Users can explore gene models, corresponding transcripts and FLcDNAs using the three abovementioned protein hierarchical categories, and visualize them using an AJAX-based genome browser (JBrowse or Generic Genome Browser (GBrowse. Functional annotations such as GO annotation, protein signatures, protein best-hits in the Arabidopsis and rice genome are provided. In addition, pre-calculated transcription factor binding sites of each gene are generated and mutant information is incorporated into ProFITS. In short, ProFITS provides a user-friendly web interface for studies in signal transduction process in maize. Conclusion ProFITS, which utilizes both the B73 maize genome and full length cDNA (FLcDNA datasets, provides users a comprehensive platform of maize annotation with specific focus on the categorization of families involved in the signal transduction process. ProFITS is designed as a user-friendly web interface and it is

Genomic identification of WRKY transcription factors in carrot (Daucus carota) and analysis of evolution and homologous groups for plants.

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Li, Meng-Yao; Xu, Zhi-Sheng; Tian, Chang; Huang, Ying; Wang, Feng; Xiong, Ai-Sheng

2016-03-15

WRKY transcription factors belong to one of the largest transcription factor families. These factors possess functions in plant growth and development, signal transduction, and stress response. Here, we identified 95 DcWRKY genes in carrot based on the carrot genomic and transcriptomic data, and divided them into three groups. Phylogenetic analysis of WRKY proteins from carrot and Arabidopsis divided these proteins into seven subgroups. To elucidate the evolution and distribution of WRKY transcription factors in different species, we constructed a schematic of the phylogenetic tree and compared the WRKY family factors among 22 species, which including plants, slime mold and protozoan. An in-depth study was performed to clarify the homologous factor groups of nine divergent taxa in lower and higher plants. Based on the orthologous factors between carrot and Arabidopsis, 38 DcWRKY proteins were calculated to interact with other proteins in the carrot genome. Yeast two-hybrid assay showed that DcWRKY20 can interact with DcMAPK1 and DcMAPK4. The expression patterns of the selected DcWRKY genes based on transcriptome data and qRT-PCR suggested that those selected DcWRKY genes are involved in root development, biotic and abiotic stress response. This comprehensive analysis provides a basis for investigating the evolution and function of WRKY genes.

The cellular response to vascular endothelial growth factors requires co-ordinated signal transduction, trafficking and proteolysis.

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Smith, Gina A; Fearnley, Gareth W; Tomlinson, Darren C; Harrison, Michael A; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

2015-08-18

VEGFs (vascular endothelial growth factors) are a family of conserved disulfide-linked soluble secretory glycoproteins found in higher eukaryotes. VEGFs mediate a wide range of responses in different tissues including metabolic homoeostasis, cell proliferation, migration and tubulogenesis. Such responses are initiated by VEGF binding to soluble and membrane-bound VEGFRs (VEGF receptor tyrosine kinases) and co-receptors. VEGF and receptor splice isoform diversity further enhances complexity of membrane protein assembly and function in signal transduction pathways that control multiple cellular responses. Different signal transduction pathways are simultaneously activated by VEGFR-VEGF complexes with membrane trafficking along the endosome-lysosome network further modulating signal output from multiple enzymatic events associated with such pathways. Balancing VEGFR-VEGF signal transduction with trafficking and proteolysis is essential in controlling the intensity and duration of different intracellular signalling events. Dysfunction in VEGF-regulated signal transduction is important in chronic disease states including cancer, atherosclerosis and blindness. This family of growth factors and receptors is an important model system for understanding human disease pathology and developing new therapeutics for treating such ailments. © 2015 Authors.

Directing traffic on DNA-How transcription factors relieve or induce transcriptional interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Nan; Palmer, Adam C; Dodd, Ian B; Shearwin, Keith E

2017-03-15

Transcriptional interference (TI) is increasingly recognized as a widespread mechanism of gene control, particularly given the pervasive nature of transcription, both sense and antisense, across all kingdoms of life. Here, we discuss how transcription factor binding kinetics strongly influence the ability of a transcription factor to relieve or induce TI.

Transcriptional Activity of Nuclear Factor κB Family Genes in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lis-Święty, Anna; Gola, Joanna; Mazurek, Urszula; Brzezińska-Wcisło, Ligia

2017-05-01

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease of unknown etiology and unclear pathogenesis. Evaluation of the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) family genes IκBα, p50, p52, p65, and c-Rel, potentially involved in the regulation of immunity, inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling in SSc, was carried out. The study included 19 patients with limited SSc, 11 patients with early SSc, and 10 healthy persons constituting the control group. Real-time QRT-PCR was used to evaluate the mRNAs in peripheral blood samples. The patients with early SSc showed a decrease in transcriptional activity of IκBα inhibitor and c-Rel subunit. Transcriptional activity decrease in the other patients with limited SSc included genes encoding c-Rel and p50, subunits of NF-κB factor. Deregulation of intracellular signal transduction by NF-κB takes place at the beginning of SSc and in its fibrosis stage. Associations between clinical variables and NF-κB related gene expression as well as the activation of NF-κB family members in SSc patients should be addressed in future studies. © 2017 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

TcoF-DB: dragon database for human transcription co-factors and transcription factor interacting proteins

KAUST Repository

Schaefer, Ulf; Schmeier, Sebastian; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2010-01-01

The initiation and regulation of transcription in eukaryotes is complex and involves a large number of transcription factors (TFs), which are known to bind to the regulatory regions of eukaryotic DNA. Apart from TF-DNA binding, protein-protein interaction involving TFs is an essential component of the machinery facilitating transcriptional regulation. Proteins that interact with TFs in the context of transcription regulation but do not bind to the DNA themselves, we consider transcription co-factors (TcoFs). The influence of TcoFs on transcriptional regulation and initiation, although indirect, has been shown to be significant with the functionality of TFs strongly influenced by the presence of TcoFs. While the role of TFs and their interaction with regulatory DNA regions has been well-studied, the association between TFs and TcoFs has so far been given less attention. Here, we present a resource that is comprised of a collection of human TFs and the TcoFs with which they interact. Other proteins that have a proven interaction with a TF, but are not considered TcoFs are also included. Our database contains 157 high-confidence TcoFs and additionally 379 hypothetical TcoFs. These have been identified and classified according to the type of available evidence for their involvement in transcriptional regulation and their presence in the cell nucleus. We have divided TcoFs into four groups, one of which contains high-confidence TcoFs and three others contain TcoFs which are hypothetical to different extents. We have developed the Dragon Database for Human Transcription Co-Factors and Transcription Factor Interacting Proteins (TcoF-DB). A web-based interface for this resource can be freely accessed at http://cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/tcof/ and http://apps.sanbi.ac.za/tcof/. © The Author(s) 2010.

TcoF-DB: dragon database for human transcription co-factors and transcription factor interacting proteins

KAUST Repository

Schaefer, Ulf

2010-10-21

The initiation and regulation of transcription in eukaryotes is complex and involves a large number of transcription factors (TFs), which are known to bind to the regulatory regions of eukaryotic DNA. Apart from TF-DNA binding, protein-protein interaction involving TFs is an essential component of the machinery facilitating transcriptional regulation. Proteins that interact with TFs in the context of transcription regulation but do not bind to the DNA themselves, we consider transcription co-factors (TcoFs). The influence of TcoFs on transcriptional regulation and initiation, although indirect, has been shown to be significant with the functionality of TFs strongly influenced by the presence of TcoFs. While the role of TFs and their interaction with regulatory DNA regions has been well-studied, the association between TFs and TcoFs has so far been given less attention. Here, we present a resource that is comprised of a collection of human TFs and the TcoFs with which they interact. Other proteins that have a proven interaction with a TF, but are not considered TcoFs are also included. Our database contains 157 high-confidence TcoFs and additionally 379 hypothetical TcoFs. These have been identified and classified according to the type of available evidence for their involvement in transcriptional regulation and their presence in the cell nucleus. We have divided TcoFs into four groups, one of which contains high-confidence TcoFs and three others contain TcoFs which are hypothetical to different extents. We have developed the Dragon Database for Human Transcription Co-Factors and Transcription Factor Interacting Proteins (TcoF-DB). A web-based interface for this resource can be freely accessed at http://cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/tcof/ and http://apps.sanbi.ac.za/tcof/. © The Author(s) 2010.

The WRKY transcription factor family in Brachypodium distachyon.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Prateek; Rabara, Roel C; Langum, Tanner J; Boken, Ashley K; Rushton, Deena L; Boomsma, Darius D; Rinerson, Charles I; Rabara, Jennifer; Reese, R Neil; Chen, Xianfeng; Rohila, Jai S; Rushton, Paul J

2012-06-22

A complete assembled genome sequence of wheat is not yet available. Therefore, model plant systems for wheat are very valuable. Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is such a system. The WRKY family of transcription factors is one of the most important families of plant transcriptional regulators with members regulating important agronomic traits. Studies of WRKY transcription factors in Brachypodium and wheat therefore promise to lead to new strategies for wheat improvement. We have identified and manually curated the WRKY transcription factor family from Brachypodium using a pipeline designed to identify all potential WRKY genes. 86 WRKY transcription factors were found, a total higher than all other current databases. We therefore propose that our numbering system (BdWRKY1-BdWRKY86) becomes the standard nomenclature. In the JGI v1.0 assembly of Brachypodium with the MIPS/JGI v1.0 annotation, nine of the transcription factors have no gene model and eleven gene models are probably incorrectly predicted. In total, twenty WRKY transcription factors (23.3%) do not appear to have accurate gene models. To facilitate use of our data, we have produced The Database of Brachypodium distachyon WRKY Transcription Factors. Each WRKY transcription factor has a gene page that includes predicted protein domains from MEME analyses. These conserved protein domains reflect possible input and output domains in signaling. The database also contains a BLAST search function where a large dataset of WRKY transcription factors, published genes, and an extensive set of wheat ESTs can be searched. We also produced a phylogram containing the WRKY transcription factor families from Brachypodium, rice, Arabidopsis, soybean, and Physcomitrella patens, together with published WRKY transcription factors from wheat. This phylogenetic tree provides evidence for orthologues, co-orthologues, and paralogues of Brachypodium WRKY transcription factors. The description of the WRKY transcription factor

Synthetic Biology Platform for Sensing and Integrating Endogenous Transcriptional Inputs in Mammalian Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelici, Bartolomeo; Mailand, Erik; Haefliger, Benjamin; Benenson, Yaakov

2016-08-30

One of the goals of synthetic biology is to develop programmable artificial gene networks that can transduce multiple endogenous molecular cues to precisely control cell behavior. Realizing this vision requires interfacing natural molecular inputs with synthetic components that generate functional molecular outputs. Interfacing synthetic circuits with endogenous mammalian transcription factors has been particularly difficult. Here, we describe a systematic approach that enables integration and transduction of multiple mammalian transcription factor inputs by a synthetic network. The approach is facilitated by a proportional amplifier sensor based on synergistic positive autoregulation. The circuits efficiently transduce endogenous transcription factor levels into RNAi, transcriptional transactivation, and site-specific recombination. They also enable AND logic between pairs of arbitrary transcription factors. The results establish a framework for developing synthetic gene networks that interface with cellular processes through transcriptional regulators. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatty Acid–Regulated Transcription Factors in the Liver

Science.gov (United States)

Jump, Donald B.; Tripathy, Sasmita; Depner, Christopher M.

2014-01-01

Fatty acid regulation of hepatic gene transcription was first reported in the early 1990s. Several transcription factors have been identified as targets of fatty acid regulation. This regulation is achieved by direct fatty acid binding to the transcription factor or by indirect mechanisms where fatty acids regulate signaling pathways controlling the expression of transcription factors or the phosphorylation, ubiquitination, or proteolytic cleavage of the transcription factor. Although dietary fatty acids are well-established regulators of hepatic transcription factors, emerging evidence indicates that endogenously generated fatty acids are equally important in controlling transcription factors in the context of glucose and lipid homeostasis. Our first goal in this review is to provide an up-to-date examination of the molecular and metabolic bases of fatty acid regulation of key transcription factors controlling hepatic metabolism. Our second goal is to link these mechanisms to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing health concern in the obese population. PMID:23528177

WRKY transcription factors in plant responses to stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jingjing; Ma, Shenghui; Ye, Nenghui; Jiang, Ming; Cao, Jiashu; Zhang, Jianhua

2017-02-01

The WRKY gene family is among the largest families of transcription factors (TFs) in higher plants. By regulating the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, these TFs play critical roles in some plant processes in response to biotic and abiotic stress. Various bodies of research have demonstrated the important biological functions of WRKY TFs in plant response to different kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses and working mechanisms. However, very little summarization has been done to review their research progress. Not just important TFs function in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses, WRKY also participates in carbohydrate synthesis, senescence, development, and secondary metabolites synthesis. WRKY proteins can bind to W-box (TGACC (A/T)) in the promoter of its target genes and activate or repress the expression of downstream genes to regulate their stress response. Moreover, WRKY proteins can interact with other TFs to regulate plant defensive responses. In the present review, we focus on the structural characteristics of WRKY TFs and the research progress on their functions in plant responses to a variety of stresses. © 2016 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The Transcription Factor Encyclopedia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yusuf, Dimas; Butland, Stefanie L; Swanson, Magdalena I

2012-01-01

mini review articles on pertinent human, mouse and rat TFs. Notable features of the TFe website include a high-quality PDF generator and web API for programmatic data retrieval. TFe aims to rapidly educate scientists about the TFs they encounter through the delivery of succinct summaries written......ABSTRACT: Here we present the Transcription Factor Encyclopedia (TFe), a new web-based compendium of mini review articles on transcription factors (TFs) that is founded on the principles of open access and collaboration. Our consortium of over 100 researchers has collectively contributed over 130...

Signal transduction, receptors, mediators and genes: younger than ever - the 13th meeting of the Signal Transduction Society focused on aging and immunology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klotz Lars-Oliver

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The 13th meeting of the Signal Transduction Society was held in Weimar, from October 28 to 30, 2009. Special focus of the 2009 conference was "Aging and Senescence", which was co-organized by the SFB 728 "Environmentally-Induced Aging Processes" of the University of Düsseldorf and the study group 'Signal Transduction' of the German Society for Cell Biology (DGZ. In addition, several other areas of signal transduction research were covered and supported by different consortia associated with the Signal Transduction Society including the long-term associated study groups of the German Society for Immunology and the Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and for instance the SFB/Transregio 52 "Transcriptional Programming of Individual T Cell Subsets" located in Würzburg, Mainz and Berlin. The different research areas that were introduced by outstanding keynote speakers attracted more than 250 scientists, showing the timeliness and relevance of the interdisciplinary concept and exchange of knowledge during the three days of the scientific program. This report gives an overview of the presentations of the conference.

COMK ENCODES THE COMPETENCE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR, THE KEY REGULATORY PROTEIN FOR COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT IN BACILLUS-SUBTILIS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

VANSINDEREN, D; LUTTINGER, A; KONG, LY; DUBNAU, D; VENEMA, G; HAMOEN, L

comK is a positive autoregulatory gene occupying a central position in the com petence-signal-transduction network. All regulatory routes identified in this network converge at the level of comK expression. The ComK protein is required for the transcriptional induction of comK and the late

The transcription factor Mlc promotes Vibrio cholerae biofilm formation through repression of phosphotransferase system components.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, Bradley S; Lopilato, Jane E; Smith, Daniel R; Watnick, Paula I

2014-07-01

The phosphoenol phosphotransferase system (PTS) is a multicomponent signal transduction cascade that regulates diverse aspects of bacterial cellular physiology in response to the availability of high-energy sugars in the environment. Many PTS components are repressed at the transcriptional level when the substrates they transport are not available. In Escherichia coli, the transcription factor Mlc (for makes large colonies) represses transcription of the genes encoding enzyme I (EI), histidine protein (HPr), and the glucose-specific enzyme IIBC (EIIBC(Glc)) in defined media that lack PTS substrates. When glucose is present, the unphosphorylated form of EIIBC(Glc) sequesters Mlc to the cell membrane, preventing its interaction with DNA. Very little is known about Vibrio cholerae Mlc. We found that V. cholerae Mlc activates biofilm formation in LB broth but not in defined medium supplemented with either pyruvate or glucose. Therefore, we questioned whether V. cholerae Mlc functions differently than E. coli Mlc. Here we have shown that, like E. coli Mlc, V. cholerae Mlc represses transcription of PTS components in both defined medium and LB broth and that E. coli Mlc is able to rescue the biofilm defect of a V. cholerae Δmlc mutant. Furthermore, we provide evidence that Mlc indirectly activates transcription of the vps genes by repressing expression of EI. Because activation of the vps genes by Mlc occurs under only a subset of the conditions in which repression of PTS components is observed, we conclude that additional inputs present in LB broth are required for activation of vps gene transcription by Mlc. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

NAC transcription factors: structurally distinct, functionally diverse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Addie Nina; Ernst, Heidi A; Leggio, Leila Lo

2005-01-01

level and localization, and to the first indications of NAC participation in transcription factor networks. The recent determination of the DNA and protein binding NAC domain structure offers insight into the molecular functions of the protein family. Research into NAC transcription factors has......NAC proteins constitute one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors, and the family is present in a wide range of land plants. Here, we summarize the biological and molecular functions of the NAC family, paying particular attention to the intricate regulation of NAC protein...

An Optogenetic Platform for Real-Time, Single-Cell Interrogation of Stochastic Transcriptional Regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rullan, Marc; Benzinger, Dirk; Schmidt, Gregor W; Milias-Argeitis, Andreas; Khammash, Mustafa

2018-05-17

Transcription is a highly regulated and inherently stochastic process. The complexity of signal transduction and gene regulation makes it challenging to analyze how the dynamic activity of transcriptional regulators affects stochastic transcription. By combining a fast-acting, photo-regulatable transcription factor with nascent RNA quantification in live cells and an experimental setup for precise spatiotemporal delivery of light inputs, we constructed a platform for the real-time, single-cell interrogation of transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that transcriptional activation and deactivation are fast and memoryless. By analyzing the temporal activity of individual cells, we found that transcription occurs in bursts, whose duration and timing are modulated by transcription factor activity. Using our platform, we regulated transcription via light-driven feedback loops at the single-cell level. Feedback markedly reduced cell-to-cell variability and led to qualitative differences in cellular transcriptional dynamics. Our platform establishes a flexible method for studying transcriptional dynamics in single cells. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A transcription factor active on the epidermal growth factor receptor gene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kageyama, R.; Merlino, G.T.; Pastan, I.

1988-01-01

The authors have developed an in vitro transcription system for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) oncogene by using nuclear extracts of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells, which overproduce EGFR. They found that a nuclear factor, termed EGFR-specific transcription factor (ETF), specifically stimulated EGFR transcription by 5- to 10-fold. In this report, ETF, purified by using sequence-specific oligonucleotide affinity chromatography, is shown by renaturing material eluted from a NaDodSO 4 /polyacrylamide gel to be a protein with a molecular mass of 120 kDa. ETF binds to the promoter region, as measured by DNase I footprinting and gel-mobility-shift assays, and specifically stimulates the transcription of the EGFR gene in a reconstituted in vitro transcription system. These results suggest that ETF could play a role in the overexpression of the cellular oncogene EGFR

Pre-announcement of symbiotic guests: transcriptional reprogramming by mycorrhizal lipochitooligosaccharides shows a strict co-dependency on the GRAS transcription factors NSP1 and RAM1.

Science.gov (United States)

Hohnjec, Natalija; Czaja-Hasse, Lisa F; Hogekamp, Claudia; Küster, Helge

2015-11-23

infecting hyphae; linking responses to externally applied LCOs with early root colonization. Since both RAM1 and NSP1 were essential for the pre-symbiotic transcriptional reprogramming by Myc-LCOs, we propose that downstream of the CSSP, these GRAS transcription factors act synergistically in the transduction of those diffusible signals that pre-announce the presence of symbiotic fungi.

The transcription factor FoxB mediates temporal loss of cellular competence for notochord induction in ascidian embryos.

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Hashimoto, Hidehiko; Enomoto, Takashi; Enomoto, Atsushi; Kumano, Gaku; Nishida, Hiroki

2011-06-01

In embryos of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi, the competence of isolated presumptive notochord blastomeres to respond to fibroblast growth factor (FGF) for induction of the primary notochord decays by 1 hour after cleavage from the 32- to 64-cell stage. This study analyzes the molecular mechanisms responsible for this loss of competence and provides evidence for a novel mechanism. A forkhead family transcription factor, FoxB, plays a role in competence decay by preventing the induction of notochord-specific Brachyury (Bra) gene expression by the FGF/MAPK signaling pathway. Unlike the mechanisms reported previously in other animals, no component in the FGF signal transduction cascade appeared to be lost or inactivated at the time of competence loss. Knockdown of FoxB functions allowed the isolated cells to retain their competence for a longer period, and to respond to FGF with expression of Bra beyond the stage at which competence was normally lost. FoxB acts as a transcription repressor by directly binding to the cis-regulatory element of the Bra gene. Our results suggest that FoxB prevents ectopic induction of the notochord fate within the cells that assume a default nerve cord fate, after the stage when notochord induction has been completed. The merit of this system is that embryos can use the same FGF signaling cascade again for another purpose in the same cell lineage at later stages by keeping the signaling cascade itself available. Temporally and spatially regulated FoxB expression in nerve cord cells was promoted by the ZicN transcription factor and absence of FGF/MAPK signaling.

DNA residence time is a regulatory factor of transcription repression

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Clauß, Karen; Popp, Achim P.; Schulze, Lena; Hettich, Johannes; Reisser, Matthias; Escoter Torres, Laura; Uhlenhaut, N. Henriette

2017-01-01

Abstract Transcription comprises a highly regulated sequence of intrinsically stochastic processes, resulting in bursts of transcription intermitted by quiescence. In transcription activation or repression, a transcription factor binds dynamically to DNA, with a residence time unique to each factor. Whether the DNA residence time is important in the transcription process is unclear. Here, we designed a series of transcription repressors differing in their DNA residence time by utilizing the modular DNA binding domain of transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) and varying the number of nucleotide-recognizing repeat domains. We characterized the DNA residence times of our repressors in living cells using single molecule tracking. The residence times depended non-linearly on the number of repeat domains and differed by more than a factor of six. The factors provoked a residence time-dependent decrease in transcript level of the glucocorticoid receptor-activated gene SGK1. Down regulation of transcription was due to a lower burst frequency in the presence of long binding repressors and is in accordance with a model of competitive inhibition of endogenous activator binding. Our single molecule experiments reveal transcription factor DNA residence time as a regulatory factor controlling transcription repression and establish TALE-DNA binding domains as tools for the temporal dissection of transcription regulation. PMID:28977492

Runx transcription factors in neuronal development

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Shiga Takashi

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Runt-related (Runx transcription factors control diverse aspects of embryonic development and are responsible for the pathogenesis of many human diseases. In recent years, the functions of this transcription factor family in the nervous system have just begun to be understood. In dorsal root ganglion neurons, Runx1 and Runx3 play pivotal roles in the development of nociceptive and proprioceptive sensory neurons, respectively. Runx appears to control the transcriptional regulation of neurotrophin receptors, numerous ion channels and neuropeptides. As a consequence, Runx contributes to diverse aspects of the sensory system in higher vertebrates. In this review, we summarize recent progress in determining the role of Runx in neuronal development.

Potential Role of Activating Transcription Factor 5 during Osteogenesis

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Luisa Vicari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Human adipose-derived stem cells are an abundant population of stem cells readily isolated from human adipose tissue that can differentiate into connective tissue lineages including bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle. Activating transcription factor 5 is a transcription factor of the ATF/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB family. It is transcribed in two types of mRNAs (activating transcription factor 5 isoform 1 and activating transcription factor 5 isoform 2, encoding the same single 30-kDa protein. Although it is well demonstrated that it regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, little is known about its potential role in osteogenic differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of the two isoforms and protein during osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells. Our data indicate that activating transcription factor 5 is differentially expressed reaching a peak of expression at the stage of bone mineralization. These findings suggest that activating transcription factor 5 could play an interesting regulatory role during osteogenesis, which would provide a powerful tool to study bone physiology.

Potential Role of Activating Transcription Factor 5 during Osteogenesis.

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Vicari, Luisa; Calabrese, Giovanna; Forte, Stefano; Giuffrida, Raffaella; Colarossi, Cristina; Parrinello, Nunziatina Laura; Memeo, Lorenzo

2016-01-01

Human adipose-derived stem cells are an abundant population of stem cells readily isolated from human adipose tissue that can differentiate into connective tissue lineages including bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle. Activating transcription factor 5 is a transcription factor of the ATF/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) family. It is transcribed in two types of mRNAs (activating transcription factor 5 isoform 1 and activating transcription factor 5 isoform 2), encoding the same single 30-kDa protein. Although it is well demonstrated that it regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, little is known about its potential role in osteogenic differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of the two isoforms and protein during osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells. Our data indicate that activating transcription factor 5 is differentially expressed reaching a peak of expression at the stage of bone mineralization. These findings suggest that activating transcription factor 5 could play an interesting regulatory role during osteogenesis, which would provide a powerful tool to study bone physiology.

Polyphenol Compound as a Transcription Factor Inhibitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Seyeon

2015-10-30

A target-based approach has been used to develop novel drugs in many therapeutic fields. In the final stage of intracellular signaling, transcription factor-DNA interactions are central to most biological processes and therefore represent a large and important class of targets for human therapeutics. Thus, we focused on the idea that the disruption of protein dimers and cognate DNA complexes could impair the transcriptional activation and cell transformation regulated by these proteins. Historically, natural products have been regarded as providing the primary leading compounds capable of modulating protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions. Although their mechanism of action is not fully defined, polyphenols including flavonoids were found to act mostly as site-directed small molecule inhibitors on signaling. There are many reports in the literature of screening initiatives suggesting improved drugs that can modulate the transcription factor interactions responsible for disease. In this review, we focus on polyphenol compound inhibitors against dimeric forms of transcription factor components of intracellular signaling pathways (for instance, c-jun/c-fos (Activator Protein-1; AP-1), c-myc/max, Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and β-catenin/T cell factor (Tcf)).

SoyDB: a knowledge database of soybean transcription factors

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Valliyodan Babu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Transcription factors play the crucial rule of regulating gene expression and influence almost all biological processes. Systematically identifying and annotating transcription factors can greatly aid further understanding their functions and mechanisms. In this article, we present SoyDB, a user friendly database containing comprehensive knowledge of soybean transcription factors. Description The soybean genome was recently sequenced by the Department of Energy-Joint Genome Institute (DOE-JGI and is publicly available. Mining of this sequence identified 5,671 soybean genes as putative transcription factors. These genes were comprehensively annotated as an aid to the soybean research community. We developed SoyDB - a knowledge database for all the transcription factors in the soybean genome. The database contains protein sequences, predicted tertiary structures, putative DNA binding sites, domains, homologous templates in the Protein Data Bank (PDB, protein family classifications, multiple sequence alignments, consensus protein sequence motifs, web logo of each family, and web links to the soybean transcription factor database PlantTFDB, known EST sequences, and other general protein databases including Swiss-Prot, Gene Ontology, KEGG, EMBL, TAIR, InterPro, SMART, PROSITE, NCBI, and Pfam. The database can be accessed via an interactive and convenient web server, which supports full-text search, PSI-BLAST sequence search, database browsing by protein family, and automatic classification of a new protein sequence into one of 64 annotated transcription factor families by hidden Markov models. Conclusions A comprehensive soybean transcription factor database was constructed and made publicly accessible at http://casp.rnet.missouri.edu/soydb/.

Radiation activation of transcription factors in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraemer, M.; Stein, B.; Mai, S.; Kunz, E.; Koenig, H.; Ponta, H.; Herrlich, P.; Rahmsdorf, H.J.; Loferer, H.; Grunicke, H.H.

1990-01-01

In mammalian cells radiation induces the enhanced transcription of several genes. The cis acting elements in the control region of inducible genes have been delimited by site directed mutagenesis. Several different elements have been found in different genes. They do not only activate gene transcription in response to radiation but also in response to growth factors and to tumor promoter phorbol esters. The transcription factors binding to these elements are present also in non-irradiated cells, but their DNA binding activity and their transactivating capability is increased upon irradiation. The signal chain linking the primary radiation induced signal (damaged DNA) to the activation of transcription factors involves the action of (a) protein kinase(s). (orig.)

Intracellular delivery of cell-penetrating peptide-transcriptional factor fusion protein and its role in selective osteogenesis

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Suh JS

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Jin Sook Suh,1,* Jue Yeon Lee,2,* Yoon Jung Choi,1 Hyung Keun You,3 Seong-Doo Hong,4 Chong Pyoung Chung,2 Yoon Jeong Park1,2 1Dental Regenerative Biotechnology, Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 2Central Research Institute, Nano Intelligent Biomedical Engineering Corporation (NIBEC, Seoul, 3Department of Periodontology, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Iksan, 4Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Protein-transduction technology has been attempted to deliver macromolecular materials, including protein, nucleic acids, and polymeric drugs, for either diagnosis or therapeutic purposes. Herein, fusion protein composed of an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide, termed low-molecular-weight protamine (LMWP, and a transcriptional coactivator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ protein was prepared and applied in combination with biomaterials to increase bone-forming capacity. TAZ has been recently identified as a specific osteogenic stimulating transcriptional coactivator in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC differentiation, while simultaneously blocking adipogenic differentiation. However, TAZ by itself cannot penetrate the cells, and thus needs a transfection tool for translocalization. The LMWP-TAZ fusion proteins were efficiently translocalized into the cytosol of hMSCs. The hMSCs treated with cell-penetrating LMWP-TAZ exhibited increased expression of osteoblastic genes and protein, producing significantly higher quantities of mineralized matrix compared to free TAZ. In contrast, adipogenic differentiation of the hMSCs was blocked by treatment of LMWP-TAZ fusion protein, as reflected by reduced marker-protein expression, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ messenger ribonucleic acid levels. LMWP-TAZ was applied in

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha activates signal transduction in hypothalamus and modulates the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins and orexigenic/anorexigenic neurotransmitters.

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Amaral, Maria E; Barbuio, Raquel; Milanski, Marciane; Romanatto, Talita; Barbosa, Helena C; Nadruz, Wilson; Bertolo, Manoel B; Boschero, Antonio C; Saad, Mario J A; Franchini, Kleber G; Velloso, Licio A

2006-07-01

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is known to participate in the wastage syndrome that accompanies cancer and severe infectious diseases. More recently, a role for TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity has been shown. Much of the regulatory action exerted by TNF-alpha upon the control of energy stores depends on its action on the hypothalamus. In this study, we show that TNF-alpha activates canonical pro-inflammatory signal transduction pathways in the hypothalamus of rats. These signaling events lead to the transcriptional activation of an early responsive gene and to the induction of expression of cytokines and a cytokine responsive protein such as interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-10 and suppressor of cytokine signalling-3, respectively. In addition, TNF-alpha induces the expression of neurotransmitters involved in the control of feeding and thermogenesis. Thus, TNF-alpha may act directly in the hypothalamus inducing a pro-inflammatory response and the modulation of expression of neurotransmitters involved in energy homeostasis.

Comparison of Transcription Factor Binding Site Models

KAUST Repository

Bhuyan, Sharifulislam

2012-05-01

Modeling of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) and TFBS prediction on genomic sequences are important steps to elucidate transcription regulatory mechanism. Dependency of transcription regulation on a great number of factors such as chemical specificity, molecular structure, genomic and epigenetic characteristics, long distance interaction, makes this a challenging problem. Different experimental procedures generate evidence that DNA-binding domains of transcription factors show considerable DNA sequence specificity. Probabilistic modeling of TFBSs has been moderately successful in identifying patterns from a family of sequences. In this study, we compare performances of different probabilistic models and try to estimate their efficacy over experimental TFBSs data. We build a pipeline to calculate sensitivity and specificity from aligned TFBS sequences for several probabilistic models, such as Markov chains, hidden Markov models, Bayesian networks. Our work, containing relevant statistics and evaluation for the models, can help researchers to choose the most appropriate model for the problem at hand.

Progestins alter photo-transduction cascade and circadian rhythm network in eyes of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

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Zhao, Yanbin; Fent, Karl

2016-02-01

Environmental progestins are implicated in endocrine disruption in vertebrates. Additional targets that may be affected in organisms are poorly known. Here we report that progesterone (P4) and drospirenone (DRS) interfere with the photo-transduction cascade and circadian rhythm network in the eyes of zebrafish. Breeding pairs of adult zebrafish were exposed to P4 and DRS for 21 days with different measured concentrations of 7-742 ng/L and 99-13´650 ng/L, respectively. Of totally 10 key photo-transduction cascade genes analyzed, transcriptional levels of most were significantly up-regulated, or normal down-regulation was attenuated. Similarly, for some circadian rhythm genes, dose-dependent transcriptional alterations were also observed in the totally 33 genes analyzed. Significant alterations occurred even at environmental relevant levels of 7 ng/L P4. Different patterns were observed for these transcriptional alterations, of which, the nfil3 family displayed most significant changes. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of sampling time for the determination and interpretation of gene expression data, and put forward recommendations for sampling strategies to avoid false interpretations. Our results suggest that photo-transduction signals and circadian rhythm are potential targets for progestins. Further studies are required to assess alterations on the protein level, on physiology and behavior, as well as on implications in mammals.

The other side of cardiac Ca2+ signaling: transcriptional control

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Alejandro eDomínguez-Rodríquez

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Ca2+ is probably the most versatile signal transduction element used by all cell types. In the heart, it is essential to activate cellular contraction in each heartbeat. Nevertheless Ca2+ is not only a key element in excitation-contraction coupling (EC coupling, but it is also a pivotal second messenger in cardiac signal transduction, being able to control processes such as excitability, metabolism, and transcriptional regulation. Regarding the latter, Ca2+ activates Ca2+-dependent transcription factors by a process called excitation-transcription coupling (ET coupling. ET coupling is an integrated process by which the common signaling pathways that regulate EC coupling activate transcription factors. Although ET coupling has been extensively studied in neurons and other cell types, less is known in cardiac muscle. Some hints have been found in studies on the development of cardiac hypertrophy, where two Ca2+-dependent enzymes are key actors: Ca2+/Calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII and phosphatase calcineurin, both of which are activated by the complex Ca2+/ /Calmodulin. The question now is how ET coupling occurs in cardiomyocytes, where intracellular Ca2+ is continuously oscillating. In this focused review, we will draw attention to location of Ca2+ signaling: intranuclear ([Ca2+]n or cytoplasmic ([Ca2+]c, and the specific ionic channels involved in the activation of cardiac ET coupling. Specifically, we will highlight the role of the 1,4,5 inositol triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs in the elevation of [Ca2+]n levels, which are important to locally activate CaMKII, and the role of transient receptor potential channels canonical (TRPCs in [Ca2+]c, needed to activate calcineurin.

Polyphenol Compound as a Transcription Factor Inhibitor

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Seyeon Park

2015-10-01

Full Text Available A target-based approach has been used to develop novel drugs in many therapeutic fields. In the final stage of intracellular signaling, transcription factor–DNA interactions are central to most biological processes and therefore represent a large and important class of targets for human therapeutics. Thus, we focused on the idea that the disruption of protein dimers and cognate DNA complexes could impair the transcriptional activation and cell transformation regulated by these proteins. Historically, natural products have been regarded as providing the primary leading compounds capable of modulating protein–protein or protein-DNA interactions. Although their mechanism of action is not fully defined, polyphenols including flavonoids were found to act mostly as site-directed small molecule inhibitors on signaling. There are many reports in the literature of screening initiatives suggesting improved drugs that can modulate the transcription factor interactions responsible for disease. In this review, we focus on polyphenol compound inhibitors against dimeric forms of transcription factor components of intracellular signaling pathways (for instance, c-jun/c-fos (Activator Protein-1; AP-1, c-myc/max, Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB and β-catenin/T cell factor (Tcf.

Protein-protein interactions in the regulation of WRKY transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Yingjun; Yang, Yan; Zhou, Yuan; Zhou, Jie; Fan, Baofang; Yu, Jing-Quan; Chen, Zhixiang

2013-03-01

It has been almost 20 years since the first report of a WRKY transcription factor, SPF1, from sweet potato. Great progress has been made since then in establishing the diverse biological roles of WRKY transcription factors in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress. Despite the functional diversity, almost all analyzed WRKY proteins recognize the TTGACC/T W-box sequences and, therefore, mechanisms other than mere recognition of the core W-box promoter elements are necessary to achieve the regulatory specificity of WRKY transcription factors. Research over the past several years has revealed that WRKY transcription factors physically interact with a wide range of proteins with roles in signaling, transcription, and chromatin remodeling. Studies of WRKY-interacting proteins have provided important insights into the regulation and mode of action of members of the important family of transcription factors. It has also emerged that the slightly varied WRKY domains and other protein motifs conserved within each of the seven WRKY subfamilies participate in protein-protein interactions and mediate complex functional interactions between WRKY proteins and between WRKY and other regulatory proteins in the modulation of important biological processes. In this review, we summarize studies of protein-protein interactions for WRKY transcription factors and discuss how the interacting partners contribute, at different levels, to the establishment of the complex regulatory and functional network of WRKY transcription factors.

Emerging Functions of Transcription Factors in Malaria Parasite

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Renu Tuteja

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Transcription is a process by which the genetic information stored in DNA is converted into mRNA by enzymes known as RNA polymerase. Bacteria use only one RNA polymerase to transcribe all of its genes while eukaryotes contain three RNA polymerases to transcribe the variety of eukaryotic genes. RNA polymerase also requires other factors/proteins to produce the transcript. These factors generally termed as transcription factors (TFs are either associated directly with RNA polymerase or add in building the actual transcription apparatus. TFs are the most common tools that our cells use to control gene expression. Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for causing the most lethal form of malaria in humans. It shows most of its characteristics common to eukaryotic transcription but it is assumed that mechanisms of transcriptional control in P. falciparum somehow differ from those of other eukaryotes. In this article we describe the studies on the main TFs such as myb protein, high mobility group protein and ApiA2 family proteins from malaria parasite. These studies show that these TFs are slowly emerging to have defined roles in the regulation of gene expression in the parasite.

NUR TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS IN STRESS AND ADDICTION

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Danae eCampos-Melo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The Nur transcription factors Nur77 (NGFI-B, NR4A1, Nurr1 (NR4A2 and Nor-1 (NR4A3 are a sub-family of orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. These transcription factors are products of immediate early genes, whose expression is rapidly and transiently induced in the central nervous system by several types of stimuli. Nur factors are present throughout the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis where are prominently induced in response to stress. Drugs of abuse and stress also induce the expression of Nur factors in nuclei of the motivation/reward circuit of the brain, indicating their participation in the process of drug addiction and in non-hypothalamic responses to stress. Repeated use of addictive drugs and chronic stress induce long-lasting dysregulation of the brain motivation/reward circuit, due to reprogramming of gene expression and enduring alterations in neuronal function. Here, we review the data supporting that Nur transcription factors are key players in the molecular basis of the dysregulation of neuronal circuits involved in chronic stress and addiction.

Phosphoproteomics-based systems analysis of signal transduction networks

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Hiroko eKozuka-Hata

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Signal transduction systems coordinate complex cellular information to regulate biological events such as cell proliferation and differentiation. Although the accumulating evidence on widespread association of signaling molecules has revealed essential contribution of phosphorylation-dependent interaction networks to cellular regulation, their dynamic behavior is mostly yet to be analyzed. Recent technological advances regarding mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics have enabled us to describe the comprehensive status of phosphorylated molecules in a time-resolved manner. Computational analyses based on the phosphoproteome dynamics accelerate generation of novel methodologies for mathematical analysis of cellular signaling. Phosphoproteomics-based numerical modeling can be used to evaluate regulatory network elements from a statistical point of view. Integration with transcriptome dynamics also uncovers regulatory hubs at the transcriptional level. These omics-based computational methodologies, which have firstly been applied to representative signaling systems such as the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway, have now opened up a gate for systems analysis of signaling networks involved in immune response and cancer.

The Ikaros transcription factor regulates responsiveness to IL-12 and expression of IL-2 receptor alpha in mature, activated CD8 T cells.

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Eric T Clambey

Full Text Available The Ikaros family of transcription factors is critical for normal T cell development while limiting malignant transformation. Mature CD8 T cells express multiple Ikaros family members, yet little is known about their function in this context. To test the functions of this gene family, we used retroviral transduction to express a naturally occurring, dominant negative (DN isoform of Ikaros in activated CD8 T cells. Notably, expression of DN Ikaros profoundly enhanced the competitive advantage of activated CD8 T cells cultured in IL-12, such that by 6 days of culture, DN Ikaros-transduced cells were 100-fold more abundant than control cells. Expression of a DN isoform of Helios, a related Ikaros-family transcription factor, conferred a similar advantage to transduced cells in IL-12. While DN Ikaros-transduced cells had higher expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha chain, DN Ikaros-transduced cells achieved their competitive advantage through an IL-2 independent mechanism. Finally, the competitive advantage of DN Ikaros-transduced cells was manifested in vivo, following adoptive transfer of transduced cells. These data identify the Ikaros family of transcription factors as regulators of cytokine responsiveness in activated CD8 T cells, and suggest a role for this family in influencing effector and memory CD8 T cell differentiation.

Benefits of gene transduction of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor in cancer vaccine using genetically modified dendritic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojima, Toshiyasu; Iwahashi, Makoto; Nakamura, Masaki; Matsuda, Kenji; Nakamori, Mikihito; Ueda, Kentaro; Naka, Teiji; Katsuda, Masahiro; Miyazawa, Motoki; Yamaue, Hiroki

2007-10-01

Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a key cytokine for the generation and stimulation of dendritic cells (DCs), and it may also play a pivotal role in promoting the survival of DCs. In this study, the feasibility of creating a cancer vaccine using DCs adenovirally transduced with the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene and the GM-CSF gene was examined. In addition, the effect of the co-transduction of GM-CSF gene on the lifespan of these genetically modified DCs was determined. A cytotoxic assay using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) was performed in a 4-h 51Cr release assay. The apoptosis of DCs was examined by TdT-mediated dUTP-FITC nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. CEA-specific CTLs were generated from PBMCs stimulated with genetically modified DCs expressing CEA. The cytotoxicity of these CTLs was augmented by co-transduction of DCs with the GM-CSF gene. Co-transduction of the GM-CSF gene into DCs inhibited apoptosis of these DCs themselves via up-regulation of Bcl-x(L) expression, leading to the extension of the lifespan of these DCs. Furthermore, the transduction of the GM-CSF gene into DCs also suppressed the incidence of apoptosis of DCs induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGFbeta-1). Immunotherapy using these genetically modified DCs may therefore be useful with several advantages as follows: i) adenoviral toxicity to DCs can be reduced; ii) the lifespan of vaccinated DCs can be prolonged; and iii) GM-CSF may protect DCs from apoptosis induced by tumor-derived TGFbeta-1 in the regional lymph nodes.

Signal transduction by the platelet-derived growth factor receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, L.T.; Escobedo, J.A.; Keating, M.T.; Coughlin, S.R.

1988-01-01

The mitogenic effects of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are mediated by the PDGF receptor. The mouse PDGF receptor was recently purified on the basis of its ability to become tyrosine phosphorylated in response to the A-B human platelet form of PDGF, and the receptor amino acid sequence was determined from a full-length cDNA clone. Both the human and mouse receptor cDNA sequences have been expressed in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast (CHO) cells that normally lack PDGF receptors. This paper summarizes recent results using this system to study signal transduction by the PDGF receptor. Some of the findings show that the KI domain of the PDGF receptor plays an important role in the stimulation of DNA synthesis by PDGF. Surprisingly, the kinase insert region is not essential for PDGF stimulation of PtdIns turnover, pH change, increase in cellular calcium, and receptor autophosphorylation. In addition, PDGF stimulates a conformational change in the receptor

Transcriptional regulation of c-fos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prywes, R.; Fisch, T.M.; Roeder, R.G.

1988-01-01

Expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene is induced rapidly and transiently by serum and other mitogenic agents. This rapid induction is therefore likely to involve posttranslational modifications and provides an excellent model for an early nuclear target of the signal transduction process, growth factors that bind to tyrosine kinase receptors. The authors have sought to understand the mechanism of transcriptional induction by each of these agents. The first step in this process was to identify the sequence elements in the c-fos gene responsible for induction by each of these agents. A specific element, termed serum response element (SRE), has been identified by transfection experiments of c-fos promoter constructs. To study regulation via SRE, a nuclear factor that binds to the SRE, termed serum response factor (SRF), has been identified with the gel mobility shift assay

Gene expression analysis of WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures during a parabolic flight

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Babbick, Maren; Barjaktarović, Žarko; Hampp, Ruediger

Plants sense gravity by specialized cells (statocytes) and adjust growth and development accordingly. It has, however, also been shown that plant cells which are not part of specialized tissues are also able to sense gravitational forces. Therefore we used undifferentiated, homogeneous cell cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana (cv. Columbia) in order to identify early alterations in gene expression as a response to altered gravitational field strengths. In this contribution we report on cell cultures exposed to parabolic flights (approximately 20 sec of microgravity). For this short-term exposure study, we specifically checked for genes at the beginning of signal transduction chains, such as those coding for transcription factors (TFs). TFs are small proteins that regulate expression of their target genes by binding to specific promoter sequences. Our main focus were members of the so-called WRKY TF family. WRKY TFs are known to be involved in various physiological processes like senescence and pathogen defense. By quantifying transcriptional changes of these genes by real-time RT-PCR, we wanted to find out, how gene expression is affected by both hyperand microgravity conditions during a parabolic flight. For this purpose Arabidopsis thaliana callus cultures were metabolically quenched by the injection of RNAlater at the end of the microgravity-phase of each parabola. The data we present will show how fast changes in amounts of transcripts will occur, and to what degree the expression profiles are comparable with data obtained from exposures to hypergravity and simulated microgravity.

Integrated Electromechanical Transduction Schemes for Polymer MEMS Sensors

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Damien Thuau

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Polymer Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS have the potential to constitute a powerful alternative to silicon-based MEMS devices for sensing applications. Although the use of commercial photoresists as structural material in polymer MEMS has been widely reported, the integration of functional polymer materials as electromechanical transducers has not yet received the same amount of interest. In this context, we report on the design and fabrication of different electromechanical schemes based on polymeric materials ensuring different transduction functions. Piezoresistive transduction made of carbon nanotube-based nanocomposites with a gauge factor of 200 was embedded within U-shaped polymeric cantilevers operating either in static or dynamic modes. Flexible resonators with integrated piezoelectric transduction were also realized and used as efficient viscosity sensors. Finally, piezoelectric-based organic field effect transistor (OFET electromechanical transduction exhibiting a record sensitivity of over 600 was integrated into polymer cantilevers and used as highly sensitive strain and humidity sensors. Such advances in integrated electromechanical transduction schemes should favor the development of novel all-polymer MEMS devices for flexible and wearable applications in the future.

A deeper look into transcription regulatory code by preferred pair distance templates for transcription factor binding sites

KAUST Repository

Kulakovskiy, Ivan V.; Belostotsky, A. A.; Kasianov, Artem S.; Esipova, Natalia G.; Medvedeva, Yulia; Eliseeva, Irina A.; Makeev, Vsevolod J.

2011-01-01

Motivation: Modern experimental methods provide substantial information on protein-DNA recognition. Studying arrangements of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) of interacting transcription factors (TFs) advances understanding

Factor requirements for transcription in the Archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae.

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, S A; Bell, S D; Jackson, S P

1997-05-15

Archaea (archaebacteria) constitute a domain of life that is distinct from Bacteria (eubacteria) and Eucarya (eukaryotes). Although archaeal cells share many morphological features with eubacteria, their transcriptional apparatus is more akin to eukaryotic RNA polymerases I, II and III than it is to eubacterial transcription systems. Thus, in addition to possessing a 10 subunit RNA polymerase and a homologue of the TATA-binding protein (TBP), Archaea possess a polypeptide termed TFB that is homologous to eukaryotic TFIIB. Here, we investigate the factor requirements for transcription of several promoters of the archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae and its associated virus SSV. Through in vitro transcription and immunodepletion, we demonstrate that S. shibatae TBP, TFB and RNA polymerase are not complexed tightly with one another and that each is required for efficient transcription of all promoters tested. Furthermore, full transcription is restored by supplementing respective depleted extracts with recombinant TBP or TFB, indicating that TBP-associated factors or TFB-associated factors are not required. Indeed, gel-filtration suggests that Sulfolobus TBP and TFB are not associated stably with other proteins. Finally, all promoters analysed are transcribed accurately and efficiently in an in vitro system comprising recombinant TBP and TFB, together with essentially homogeneous preparation of RNA polymerase. Transcription in Archaea is therefore fundamentally homologous to that in eukaryotes, although factor requirements appear to be much less complex.

Transcription factor-based biosensor

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Dietrich, Jeffrey A; Keasling, Jay D

2013-10-08

The present invention provides for a system comprising a BmoR transcription factor, a .sigma..sup.54-RNA polymerase, and a pBMO promoter operatively linked to a reporter gene, wherein the pBMO promoter is capable of expression of the reporter gene with an activated form of the BmoR and the .sigma..sup.54-RNA polymerase.

Detecting Differential Transcription Factor Activity from ATAC-Seq Data

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Ignacio J. Tripodi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Transcription factors are managers of the cellular factory, and key components to many diseases. Many non-coding single nucleotide polymorphisms affect transcription factors, either by directly altering the protein or its functional activity at individual binding sites. Here we first briefly summarize high-throughput approaches to studying transcription factor activity. We then demonstrate, using published chromatin accessibility data (specifically ATAC-seq, that the genome-wide profile of TF recognition motifs relative to regions of open chromatin can determine the key transcription factor altered by a perturbation. Our method of determining which TFs are altered by a perturbation is simple, is quick to implement, and can be used when biological samples are limited. In the future, we envision that this method could be applied to determine which TFs show altered activity in response to a wide variety of drugs and diseases.

Functional Profiling of Transcription Factor Genes in Neurospora crassa

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Alexander J. Carrillo

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Regulation of gene expression by DNA-binding transcription factors is essential for proper control of growth and development in all organisms. In this study, we annotate and characterize growth and developmental phenotypes for transcription factor genes in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. We identified 312 transcription factor genes, corresponding to 3.2% of the protein coding genes in the genome. The largest class was the fungal-specific Zn2Cys6 (C6 binuclear cluster, with 135 members, followed by the highly conserved C2H2 zinc finger group, with 61 genes. Viable knockout mutants were produced for 273 genes, and complete growth and developmental phenotypic data are available for 242 strains, with 64% possessing at least one defect. The most prominent defect observed was in growth of basal hyphae (43% of mutants analyzed, followed by asexual sporulation (38%, and the various stages of sexual development (19%. Two growth or developmental defects were observed for 21% of the mutants, while 8% were defective in all three major phenotypes tested. Analysis of available mRNA expression data for a time course of sexual development revealed mutants with sexual phenotypes that correlate with transcription factor transcript abundance in wild type. Inspection of this data also implicated cryptic roles in sexual development for several cotranscribed transcription factor genes that do not produce a phenotype when mutated.

Intracellular delivery of cell-penetrating peptide-transcriptional factor fusion protein and its role in selective osteogenesis

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Suh, Jin Sook; Lee, Jue Yeon; Choi, Yoon Jung; You, Hyung Keun; Hong, Seong-Doo; Chung, Chong Pyoung; Park, Yoon Jeong

2014-01-01

Protein-transduction technology has been attempted to deliver macromolecular materials, including protein, nucleic acids, and polymeric drugs, for either diagnosis or therapeutic purposes. Herein, fusion protein composed of an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide, termed low-molecular-weight protamine (LMWP), and a transcriptional coactivator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) protein was prepared and applied in combination with biomaterials to increase bone-forming capacity. TAZ has been recently identified as a specific osteogenic stimulating transcriptional coactivator in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) differentiation, while simultaneously blocking adipogenic differentiation. However, TAZ by itself cannot penetrate the cells, and thus needs a transfection tool for translocalization. The LMWP-TAZ fusion proteins were efficiently translocalized into the cytosol of hMSCs. The hMSCs treated with cell-penetrating LMWP-TAZ exhibited increased expression of osteoblastic genes and protein, producing significantly higher quantities of mineralized matrix compared to free TAZ. In contrast, adipogenic differentiation of the hMSCs was blocked by treatment of LMWP-TAZ fusion protein, as reflected by reduced marker-protein expression, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ messenger ribonucleic acid levels. LMWP-TAZ was applied in alginate gel for the purpose of localization and controlled release. The LMWP-TAZ fusion protein-loaded alginate gel matrix significantly increased bone formation in rabbit calvarial defects compared with alginate gel matrix mixed with free TAZ protein. The protein transduction of TAZ fused with cell-penetrating LMWP peptide was able selectively to stimulate osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, this fusion protein-transduction technology for osteogenic protein can thus be applied in combination with biomaterials for tissue regeneration and controlled release for tissue

Cyclin D3 interacts with human activating transcription factor 5 and potentiates its transcription activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Wenjin; Sun Maoyun; Jiang Jianhai; Shen Xiaoyun; Sun Qing; Liu Weicheng; Shen Hailian; Gu Jianxin

2004-01-01

The Cyclin D3 protein is a member of the D-type cyclins. Besides serving as cell cycle regulators, D-type cyclins have been reported to be able to interact with several transcription factors and modulate their transcriptional activations. Here we report that human activating transcription factor 5 (hATF5) is a new interacting partner of Cyclin D3. The interaction was confirmed by in vivo coimmunoprecipitation and in vitro binding analysis. Neither interaction between Cyclin D1 and hATF5 nor interaction between Cyclin D2 and hATF5 was observed. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that Cyclin D3 could colocalize with hATF5 in the nuclear region. Cyclin D3 could potentiate hATF5 transcriptional activity independently of its Cdk4 partner. But Cyclin D1 and Cyclin D2 had no effect on hATF5 transcriptional activity. These data provide a new clue to understand the new role of Cyclin D3 as a transcriptional regulator

Modulation of DNA binding by gene-specific transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Schleif, Robert F

2013-10-01

The transcription of many genes, particularly in prokaryotes, is controlled by transcription factors whose activity can be modulated by controlling their DNA binding affinity. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which DNA binding affinity is regulated is important, but because forming definitive conclusions usually requires detailed structural information in combination with data from extensive biophysical, biochemical, and sometimes genetic experiments, little is truly understood about this topic. This review describes the biological requirements placed upon DNA binding transcription factors and their consequent properties, particularly the ways that DNA binding affinity can be modulated and methods for its study. What is known and not known about the mechanisms modulating the DNA binding affinity of a number of prokaryotic transcription factors, including CAP and lac repressor, is provided.

Transcriptional repression of BODENLOS by HD-ZIP transcription factor HB5 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smet, De I.; Lau, S.; Ehrismann, J.S.; Axiotis, I.; Kolb, M.; Kientz, M.; Weijers, D.; Jürgens, G.

2013-01-01

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the phytohormone auxin is an important patterning agent during embryogenesis and post-embryonic development, exerting effects through transcriptional regulation. The main determinants of the transcriptional auxin response machinery are AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF)

A critique on nuclear factor-kappa B and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3: The key transcription factors in periodontal pathogenesis

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Ranjith Ambili

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Periodontal disease is initiated by microorganisms in dental plaque, and host immunoinflammatory response to the microbial challenge helps in disease progression. Conventional periodontal therapy was mainly targeted on the elimination of microbial component. However, a better understanding of molecular aspects in host response will enable the clinicians to formulate effective host modulation therapy (HMT for the periodontal management. Inflammatory mediators were the main targets for HMT in the past. Transcription factors can regulate the production of multiple mediators simultaneously, and inhibition of these factors will be more beneficial than blocking individual molecule. Two important transcription factors implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases are nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3. The role of these factors in periodontal disease is a less explored area. This comprehensive review is aimed at unveiling the critical role of NF-κB and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 in periodontal pathogenesis. An online search was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed database. All publications till 2016 related to NF-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3, and inflammation were included in writing this review. A total of 27,390 references were published based on the search terms used. Out of these, 507 were related to the periodontal research published in English till 2016. Relevant papers were chosen after carefully reading the abstract. This review has attempted to comprehend the existing knowledge regarding the role of transcription factors NF-κB and STAT3 in periodontal disease. Moreover, it also provides a connecting molecular link for the periodontal medicine concept.

Arabidopsis transcription factors: genome-wide comparative analysis among eukaryotes.

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Riechmann, J L; Heard, J; Martin, G; Reuber, L; Jiang, C; Keddie, J; Adam, L; Pineda, O; Ratcliffe, O J; Samaha, R R; Creelman, R; Pilgrim, M; Broun, P; Zhang, J Z; Ghandehari, D; Sherman, B K; Yu, G

2000-12-15

The completion of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence allows a comparative analysis of transcriptional regulators across the three eukaryotic kingdoms. Arabidopsis dedicates over 5% of its genome to code for more than 1500 transcription factors, about 45% of which are from families specific to plants. Arabidopsis transcription factors that belong to families common to all eukaryotes do not share significant similarity with those of the other kingdoms beyond the conserved DNA binding domains, many of which have been arranged in combinations specific to each lineage. The genome-wide comparison reveals the evolutionary generation of diversity in the regulation of transcription.

BACH transcription factors in innate and adaptive immunity.

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Igarashi, Kazuhiko; Kurosaki, Tomohiro; Roychoudhuri, Rahul

2017-07-01

BTB and CNC homology (BACH) proteins are transcriptional repressors of the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor family. Recent studies indicate widespread roles of BACH proteins in controlling the development and function of the innate and adaptive immune systems, including the differentiation of effector and memory cells of the B and T cell lineages, CD4 + regulatory T cells and macrophages. Here, we emphasize similarities at a molecular level in the cell-type-specific activities of BACH factors, proposing that competitive interactions of BACH proteins with transcriptional activators of the bZIP family form a common mechanistic theme underlying their diverse actions. The findings contribute to a general understanding of how transcriptional repressors shape lineage commitment and cell-type-specific functions through repression of alternative lineage programmes.

Thirty-seven transcription factor genes differentially respond to a ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Plant transcription factors and insect defence si. Thirty-seven transcription factor genes differentially respond to a harpin protein and affect resistance to the green peach aphid in Arabidopsis. HUNLIN. PIN. RUOXUE LIŲ, BEIBEI LÜ, XIAOMENG WANG, CHUNLING ZHANG, SHUPING ZHANG, JUN QIAN, LEI CHEN,.

Structural Fingerprints of Transcription Factor Binding Site Regions

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Peter Willett

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Fourier transforms are a powerful tool in the prediction of DNA sequence properties, such as the presence/absence of codons. We have previously compiled a database of the structural properties of all 32,896 unique DNA octamers. In this work we apply Fourier techniques to the analysis of the structural properties of human chromosomes 21 and 22 and also to three sets of transcription factor binding sites within these chromosomes. We find that, for a given structural property, the structural property power spectra of chromosomes 21 and 22 are strikingly similar. We find common peaks in their power spectra for both Sp1 and p53 transcription factor binding sites. We use the power spectra as a structural fingerprint and perform similarity searching in order to find transcription factor binding site regions. This approach provides a new strategy for searching the genome data for information. Although it is difficult to understand the relationship between specific functional properties and the set of structural parameters in our database, our structural fingerprints nevertheless provide a useful tool for searching for function information in sequence data. The power spectrum fingerprints provide a simple, fast method for comparing a set of functional sequences, in this case transcription factor binding site regions, with the sequences of whole chromosomes. On its own, the power spectrum fingerprint does not find all transcription factor binding sites in a chromosome, but the results presented here show that in combination with other approaches, this technique will improve the chances of identifying functional sequences hidden in genomic data.

NAC Transcription Factors in Stress Responses and Senescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Shea, Charlotte

Plant-specific NAM/ATAF/CUC (NAC) transcription factors have recently received considerable attention due to their significant roles in plant development and stress signalling. This interest has resulted in a number of physiological, genetic and cell biological studies of their functions. Some...... of these studies have also revealed emerging gene regulatory networks and protein-protein interaction networks. However, structural studies relating structure to function are lagging behind. Structure-function analysis of the NAC transcription factors has therefore been the main focus of this PhD thesis...... not involve significant folding-upon-binding but fuzziness or an extended ANAC046 region. The ANAC046 regulatory domain functions as an entropic chain with a bait for interactions with for example RCD1. RCD1 interacts with transcription factors from several different families, and the large stress...

Cross-Family Transcription Factor Interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bemer, Marian; Dijk, van Aalt-Jan; Immink, Richard G.H.; Angenent, Gerco C.

2017-01-01

Specific and dynamic gene expression strongly depends on transcription factor (TF) activity and most plant TFs function in a combinatorial fashion. They can bind to DNA and control the expression of the corresponding gene in an additive fashion or cooperate by physical interactions, forming larger

Transcription factor interplay in T helper cell differentiation

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Evans, Catherine M.

2013-01-01

The differentiation of CD4 helper T cells into specialized effector lineages has provided a powerful model for understanding immune cell differentiation. Distinct lineages have been defined by differential expression of signature cytokines and the lineage-specifying transcription factors necessary and sufficient for their production. The traditional paradigm of differentiation towards Th1 and Th2 subtypes driven by T-bet and GATA3, respectively, has been extended to incorporate additional T cell lineages and transcriptional regulators. Technological advances have expanded our view of these lineage-specifying transcription factors to the whole genome and revealed unexpected interplay between them. From these data, it is becoming clear that lineage specification is more complex and plastic than previous models might have suggested. Here, we present an overview of the different forms of transcription factor interplay that have been identified and how T cell phenotypes arise as a product of this interplay within complex regulatory networks. We also suggest experimental strategies that will provide further insight into the mechanisms that underlie T cell lineage specification and plasticity. PMID:23878131

Transcription factor interplay in T helper cell differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Catherine M; Jenner, Richard G

2013-11-01

The differentiation of CD4 helper T cells into specialized effector lineages has provided a powerful model for understanding immune cell differentiation. Distinct lineages have been defined by differential expression of signature cytokines and the lineage-specifying transcription factors necessary and sufficient for their production. The traditional paradigm of differentiation towards Th1 and Th2 subtypes driven by T-bet and GATA3, respectively, has been extended to incorporate additional T cell lineages and transcriptional regulators. Technological advances have expanded our view of these lineage-specifying transcription factors to the whole genome and revealed unexpected interplay between them. From these data, it is becoming clear that lineage specification is more complex and plastic than previous models might have suggested. Here, we present an overview of the different forms of transcription factor interplay that have been identified and how T cell phenotypes arise as a product of this interplay within complex regulatory networks. We also suggest experimental strategies that will provide further insight into the mechanisms that underlie T cell lineage specification and plasticity.

[Study of signal transduction pathway in the expression of inflammatory factors stimulated by lipopolysaccharides from Porphyromonas endodontalis in osteoblasts].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Di; Qiu, Li-hong; Li, Ren; Li, Zi-mu; Li, Chen

2010-04-01

To quantify the interleukin (IL)-1beta mRNA and IL-6 mRNA expression induced by lipopolysaccharides ([PS) extracted from Porphyromonoas endodontalis (P. endodontalis) in osteoblasts, and to relate P. endodontalis LPS to the bone resorptive pathogenesis in the lesions of chronic apical periodontitis. MG63 cells was pretreated with PD98059 or SB203580 for 1 h and then treated with P. endodontolis LPS for 6 h. The expression of IL-1beta mRNA and IL-6 mRNA were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The production of IL-1beta mRNA induced by P. endodontalis LPS decreased in osteoblasts pretreated with PD98059. Both of the production of IL-1beta mRNA and JL-6 mRNA induced by P. endodontalis LPS decreased in osteoblasts pretreated with SB203580. The synthesis of IL-1beta mRNA stimulated by Pendodontalis LPS in MG63 probably occur via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction system. The synthesis of IL-6 mRNA stimulated by P.endodontalis LPS in MG63 probahly occur via p38MAPK signal transduction system.

Enhanceosomes as integrators of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) and other transcription factors in the hypoxic transcriptional response.

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Pawlus, Matthew R; Hu, Cheng-Jun

2013-09-01

Hypoxia is a prevalent attribute of the solid tumor microenvironment that promotes the expression of genes through posttranslational modifications and stabilization of alpha subunits (HIF1α and HIF2α) of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Despite significant similarities, HIF1 (HIF1α/ARNT) and HIF2 (HIF2α/ARNT) activate common as well as unique target genes and exhibit different functions in cancer biology. More surprisingly, accumulating data indicates that the HIF1- and/or HIF2-mediated hypoxia responses can be oncogenic as well as tumor suppressive. While the role of HIF in the hypoxia response is well established, recent data support the concept that HIF is necessary, but not sufficient for the hypoxic response. Other transcription factors that are activated by hypoxia are also required for the HIF-mediated hypoxia response. HIFs, other transcription factors, co-factors and RNA poll II recruited by HIF and other transcription factors form multifactorial enhanceosome complexes on the promoters of HIF target genes to activate hypoxia inducible genes. Importantly, HIF1 or HIF2 requires distinct partners in activating HIF1 or HIF2 target genes. Because HIF enhanceosome formation is required for the gene activation and distinct functions of HIF1 and HIF2 in tumor biology, disruption of the HIF1 or HIF2 specific enhanceosome complex may prove to be a beneficial strategy in tumor treatment in which tumor growth is specifically dependent upon HIF1 or HIF2 activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DNA Binding by the Ribosomal DNA Transcription Factor Rrn3 Is Essential for Ribosomal DNA Transcription*

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanchick, Ann; Zhi, Huijun; Cavanaugh, Alice H.; Rothblum, Katrina; Schneider, David A.; Rothblum, Lawrence I.

2013-01-01

The human homologue of yeast Rrn3 is an RNA polymerase I-associated transcription factor that is essential for ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription. The generally accepted model is that Rrn3 functions as a bridge between RNA polymerase I and the transcription factors bound to the committed template. In this model Rrn3 would mediate an interaction between the mammalian Rrn3-polymerase I complex and SL1, the rDNA transcription factor that binds to the core promoter element of the rDNA. In the course of studying the role of Rrn3 in recruitment, we found that Rrn3 was in fact a DNA-binding protein. Analysis of the sequence of Rrn3 identified a domain with sequence similarity to the DNA binding domain of heat shock transcription factor 2. Randomization, or deletion, of the amino acids in this region in Rrn3, amino acids 382–400, abrogated its ability to bind DNA, indicating that this domain was an important contributor to DNA binding by Rrn3. Control experiments demonstrated that these mutant Rrn3 constructs were capable of interacting with both rpa43 and SL1, two other activities demonstrated to be essential for Rrn3 function. However, neither of these Rrn3 mutants was capable of functioning in transcription in vitro. Moreover, although wild-type human Rrn3 complemented a yeast rrn3-ts mutant, the DNA-binding site mutant did not. These results demonstrate that DNA binding by Rrn3 is essential for transcription by RNA polymerase I. PMID:23393135

DNA binding by the ribosomal DNA transcription factor rrn3 is essential for ribosomal DNA transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanchick, Ann; Zhi, Huijun; Cavanaugh, Alice H; Rothblum, Katrina; Schneider, David A; Rothblum, Lawrence I

2013-03-29

The human homologue of yeast Rrn3 is an RNA polymerase I-associated transcription factor that is essential for ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription. The generally accepted model is that Rrn3 functions as a bridge between RNA polymerase I and the transcription factors bound to the committed template. In this model Rrn3 would mediate an interaction between the mammalian Rrn3-polymerase I complex and SL1, the rDNA transcription factor that binds to the core promoter element of the rDNA. In the course of studying the role of Rrn3 in recruitment, we found that Rrn3 was in fact a DNA-binding protein. Analysis of the sequence of Rrn3 identified a domain with sequence similarity to the DNA binding domain of heat shock transcription factor 2. Randomization, or deletion, of the amino acids in this region in Rrn3, amino acids 382-400, abrogated its ability to bind DNA, indicating that this domain was an important contributor to DNA binding by Rrn3. Control experiments demonstrated that these mutant Rrn3 constructs were capable of interacting with both rpa43 and SL1, two other activities demonstrated to be essential for Rrn3 function. However, neither of these Rrn3 mutants was capable of functioning in transcription in vitro. Moreover, although wild-type human Rrn3 complemented a yeast rrn3-ts mutant, the DNA-binding site mutant did not. These results demonstrate that DNA binding by Rrn3 is essential for transcription by RNA polymerase I.

Anagrelide represses GATA-1 and FOG-1 expression without interfering with thrombopoietin receptor signal transduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahluwalia, M; Donovan, H; Singh, N; Butcher, L; Erusalimsky, J D

2010-10-01

 Anagrelide is a selective inhibitor of megakaryocytopoiesis used to treat thrombocytosis in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders. The effectiveness of anagrelide in lowering platelet counts is firmly established, but its primary mechanism of action remains elusive.  Here, we have evaluated whether anagrelide interferes with the major signal transduction cascades stimulated by thrombopoietin in the hematopoietic cell line UT-7/mpl and in cultured CD34(+) -derived human hematopoietic cells. In addition, we have used quantitative mRNA expression analysis to assess whether the drug affects the levels of known transcription factors that control megakaryocytopoiesis.  In UT-7/mpl cells, anagrelide (1μm) did not interfere with MPL-mediated signaling as monitored by its lack of effect on JAK2 phosphorylation. Similarly, the drug did not affect the phosphorylation of STAT3, ERK1/2 or AKT in either UT-7/mpl cells or primary hematopoietic cells. In contrast, during thrombopoietin-induced megakaryocytic differentiation of normal hematopoietic cultures, anagrelide (0.3μm) reduced the rise in the mRNA levels of the transcription factors GATA-1 and FOG-1 as well as those of the downstream genes encoding FLI-1, NF-E2, glycoprotein IIb and MPL. However, the drug showed no effect on GATA-2 or RUNX-1 mRNA expression. Furthermore, anagrelide did not diminish the rise in GATA-1 and FOG-1 expression during erythropoietin-stimulated erythroid differentiation. Cilostamide, an exclusive and equipotent phosphodiesterase III (PDEIII) inhibitor, did not alter the expression of these genes.  Anagrelide suppresses megakaryocytopoiesis by reducing the expression levels of GATA-1 and FOG-1 via a PDEIII-independent mechanism that is differentiation context-specific and does not involve inhibition of MPL-mediated early signal transduction events. © 2010 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

TrSDB: a proteome database of transcription factors

Science.gov (United States)

Hermoso, Antoni; Aguilar, Daniel; Aviles, Francesc X.; Querol, Enrique

2004-01-01

TrSDB—TranScout Database—(http://ibb.uab.es/trsdb) is a proteome database of eukaryotic transcription factors based upon predicted motifs by TranScout and data sources such as InterPro and Gene Ontology Annotation. Nine eukaryotic proteomes are included in the current version. Extensive and diverse information for each database entry, different analyses considering TranScout classification and similarity relationships are offered for research on transcription factors or gene expression. PMID:14681387

Using TESS to predict transcription factor binding sites in DNA sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Schug, Jonathan

2008-03-01

This unit describes how to use the Transcription Element Search System (TESS). This Web site predicts transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) in DNA sequence using two different kinds of models of sites, strings and positional weight matrices. The binding of transcription factors to DNA is a major part of the control of gene expression. Transcription factors exhibit sequence-specific binding; they form stronger bonds to some DNA sequences than to others. Identification of a good binding site in the promoter for a gene suggests the possibility that the corresponding factor may play a role in the regulation of that gene. However, the sequences transcription factors recognize are typically short and allow for some amount of mismatch. Because of this, binding sites for a factor can typically be found at random every few hundred to a thousand base pairs. TESS has features to help sort through and evaluate the significance of predicted sites.

Microarray-Based Identification of Transcription Factor Target Genes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorte, M.; Horstman, A.; Page, R.B.; Heidstra, R.; Stromberg, A.; Boutilier, K.A.

2011-01-01

Microarray analysis is widely used to identify transcriptional changes associated with genetic perturbation or signaling events. Here we describe its application in the identification of plant transcription factor target genes with emphasis on the design of suitable DNA constructs for controlling TF

Repression of meiotic genes by antisense transcription and by Fkh2 transcription factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huei-Mei; Rosebrock, Adam P; Khan, Sohail R; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet K

2012-01-01

In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s) of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the "unspliced" signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression.

Exploring the utility of organo-polyoxometalate hybrids to inhibit SOX transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimhan, Kamesh; Micoine, Kevin; Lacôte, Emmanuel; Thorimbert, Serge; Cheung, Edwin; Hasenknopf, Bernold; Jauch, Ralf

2014-01-01

SOX transcription factors constitute an attractive target class for intervention with small molecules as they play a prominent role in the field of regenerative biomedicine and cancer biology. However, rationally engineering specific inhibitors that interfere with transcription factor DNA interfaces continues to be a monumental challenge in the field of transcription factor chemical biology. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are inorganic compounds that were previously shown to target the high-mobility group (HMG) of SOX proteins at nanomolar concentrations. In continuation of this work, we carried out an assessment of the selectivity of a panel of newly synthesized organo-polyoxometalate hybrids in targeting different transcription factor families to enable the usage of polyoxometalates as specific SOX transcription factor drugs. The residual DNA-binding activities of 15 different transcription factors were measured after treatment with a panel of diverse polyoxometalates. Polyoxometalates belonging to the Dawson structural class were found to be more potent inhibitors than the Keggin class. Further, organically modified Dawson polyoxometalates were found to be the most potent in inhibiting transcription factor DNA binding activity. The size of the polyoxometalates and its derivitization were found to be the key determinants of their potency. Polyoxometalates are highly potent, nanomolar range inhibitors of the DNA binding activity of the Sox-HMG family. However, binding assays involving a limited subset of structurally diverse polyoxometalates revealed a low selectivity profile against different transcription factor families. Further progress in achieving selectivity and deciphering structure-activity relationship of POMs require the identification of POM binding sites on transcription factors using elaborate approaches like X-ray crystallography and multidimensional NMR. In summary, our report reaffirms that transcription factors are challenging molecular architectures

TcoF-DB v2: update of the database of human and mouse transcription co-factors and transcription factor interactions

KAUST Repository

Schmeier, Sebastian; Alam, Tanvir; Essack, Magbubah; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2016-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) play a pivotal role in transcriptional regulation, making them crucial for cell survival and important biological functions. For the regulation of transcription, interactions of different regulatory proteins known as transcription co-factors (TcoFs) and TFs are essential in forming necessary protein complexes. Although TcoFs themselves do not bind DNA directly, their influence on transcriptional regulation and initiation, although indirect, has been shown to be significant, with the functionality of TFs strongly influenced by the presence of TcoFs. In the TcoF-DB v2 database, we collect information on TcoFs. In this article, we describe updates and improvements implemented in TcoF-DB v2. TcoF-DB v2 provides several new features that enables exploration of the roles of TcoFs. The content of the database has significantly expanded, and is enriched with information from Gene Ontology, biological pathways, diseases and molecular signatures. TcoF-DB v2 now includes many more TFs; has substantially increased the number of human TcoFs to 958, and now includes information on mouse (418 new TcoFs). TcoF-DB v2 enables the exploration of information on TcoFs and allows investigations into their influence on transcriptional regulation in humans and mice. TcoF-DB v2 can be accessed at http://tcofdb.org/.

TcoF-DB v2: update of the database of human and mouse transcription co-factors and transcription factor interactions

KAUST Repository

Schmeier, Sebastian

2016-10-17

Transcription factors (TFs) play a pivotal role in transcriptional regulation, making them crucial for cell survival and important biological functions. For the regulation of transcription, interactions of different regulatory proteins known as transcription co-factors (TcoFs) and TFs are essential in forming necessary protein complexes. Although TcoFs themselves do not bind DNA directly, their influence on transcriptional regulation and initiation, although indirect, has been shown to be significant, with the functionality of TFs strongly influenced by the presence of TcoFs. In the TcoF-DB v2 database, we collect information on TcoFs. In this article, we describe updates and improvements implemented in TcoF-DB v2. TcoF-DB v2 provides several new features that enables exploration of the roles of TcoFs. The content of the database has significantly expanded, and is enriched with information from Gene Ontology, biological pathways, diseases and molecular signatures. TcoF-DB v2 now includes many more TFs; has substantially increased the number of human TcoFs to 958, and now includes information on mouse (418 new TcoFs). TcoF-DB v2 enables the exploration of information on TcoFs and allows investigations into their influence on transcriptional regulation in humans and mice. TcoF-DB v2 can be accessed at http://tcofdb.org/.

Demonstrating Interactions of Transcription Factors with DNA by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Yousaf, Nasim; Gould, David

2017-01-01

Confirming the binding of a transcription factor with a particular DNA sequence may be important in characterizing interactions with a synthetic promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay is a powerful approach to demonstrate the specific DNA sequence that is bound by a transcription factor and also to confirm the specific transcription factor involved in the interaction. In this chapter we describe a method we have successfully used to demonstrate interactions of endogenous transcription factors with sequences derived from endogenous and synthetic promoters.

Signal transduction and HIV transcriptional activation after exposure to ultraviolet light and other DNA-damaging agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valerie, K.; Laster, W.S.; Luhua Cheng; Kirkham, J.C.; Reavey, Peter; Kuemmerle, N.B.

1996-01-01

Short wavelength (254 nm) ultraviolet light (UVC) radiation was much more potent in activating transcription of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV) reporter genes stably integrated into the genomes of human and monkey cells than ionizing radiation (IR) from a 137 Cs source at similarly cytotoxic doses. A similar differential was also observed when c-jun transcription levels were examined. However, these transcription levels do not correlate with activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kB and AP-1 measured by band-shift assays, i.e. both types of radiation produce similar increases in NF-kB and AP-1 activity, suggesting existence of additional levels of regulation during these responses. Because of the well-established involvement of cytoplasmic signaling pathways in the cellular response to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), UVC, and IR using other types of assays, the role of TNF-α in the UVC response of HIV and c-jun was investigated in our cell system. We demonstrate that UVC and TNF-α activate HIV gene expression in a synergistic fashion, suggesting that it is unlikely that TNF-α is involved in UVC activation of HIV transcription in stably transfected HeLa cells. Moreover, maximum TNF-α stimulation resulted in one order of magnitude lower levels of HIV expression than that observed after UVC exposure. We also observed an additive effect of UVC and TNF-α on c-jun steady-state mRNA levels, suggestive of a partial overlap in activation mechanism of c-jun by UVC and TNF-α; yet these responses are distinct to some extent. Our results indicate that the HIV, and to some extent also the c-jun, transcriptional responses to UVC are not the result of TNF-α stimulation and subsequent downstream cytoplasmic signaling events in HeLa cells. In addition to the new data, this report also summarizes our current views regarding UVC-induced activations of HIV gene expression in stably transfected cells. (Author)

Overexpression of an AP2/ERF Type Transcription Factor OsEREBP1 Confers Biotic and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Rice.

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V Jisha

Full Text Available AP2/ERF-type transcription factors regulate important functions of plant growth and development as well as responses to environmental stimuli. A rice AP2/ERF transcription factor, OsEREBP1 is a downstream component of a signal transduction pathway in a specific interaction between rice (Oryza sativa and its bacterial pathogen, Xoo (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Constitutive expression of OsEREBP1 in rice driven by maize ubiquitin promoter did not affect normal plant growth. Microarray analysis revealed that over expression of OsEREBP1 caused increased expression of lipid metabolism related genes such as lipase and chloroplastic lipoxygenase as well as several genes related to jasmonate and abscisic acid biosynthesis. PR genes, transcription regulators and Aldhs (alcohol dehydrogenases implicated in abiotic stress and submergence tolerance were also upregulated in transgenic plants. Transgenic plants showed increase in endogenous levels of α-linolenate, several jasmonate derivatives and abscisic acid but not salicylic acid. Soluble modified GFP (SmGFP-tagged OsEREBP1 was localized to plastid nucleoids. Comparative analysis of non-transgenic and OsEREBP1 overexpressing genotypes revealed that OsEREBP1 attenuates disease caused by Xoo and confers drought and submergence tolerance in transgenic rice. Our results suggest that constitutive expression of OsEREBP1 activates the jasmonate and abscisic acid signalling pathways thereby priming the rice plants for enhanced survival under abiotic or biotic stress conditions. OsEREBP1 is thus, a good candidate gene for engineering plants for multiple stress tolerance.

Repression of Meiotic Genes by Antisense Transcription and by Fkh2 Transcription Factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

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Chen, Huei-Mei; Rosebrock, Adam P.; Khan, Sohail R.; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet K.

2012-01-01

In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s) of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the “unspliced” signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression. PMID:22238674

Repression of meiotic genes by antisense transcription and by Fkh2 transcription factor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

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Huei-Mei Chen

Full Text Available In S. pombe, about 5% of genes are meiosis-specific and accumulate little or no mRNA during vegetative growth. Here we use Affymetrix tiling arrays to characterize transcripts in vegetative and meiotic cells. In vegetative cells, many meiotic genes, especially those induced in mid-meiosis, have abundant antisense transcripts. Disruption of the antisense transcription of three of these mid-meiotic genes allowed vegetative sense transcription. These results suggest that antisense transcription represses sense transcription of meiotic genes in vegetative cells. Although the mechanism(s of antisense mediated transcription repression need to be further explored, our data indicates that RNAi machinery is not required for repression. Previously, we and others used non-strand specific methods to study splicing regulation of meiotic genes and concluded that 28 mid-meiotic genes are spliced only in meiosis. We now demonstrate that the "unspliced" signal in vegetative cells comes from the antisense RNA, not from unspliced sense RNA, and we argue against the idea that splicing regulates these mid-meiotic genes. Most of these mid-meiotic genes are induced in mid-meiosis by the forkhead transcription factor Mei4. Interestingly, deletion of a different forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2, allows low levels of sense expression of some mid-meiotic genes in vegetative cells. We propose that vegetative expression of mid-meiotic genes is repressed at least two independent ways: antisense transcription and Fkh2 repression.

DNA dynamics play a role as a basal transcription factor in the positioning and regulation of gene transcription initiation

OpenAIRE

Alexandrov, Boian S.; Gelev, Vladimir; Yoo, Sang Wook; Alexandrov, Ludmil B.; Fukuyo, Yayoi; Bishop, Alan R.; Rasmussen, Kim ?.; Usheva, Anny

2009-01-01

We assess the role of DNA breathing dynamics as a determinant of promoter strength and transcription start site (TSS) location. We compare DNA Langevin dynamic profiles of representative gene promoters, calculated with the extended non-linear PBD model of DNA with experimental data on transcription factor binding and transcriptional activity. Our results demonstrate that DNA dynamic activity at the TSS can be suppressed by mutations that do not affect basal transcription factor binding–DNA co...

The p75NTR mediates a bifurcated signal transduction cascade through the NFκB and JNK pathways to inhibit cell survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, Jeffrey; Khwaja, Fatima; Byers, Stephen; Djakiew, Daniel

2005-01-01

p75 NTR is most abundantly expressed in the nervous system, but is also widely expressed in many other organs and tissues where it primarily functions as a negative regulator of cell survival. In the prostate, p75 NTR functions as an inhibitory protein capable of slowing proliferation and inducing apoptosis. It has been shown that p75 NTR is expressed in the normal prostate, progressively lost from malignant tumor cells in vivo, and largely absent from prostate cancer cell lines derived from metastases. Although the role of p75 NTR in prostate cancer has been well established, the signal transduction pathway that mediates its inhibitory activity has only been partially elucidated. This study demonstrates that exogenous expression of p75 NTR down-regulates, in a dose-dependent manner, a bifurcated signaling cascade that results in reduced expression of potent transcription effectors. This two-arm signal transduction cascade was directly linked to the upstream receptor by using dominant-negative deletion constructs of p75 NTR that rescued tumor cells from p75 NTR -induced loss of survival and promotion of apoptosis. Furthermore, the dominant negatives rescued alterations in the levels of signal transduction intermediates. Conversely, the use of kinase-inactive intermediates that are downstream of the receptor further reduced expression of involved transcription effectors and reduced survival of the cells. These results provide a definitive link between the proximate p75 NTR and signal transduction intermediates leading to the transcription effectors NFκB and JNK, with associated growth suppression and induction of apoptosis

Transcription factor NF-kB as a potential biomarker for oxidative stress

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berg, R. van den; Haenen, G.R.M.M.; Berg, H. van den; Bast, A.

2001-01-01

There is increasing interest in the involvement of transcription factors, such as of the transcription factor NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB), in the pathogenesis of various diseases. NF-κB is involved in the control of the transcription of a variety of cellular genes that regulate the inflammatory

Transcription factor binding sites prediction based on modified nucleosomes.

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Mohammad Talebzadeh

Full Text Available In computational methods, position weight matrices (PWMs are commonly applied for transcription factor binding site (TFBS prediction. Although these matrices are more accurate than simple consensus sequences to predict actual binding sites, they usually produce a large number of false positive (FP predictions and so are impoverished sources of information. Several studies have employed additional sources of information such as sequence conservation or the vicinity to transcription start sites to distinguish true binding regions from random ones. Recently, the spatial distribution of modified nucleosomes has been shown to be associated with different promoter architectures. These aligned patterns can facilitate DNA accessibility for transcription factors. We hypothesize that using data from these aligned and periodic patterns can improve the performance of binding region prediction. In this study, we propose two effective features, "modified nucleosomes neighboring" and "modified nucleosomes occupancy", to decrease FP in binding site discovery. Based on these features, we designed a logistic regression classifier which estimates the probability of a region as a TFBS. Our model learned each feature based on Sp1 binding sites on Chromosome 1 and was tested on the other chromosomes in human CD4+T cells. In this work, we investigated 21 histone modifications and found that only 8 out of 21 marks are strongly correlated with transcription factor binding regions. To prove that these features are not specific to Sp1, we combined the logistic regression classifier with the PWM, and created a new model to search TFBSs on the genome. We tested the model using transcription factors MAZ, PU.1 and ELF1 and compared the results to those using only the PWM. The results show that our model can predict Transcription factor binding regions more successfully. The relative simplicity of the model and capability of integrating other features make it a superior method

Genome Binding and Gene Regulation by Stem Cell Transcription Factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.H. Brandsma (Johan)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractNearly all cells of an individual organism contain the same genome. However, each cell type transcribes a different set of genes due to the presence of different sets of cell type-specific transcription factors. Such transcription factors bind to regulatory regions such as promoters

Membrane-bound transcription factors: regulated release by RIP or RUP.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoppe, T; Rape, M; Jentsch, S

2001-06-01

Regulated nuclear transport of transcription factors from cytoplasmic pools is a major route by which eukaryotes control gene expression. Exquisite examples are transcription factors that are kept in a dormant state in the cytosol by membrane anchors; such proteins are released from membranes by proteolytic cleavage, which enables these transcription factors to enter the nucleus. Cleavage can be mediated either by regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) catalysed by specific membrane-bound proteases or by regulated ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent processing (RUP). In both cases processing can be controlled by cues that originate at or in the vicinity of the membrane.

Transcription Factors in Heart: Promising Therapeutic Targets in Cardiac Hypertrophy

OpenAIRE

Kohli, Shrey; Ahuja, Suchit; Rani, Vibha

2011-01-01

Regulation of gene expression is central to cell growth, differentiation and diseases. Context specific and signal dependent regulation of gene expression is achieved to a large part by transcription factors. Cardiac transcription factors regulate heart development and are also involved in stress regulation of the adult heart, which may lead to cardiac hypertrophy. Hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes is an outcome of the imbalance between prohypertrophic factors and anti-hypertrophic factors. Thi...

Hydrogen peroxide sensing, signaling and regulation of transcription factors

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H. Susana Marinho

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The regulatory mechanisms by which hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 modulates the activity of transcription factors in bacteria (OxyR and PerR, lower eukaryotes (Yap1, Maf1, Hsf1 and Msn2/4 and mammalian cells (AP-1, NRF2, CREB, HSF1, HIF-1, TP53, NF-κB, NOTCH, SP1 and SCREB-1 are reviewed. The complexity of regulatory networks increases throughout the phylogenetic tree, reaching a high level of complexity in mammalians. Multiple H2O2 sensors and pathways are triggered converging in the regulation of transcription factors at several levels: (1 synthesis of the transcription factor by upregulating transcription or increasing both mRNA stability and translation; (ii stability of the transcription factor by decreasing its association with the ubiquitin E3 ligase complex or by inhibiting this complex; (iii cytoplasm–nuclear traffic by exposing/masking nuclear localization signals, or by releasing the transcription factor from partners or from membrane anchors; and (iv DNA binding and nuclear transactivation by modulating transcription factor affinity towards DNA, co-activators or repressors, and by targeting specific regions of chromatin to activate individual genes. We also discuss how H2O2 biological specificity results from diverse thiol protein sensors, with different reactivity of their sulfhydryl groups towards H2O2, being activated by different concentrations and times of exposure to H2O2. The specific regulation of local H2O2 concentrations is also crucial and results from H2O2 localized production and removal controlled by signals. Finally, we formulate equations to extract from typical experiments quantitative data concerning H2O2 reactivity with sensor molecules. Rate constants of 140 M−1 s−1 and ≥1.3 × 103 M−1 s−1 were estimated, respectively, for the reaction of H2O2 with KEAP1 and with an unknown target that mediates NRF2 protein synthesis. In conclusion, the multitude of H2O2 targets and mechanisms provides an opportunity for

Transcription factor cooperativity in early adipogenic hotspots and super-enhancers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siersbæk, Rasmus; Rabiee, Atefeh; Nielsen, Ronni

2014-01-01

. Using a combination of advanced proteomics and genomics approaches, we identify ∼12,000 transcription factor hotspots (∼400 bp) in the early phase of adipogenesis, and we find evidence of both simultaneous and sequential binding of transcription factors at these regions. We demonstrate that hotspots...

Regulation of the yeast metabolic cycle by transcription factors with periodic activities

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Pellegrini Matteo

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When growing budding yeast under continuous, nutrient-limited conditions, over half of yeast genes exhibit periodic expression patterns. Periodicity can also be observed in respiration, in the timing of cell division, as well as in various metabolite levels. Knowing the transcription factors involved in the yeast metabolic cycle is helpful for determining the cascade of regulatory events that cause these patterns. Results Transcription factor activities were estimated by linear regression using time series and genome-wide transcription factor binding data. Time-translation matrices were estimated using least squares and were used to model the interactions between the most significant transcription factors. The top transcription factors have functions involving respiration, cell cycle events, amino acid metabolism and glycolysis. Key regulators of transitions between phases of the yeast metabolic cycle appear to be Hap1, Hap4, Gcn4, Msn4, Swi6 and Adr1. Conclusions Analysis of the phases at which transcription factor activities peak supports previous findings suggesting that the various cellular functions occur during specific phases of the yeast metabolic cycle.

Transcriptional regulation by nonclassical action of thyroid hormone

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Moeller Lars C

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Thyroid hormone (TH is essential for normal development, growth and metabolism. Its effects were thought to be principally mediated through triiodothyronine (T3, acting as a ligand for the nuclear TH receptors (TRs α and β residing on thyroid hormone response elements (TREs in the promoter of TH target genes. In this classical model of TH action, T3 binding to TRs leads to recruitment of basal transcription factors and increased transcription of TH responsive genes. Recently, the concept of TH action on gene expression has become more diverse and now includes nonclassical actions of T3 and T4: T3 has been shown to activate PI3K via the TRs, which ultimately increases transcription of certain genes, e.g. HIF-1α. Additionally, both T3 and thyroxine (T4 can bind to a membrane integrin, αvβ3, which leads to activation of the PI3K and MAPK signal transduction pathways and finally also increases gene transcription, e.g. of the FGF2 gene. Therefore, these initially nongenomic, nonclassical actions seem to serve as additional interfaces for transcriptional regulation by TH. Aim of this perspective is to summarize the genes that are currently known to be induced by nonclassical TH action and the mechanisms involved.

Regulation of Nox enzymes expression in vascular pathophysiology: Focusing on transcription factors and epigenetic mechanisms

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Simona-Adriana Manea

2015-08-01

Full Text Available NADPH oxidases (Nox represent a family of hetero-oligomeric enzymes whose exclusive biological function is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS. Nox-derived ROS are essential modulators of signal transduction pathways that control key physiological activities such as cell growth, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis, immune responses, and biochemical pathways. Enhanced formation of Nox-derived ROS, which is generally associated with the up-regulation of different Nox subtypes, has been established in various pathologies, namely cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and neurodegeneration. The detrimental effects of Nox-derived ROS are related to alterations in cell signalling and/or direct irreversible oxidative damage of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Thus, understanding of transcriptional regulation mechanisms of Nox enzymes have been extensively investigated in an attempt to find ways to counteract the excessive formation of Nox-derived ROS in various pathological states. Despite the numerous existing data, the molecular pathways responsible for Nox up-regulation are not completely understood. This review article summarizes some of the recent advances and concepts related to the regulation of Nox expression in the vascular pathophysiology. It highlights the role of transcription factors and epigenetic mechanisms in this process. Identification of the signalling molecules involved in Nox up-regulation, which is associated with the onset and development of cardiovascular dysfunction may contribute to the development of novel strategies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Stimulation of p38 (HOG1) kinase pathway by ionizing radiation results in downstream modulation of ATF/CREB transcription factor activity in NIH-3T3 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevenson, Mary Ann; Yao Jin

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective:p38 kinase, a member of the MAP kinase family, is activated in response to stresses such as high osmolarity and UV irradiation as well exposure to cytokines such as IL1β and TNFα. The kinase is part of a signal transduction pathway that leads from receptor activation through a three kinase cascade resulting in the activation of p38. p38 activation then leads to the phosphorylation of target proteins that include transcription factors such as nuclear factor of interleukin 6 and members of the activating transcription factor (ATF) family, and in addition, the stress protein, HSP27, via activation of MAPKAP2 kinase. In the present report, we have investigated the potential role of p38 in the response of NIH-3T3 cells to ionizing radiation. Materials and Methods:NIH-3T3 cells were grown to confluence in DMEM+10%CS and then serum deprived for 24 hours in DMEM+0.1%CS. Radiation exposures were delivered using a Philips RT250 (250Kvp X-ray tube). Activated forms of p38 kinase and ATF/CREB transcription factors were identified using immunoblotting techniques employing activation specific antibodies raised against the phosphorylated forms of the kinases/transcription factors. Kinase activity was directly measured using immunokinase assays. DNA binding of transcription factors to their respective consensus sequences was assayed by EMSA. Results:We found that p38 becomes rapidly phosphorylated and activated by exposure to ionizing radiation. Significantly, p38 is activated to a similar degree and with a similar time course by serum derpviation and entry of cells into a non-proliferating G 0 state, suggesting a causal role for p38 in quiescence. Phosphorylation of p38 directly correlated with phosphorylation and activation of ATF/CREB family members as well as DNA binding by these activated factors. Conclusion:Activation of p38 kinase and downstream transcription factors may play an important role in the response of cells to ionizing radiation. We are

Regulation of cell proliferation by the E2F transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helin, K

1998-01-01

Experimental data generated in the past year have further emphasized the essential role for the E2F transcription factors in the regulation of cell proliferation. Genetic studies have shown that E2F activity is required for normal development in fruitflies, and the generation of E2F-1(-/-) mice h......Fs in the proteasomes. Novel target genes for the E2F transcription factors have been identified that link the E2Fs directly to the initiation of DNA replication.......Experimental data generated in the past year have further emphasized the essential role for the E2F transcription factors in the regulation of cell proliferation. Genetic studies have shown that E2F activity is required for normal development in fruitflies, and the generation of E2F-1(-/-) mice has...... demonstrated that individual members of the E2F transcription factor family are likely to have distinct roles in mammalian development and homeostasis. Additional mechanisms regulating the activity of the E2F transcription factors have been reported, including subcellular localization and proteolysis of the E2...

Naturally occurring mutations in the human 5-lipoxygenase gene promoter that modify transcription factor binding and reporter gene transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

In, K H; Asano, K; Beier, D; Grobholz, J; Finn, P W; Silverman, E K; Silverman, E S; Collins, T; Fischer, A R; Keith, T P; Serino, K; Kim, S W; De Sanctis, G T; Yandava, C; Pillari, A; Rubin, P; Kemp, J; Israel, E; Busse, W; Ledford, D; Murray, J J; Segal, A; Tinkleman, D; Drazen, J M

1997-03-01

Five lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the first committed enzyme in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of the leukotrienes. We examined genomic DNA isolated from 25 normal subjects and 31 patients with asthma (6 of whom had aspirin-sensitive asthma) for mutations in the known transcription factor binding regions and the protein encoding region of the 5-LO gene. A family of mutations in the G + C-rich transcription factor binding region was identified consisting of the deletion of one, deletion of two, or addition of one zinc finger (Sp1/Egr-1) binding sites in the region 176 to 147 bp upstream from the ATG translation start site where there are normally 5 Sp1 binding motifs in tandem. Reporter gene activity directed by any of the mutant forms of the transcription factor binding region was significantly (P < 0.05) less effective than the activity driven by the wild type transcription factor binding region. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated the capacity of wild type and mutant transcription factor binding regions to bind nuclear extracts from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These data are consistent with a family of mutations in the 5-LO gene that can modify reporter gene transcription possibly through differences in Sp1 and Egr-1 transactivation.

The evolution of WRKY transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinerson, Charles I; Rabara, Roel C; Tripathi, Prateek; Shen, Qingxi J; Rushton, Paul J

2015-02-27

The availability of increasing numbers of sequenced genomes has necessitated a re-evaluation of the evolution of the WRKY transcription factor family. Modern day plants descended from a charophyte green alga that colonized the land between 430 and 470 million years ago. The first charophyte genome sequence from Klebsormidium flaccidum filled a gap in the available genome sequences in the plant kingdom between unicellular green algae that typically have 1-3 WRKY genes and mosses that contain 30-40. WRKY genes have been previously found in non-plant species but their occurrence has been difficult to explain. Only two WRKY genes are present in the Klebsormidium flaccidum genome and the presence of a Group IIb gene was unexpected because it had previously been thought that Group IIb WRKY genes first appeared in mosses. We found WRKY transcription factor genes outside of the plant lineage in some diplomonads, social amoebae, fungi incertae sedis, and amoebozoa. This patchy distribution suggests that lateral gene transfer is responsible. These lateral gene transfer events appear to pre-date the formation of the WRKY groups in flowering plants. Flowering plants contain proteins with domains typical for both resistance (R) proteins and WRKY transcription factors. R protein-WRKY genes have evolved numerous times in flowering plants, each type being restricted to specific flowering plant lineages. These chimeric proteins contain not only novel combinations of protein domains but also novel combinations and numbers of WRKY domains. Once formed, R protein WRKY genes may combine different components of signalling pathways that may either create new diversity in signalling or accelerate signalling by short circuiting signalling pathways. We propose that the evolution of WRKY transcription factors includes early lateral gene transfers to non-plant organisms and the occurrence of algal WRKY genes that have no counterparts in flowering plants. We propose two alternative hypotheses

Forward Programming of Cardiac Stem Cells by Homogeneous Transduction with MYOCD plus TBX5.

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Elisa Belian

Full Text Available Adult cardiac stem cells (CSCs express many endogenous cardiogenic transcription factors including members of the Gata, Hand, Mef2, and T-box family. Unlike its DNA-binding targets, Myocardin (Myocd-a co-activator not only for serum response factor, but also for Gata4 and Tbx5-is not expressed in CSCs. We hypothesised that its absence was a limiting factor for reprogramming. Here, we sought to investigate the susceptibility of adult mouse Sca1+ side population CSCs to reprogramming by supplementing the triad of GATA4, MEF2C, and TBX5 (GMT, and more specifically by testing the effect of the missing co-activator, Myocd. Exogenous factors were expressed via doxycycline-inducible lentiviral vectors in various combinations. High throughput quantitative RT-PCR was used to test expression of 29 cardiac lineage markers two weeks post-induction. GMT induced more than half the analysed cardiac transcripts. However, no protein was detected for the induced sarcomeric genes Actc1, Myh6, and Myl2. Adding MYOCD to GMT affected only slightly the breadth and level of gene induction, but, importantly, triggered expression of all three proteins examined (α-cardiac actin, atrial natriuretic peptide, sarcomeric myosin heavy chains. MYOCD + TBX was the most effective pairwise combination in this system. In clonal derivatives homogenously expressing MYOCD + TBX at high levels, 93% of cardiac transcripts were up-regulated and all five proteins tested were visualized.(1 GMT induced cardiac genes in CSCs, but not cardiac proteins under the conditions used. (2 Complementing GMT with MYOCD induced cardiac protein expression, indicating a more complete cardiac differentiation program. (3 Homogeneous transduction with MYOCD + TBX5 facilitated the identification of differentiating cells and the validation of this combinatorial reprogramming strategy. Together, these results highlight the pivotal importance of MYOCD in driving CSCs toward a cardiac muscle fate.

The transcript release factor PTRF augments ribosomal gene transcription by facilitating reinitiation of RNA polymerase I

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jansa, Petr; Burek, C.; Sander, E. E.; Grummt, I.

2001-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 2 (2001), s. 423-429 ISSN 0305-1048 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5052915 Keywords : rDNA transcription * PTRF * transcription reinitiation Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 6.373, year: 2001

Adaptive evolution of transcription factor binding sites

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Berg Johannes

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The regulation of a gene depends on the binding of transcription factors to specific sites located in the regulatory region of the gene. The generation of these binding sites and of cooperativity between them are essential building blocks in the evolution of complex regulatory networks. We study a theoretical model for the sequence evolution of binding sites by point mutations. The approach is based on biophysical models for the binding of transcription factors to DNA. Hence we derive empirically grounded fitness landscapes, which enter a population genetics model including mutations, genetic drift, and selection. Results We show that the selection for factor binding generically leads to specific correlations between nucleotide frequencies at different positions of a binding site. We demonstrate the possibility of rapid adaptive evolution generating a new binding site for a given transcription factor by point mutations. The evolutionary time required is estimated in terms of the neutral (background mutation rate, the selection coefficient, and the effective population size. Conclusions The efficiency of binding site formation is seen to depend on two joint conditions: the binding site motif must be short enough and the promoter region must be long enough. These constraints on promoter architecture are indeed seen in eukaryotic systems. Furthermore, we analyse the adaptive evolution of genetic switches and of signal integration through binding cooperativity between different sites. Experimental tests of this picture involving the statistics of polymorphisms and phylogenies of sites are discussed.

The cellular transcription factor CREB corresponds to activating transcription factor 47 (ATF-47) and forms complexes with a group of polypeptides related to ATF-43.

OpenAIRE

Hurst, H C; Masson, N; Jones, N C; Lee, K A

1990-01-01

Promoter elements containing the sequence motif CGTCA are important for a variety of inducible responses at the transcriptional level. Multiple cellular factors specifically bind to these elements and are encoded by a multigene family. Among these factors, polypeptides termed activating transcription factor 43 (ATF-43) and ATF-47 have been purified from HeLa cells and a factor referred to as cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) has been isolated from PC12 cells and rat brain. We...

Alterations in transcription factor binding in radioresistant human melanoma cells after ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahijdak, W.M.; Yang, Chin-Rang; Zuckerman, J.S.; Meyers, M.; Boothman, D.A.

1994-01-01

We analyzed alterations in transcription factor binding to specific, known promoter DNA consensus sequences between irradiated and unirradiated radioresistant human melanoma (U1-Mel) cells. The goal of this study was to begin to investigate which transcription factors and DNA-binding sites are responsible for the induction of specific transcripts and proteins after ionizing radiation. Transcription factor binding was observed using DNA band-shift assays and oligonucleotide competition analyses. Confluence-arrested U1-Mel cells were irradiated (4.5 Gy) and harvested at 4 h. Double-stranded oligonucleotides containing known DNA-binding consensus sites for specific transcription factors were used. Increased DNA binding activity after ionizing radiation was noted with oligonucleotides containing the CREB, NF-kB and Sp1 consensus sites. No changes in protein binding to AP-1, AP-2, AP-3, or CTF/NF1, GRE or Oct-1 consensus sequences were noted. X-ray activation of select transcription factors, which bind certain consensus sites in promoters, may cause specific induction or repression of gene transcription. 22 refs., 2 figs

Induction of Epstein-Barr Virus Oncoprotein LMP1 by Transcription Factors AP-2 and Early B Cell Factor

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Chieko; Narita, Yohei; Watanabe, Takahiro; Yoshida, Masahiro; Ashio, Keiji; Sato, Yoshitaka; Goshima, Fumi; Kanda, Teru; Yoshiyama, Hironori; Tsurumi, Tatsuya; Kimura, Hiroshi

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is a major oncogene essential for primary B cell transformation by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Previous studies suggested that some transcription factors, such as PU.1, RBP-Jκ, NF-κB, and STAT, are involved in this expression, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we identified binding sites for PAX5, AP-2, and EBF in the proximal LMP1 promoter (ED-L1p). We first confirmed the significance of PU.1 and POU domain transcription factor binding for activation of the promoter in latency III. We then focused on the transcription factors AP-2 and early B cell factor (EBF). Interestingly, among the three AP-2-binding sites in the LMP1 promoter, two motifs were also bound by EBF. Overexpression, knockdown, and mutagenesis in the context of the viral genome indicated that AP-2 plays an important role in LMP1 expression in latency II in epithelial cells. In latency III B cells, on the other hand, the B cell-specific transcription factor EBF binds to the ED-L1p and activates LMP1 transcription from the promoter. IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is crucial for B cell transformation and oncogenesis of other EBV-related malignancies, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma and T/NK lymphoma. Its expression is largely dependent on the cell type or condition, and some transcription factors have been implicated in its regulation. However, these previous reports evaluated the significance of specific factors mostly by reporter assay. In this study, we prepared point-mutated EBV at the binding sites of such transcription factors and confirmed the importance of AP-2, EBF, PU.1, and POU domain factors. Our results will provide insight into the transcriptional regulation of the major oncogene LMP1. PMID:26819314

Transcription profile of Escherichia coli: genomic SELEX search for regulatory targets of transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishihama, Akira; Shimada, Tomohiro; Yamazaki, Yukiko

2016-03-18

Bacterial genomes are transcribed by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNAP), which achieves gene selectivity through interaction with sigma factors that recognize promoters, and transcription factors (TFs) that control the activity and specificity of RNAP holoenzyme. To understand the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation, the identification of regulatory targets is needed for all these factors. We then performed genomic SELEX screenings of targets under the control of each sigma factor and each TF. Here we describe the assembly of 156 SELEX patterns of a total of 116 TFs performed in the presence and absence of effector ligands. The results reveal several novel concepts: (i) each TF regulates more targets than hitherto recognized; (ii) each promoter is regulated by more TFs than hitherto recognized; and (iii) the binding sites of some TFs are located within operons and even inside open reading frames. The binding sites of a set of global regulators, including cAMP receptor protein, LeuO and Lrp, overlap with those of the silencer H-NS, suggesting that certain global regulators play an anti-silencing role. To facilitate sharing of these accumulated SELEX datasets with the research community, we compiled a database, 'Transcription Profile of Escherichia coli' (www.shigen.nig.ac.jp/ecoli/tec/). © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Identification of transcription-factor genes expressed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte

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Kang Il-Ho

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In flowering plants, the female gametophyte is typically a seven-celled structure with four cell types: the egg cell, the central cell, the synergid cells, and the antipodal cells. These cells perform essential functions required for double fertilization and early seed development. Differentiation of these distinct cell types likely involves coordinated changes in gene expression regulated by transcription factors. Therefore, understanding female gametophyte cell differentiation and function will require dissection of the gene regulatory networks operating in each of the cell types. These efforts have been hampered because few transcription factor genes expressed in the female gametophyte have been identified. To identify such genes, we undertook a large-scale differential expression screen followed by promoter-fusion analysis to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte. Results Using quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR, we analyzed 1,482 Arabidopsis transcription-factor genes and identified 26 genes exhibiting reduced mRNA levels in determinate infertile 1 mutant ovaries, which lack female gametophytes, relative to ovaries containing female gametophytes. Spatial patterns of gene transcription within the mature female gametophyte were identified for 17 transcription-factor genes using promoter-fusion analysis. Of these, ten genes were predominantly expressed in a single cell type of the female gametophyte including the egg cell, central cell and the antipodal cells whereas the remaining seven genes were expressed in two or more cell types. After fertilization, 12 genes were transcriptionally active in the developing embryo and/or endosperm. Conclusions We have shown that our quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR differential-expression screen is sufficiently sensitive to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the female gametophyte. Most of the genes identified in this

Breaking the mold: transcription factors in the anucleate platelet and platelet-derived microparticles

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Katie L Lannan

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Platelets are small anucleate blood cells derived from megakaryocytes. In addition to their pivotal roles in hemostasis, platelets are the smallest, yet most abundant, immune cell and regulate inflammation, immunity, and disease progression. Although platelets lack DNA, and thus no functional transcriptional activities, they are nonetheless rich sources of RNAs, possess an intact spliceosome, and are thus capable of synthesizing proteins. Previously, it was thought that platelet RNAs and translational machinery were remnants from the megakaryocyte. We now know that the initial description of platelets as cellular fragments is an antiquated notion, as mounting evidence suggests otherwise. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that platelet transcription factors are not vestigial remnants from megakaryoctes, but have important, if only partly understood functions. Proteins play multiple cellular roles to minimize energy expenditure for maximum cellular function; thus, the same can be expected for transcription factors. In fact, numerous transcription factors have non-genomic roles, both in platelets and in nucleated cells. Our lab and others have discovered the presence and nongenomic roles of transcription factors in platelets, such as the nuclear factor kappa β (NFκB family of proteins and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ. In addition to numerous roles in regulating platelet activation, functional transcription factors can be transferred to vascular and immune cells through platelet microparticles. This method of transcellular delivery of key immune molecules may be a vital mechanism by which platelet transcription factors regulate inflammation and immunity. At the very least, platelets are an ideal model cell to dissect out the nongenomic roles of transcription factors in nucleated cells. There is abundant evidence to suggest that transcription factors in platelets play key roles in regulating inflammatory and

O-GlcNAc inhibits interaction between Sp1 and Elf-1 transcription factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Kihong; Chang, Hyo-Ihl

2009-01-01

The novel protein modification, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), plays an important role in various aspects of cell regulation. Although most of nuclear transcription regulatory factors are modified by O-GlcNAc, O-GlcNAc effects on transcription remain largely undefined yet. In this study, we show that O-GlcNAc inhibits a physical interaction between Sp1 and Elf-1 transcription factors, and negatively regulates transcription of placenta and embryonic expression oncofetal protein gene (Pem). These findings suggest that O-GlcNAc inhibits Sp1-mediated gene transcription possibly by interrupting Sp1 interaction with its cooperative factor.

Endothelial cell oxidative stress and signal transduction

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ROCIO FONCEA

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Endothelial dysfunction (ED is an early event in atherosclerotic disease, preceding clinical manifestations and complications. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS have been implicated as important mechanisms that contribute to ED, and ROS’s may function as intracellular messengers that modulate signaling pathways. Several intracellular signal events stimulated by ROS have been defined, including the identification of two members of the mitogen activated protein kinase family (ERK1/2 and big MAP kinase, BMK1, tyrosine kinases (Src and Syk and different isoenzymes of PKC as redox-sensitive kinases. ROS regulation of signal transduction components include the modification in the activity of transcriptional factors such as NFkB and others that result in changes in gene expression and modifications in cellular responses. In order to understand the intracellular mechanisms induced by ROS in endothelial cells (EC, we are studying the response of human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells to increased ROS generation by different pro-atherogenic stimuli. Our results show that Homocysteine (Hcy and oxidized LDL (oxLDL enhance the activity and expression of oxidative stress markers, such as NFkB and heme oxygenase 1. These results suggest that these pro-atherogenic stimuli increase oxidative stress in EC, and thus explain the loss of endothelial function associated with the atherogenic process

Eukaryotic transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staby, Lasse; O'Shea, Charlotte; Willemoës, Martin

2017-01-01

Gene-specific transcription factors (TFs) are key regulatory components of signaling pathways, controlling, for example, cell growth, development, and stress responses. Their biological functions are determined by their molecular structures, as exemplified by their structured DNA-binding domains...... regions with function-related, short sequence motifs and molecular recognition features with structural propensities. This review focuses on molecular aspects of TFs, which represent paradigms of ID-related features. Through specific examples, we review how the ID-associated flexibility of TFs enables....... It is furthermore emphasized how classic biochemical concepts like allostery, conformational selection, induced fit, and feedback regulation are undergoing a revival with the appreciation of ID. The review also describes the most recent advances based on computational simulations of ID-based interaction mechanisms...

The transcription fidelity factor GreA impedes DNA break repair.

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Sivaramakrishnan, Priya; Sepúlveda, Leonardo A; Halliday, Jennifer A; Liu, Jingjing; Núñez, María Angélica Bravo; Golding, Ido; Rosenberg, Susan M; Herman, Christophe

2017-10-12

Homologous recombination repairs DNA double-strand breaks and must function even on actively transcribed DNA. Because break repair prevents chromosome loss, the completion of repair is expected to outweigh the transcription of broken templates. However, the interplay between DNA break repair and transcription processivity is unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor GreA inhibits break repair in Escherichia coli. GreA restarts backtracked RNA polymerase and hence promotes transcription fidelity. We report that removal of GreA results in markedly enhanced break repair via the classic RecBCD-RecA pathway. Using a deep-sequencing method to measure chromosomal exonucleolytic degradation, we demonstrate that the absence of GreA limits RecBCD-mediated resection. Our findings suggest that increased RNA polymerase backtracking promotes break repair by instigating RecA loading by RecBCD, without the influence of canonical Chi signals. The idea that backtracked RNA polymerase can stimulate recombination presents a DNA transaction conundrum: a transcription fidelity factor that compromises genomic integrity.

The precise regulation of different COR genes by individual CBF transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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Shi, Yihao; Huang, Jiaying; Sun, Tianshu; Wang, Xuefei; Zhu, Chenqi; Ai, Yuxi; Gu, Hongya

2017-02-01

The transcription factors CBF1/2/3 are reported to play a dominant role in the cold responsive network of Arabidopsis by directly regulating the expression levels of cold responsive (COR) genes. In this study, we obtained CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss-of-function mutants of cbf1∼3. Over 3,000 COR genes identified by RNA-seq analysis showed a slight but significant change in their expression levels in the mutants compared to the wild-type plants after being treated at 4 °C for 12 h. The C-repeat (CRT) motif (5'-CCGAC-3') was enriched in promoters of genes that were up-regulated by CBF2 and CBF3 but not in promoters of genes up-regulated by CBF1. These data suggest that CBF2 and CBF3 play a more important role in directing the cold response by regulating different sets of downstream COR genes. More than 2/3 of COR genes were co-regulated by two or three CBFs and were involved mainly in cellular signal transduction and metabolic processes; less than 1/3 of the genes were regulated by one CBF, and those genes up-regulated were enriched in cold-related abiotic stress responses. Our results indicate that CBFs play an important role in the trade-off between cold tolerance and plant growth through the precise regulation of COR genes in the complicated transcriptional network. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Specificity versus redundancy in the RAP2.4 transcription factor family of Arabidopsis thaliana: transcriptional regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases.

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Rudnik, Radoslaw; Bulcha, Jote Tafese; Reifschneider, Elena; Ellersiek, Ulrike; Baier, Margarete

2017-08-23

The Arabidopsis ERFIb / RAP2.4 transcription factor family consists of eight members with highly conserved DNA binding domains. Selected members have been characterized individually, but a systematic comparison is pending. The redox-sensitive transcription factor RAP2.4a mediates chloroplast-to-nucleus redox signaling and controls induction of the three most prominent chloroplast peroxidases, namely 2-Cys peroxiredoxin A (2CPA) and thylakoid- and stromal ascorbate peroxidase (tAPx and sAPx). To test the specificity and redundancy of RAP2.4 transcription factors in the regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases, we compared the DNA-binding sites of the transcription factors in tertiary structure models, analyzed transcription factor and target gene regulation by qRT-PCR in RAP2.4, 2-Cys peroxiredoxin and ascorbate peroxidase T-DNA insertion lines and RAP2.4 overexpressing lines of Arabidopsis thaliana and performed promoter binding studies. All RAP2.4 proteins bound the tAPx promoter, but only the four RAP2.4 proteins with identical DNA contact sites, namely RAP2.4a, RAP2.4b, RAP2.4d and RAP2.4h, interacted stably with the redox-sensitive part of the 2CPA promoter. Gene expression analysis in RAP2.4 knockout lines revealed that RAP2.4a is the only one supporting 2CPA and chloroplast APx expression. Rap2.4h binds to the same promoter region as Rap2.4a and antagonizes 2CPA expression. Like the other six RAP2.4 proteins, Rap2.4 h promotes APx mRNA accumulation. Chloroplast ROS signals induced RAP2.4b and RAP2.4d expression, but these two transcription factor genes are (in contrast to RAP2.4a) insensitive to low 2CP availability, and their expression decreased in APx knockout lines. RAP2.4e and RAP2.4f gradually responded to chloroplast APx availability and activated specifically APx expression. These transcription factors bound, like RAP2.4c and RAP2.4g, the tAPx promoter, but hardly the 2CPA promoter. The RAP2.4 transcription factors form an environmentally and

Reactivation of Latent HIV-1 Expression by Engineered TALE Transcription Factors.

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Perdigão, Pedro; Gaj, Thomas; Santa-Marta, Mariana; Barbas, Carlos F; Goncalves, Joao

2016-01-01

The presence of replication-competent HIV-1 -which resides mainly in resting CD4+ T cells--is a major hurdle to its eradication. While pharmacological approaches have been useful for inducing the expression of this latent population of virus, they have been unable to purge HIV-1 from all its reservoirs. Additionally, many of these strategies have been associated with adverse effects, underscoring the need for alternative approaches capable of reactivating viral expression. Here we show that engineered transcriptional modulators based on customizable transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins can induce gene expression from the HIV-1 long terminal repeat promoter, and that combinations of TALE transcription factors can synergistically reactivate latent viral expression in cell line models of HIV-1 latency. We further show that complementing TALE transcription factors with Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, enhances HIV-1 expression in latency models. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TALE transcription factors are a potentially effective alternative to current pharmacological routes for reactivating latent virus and that combining synthetic transcriptional activators with histone deacetylase inhibitors could lead to the development of improved therapies for latent HIV-1 infection.

Reactivation of Latent HIV-1 Expression by Engineered TALE Transcription Factors.

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Pedro Perdigão

Full Text Available The presence of replication-competent HIV-1 -which resides mainly in resting CD4+ T cells--is a major hurdle to its eradication. While pharmacological approaches have been useful for inducing the expression of this latent population of virus, they have been unable to purge HIV-1 from all its reservoirs. Additionally, many of these strategies have been associated with adverse effects, underscoring the need for alternative approaches capable of reactivating viral expression. Here we show that engineered transcriptional modulators based on customizable transcription activator-like effector (TALE proteins can induce gene expression from the HIV-1 long terminal repeat promoter, and that combinations of TALE transcription factors can synergistically reactivate latent viral expression in cell line models of HIV-1 latency. We further show that complementing TALE transcription factors with Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, enhances HIV-1 expression in latency models. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TALE transcription factors are a potentially effective alternative to current pharmacological routes for reactivating latent virus and that combining synthetic transcriptional activators with histone deacetylase inhibitors could lead to the development of improved therapies for latent HIV-1 infection.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma recruits the positive transcription elongation factor b complex to activate transcription and promote adipogenesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iankova, Irena; Petersen, Rasmus K; Annicotte, Jean-Sébastien

2006-01-01

Positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) phosphorylates the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II, facilitating transcriptional elongation. In addition to its participation in general transcription, P-TEFb is recruited to specific promoters by some transcription factors such as c......-Myc or MyoD. The P-TEFb complex is composed of a cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk9) subunit and a regulatory partner (cyclin T1, cyclin T2, or cyclin K). Because cdk9 has been shown to participate in differentiation processes, such as muscle cell differentiation, we studied a possible role of cdk9...... with and phosphorylation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), which is the master regulator of this process, on the promoter of PPARgamma target genes. PPARgamma-cdk9 interaction results in increased transcriptional activity of PPARgamma and therefore increased adipogenesis....

Determination of specificity influencing residues for key transcription factor families

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Patel, Ronak Y.; Garde, Christian; Stormo, Gary D.

2015-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) are major modulators of transcription and subsequent cellular processes. The binding of TFs to specific regulatory elements is governed by their specificity. Considering the gap between known TFs sequence and specificity, specificity prediction frameworks are highly de...

A transcript cleavage factor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis important for its survival.

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Arnab China

Full Text Available After initiation of transcription, a number of proteins participate during elongation and termination modifying the properties of the RNA polymerase (RNAP. Gre factors are one such group conserved across bacteria. They regulate transcription by projecting their N-terminal coiled-coil domain into the active center of RNAP through the secondary channel and stimulating hydrolysis of the newly synthesized RNA in backtracked elongation complexes. Rv1080c is a putative gre factor (MtbGre in the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The protein enhanced the efficiency of promoter clearance by lowering abortive transcription and also rescued arrested and paused elongation complexes on the GC rich mycobacterial template. Although MtbGre is similar in domain organization and shares key residues for catalysis and RNAP interaction with the Gre factors of Escherichia coli, it could not complement an E. coli gre deficient strain. Moreover, MtbGre failed to rescue E. coli RNAP stalled elongation complexes, indicating the importance of specific protein-protein interactions for transcript cleavage. Decrease in the level of MtbGre reduced the bacterial survival by several fold indicating its essential role in mycobacteria. Another Gre homolog, Rv3788 was not functional in transcript cleavage activity indicating that a single Gre is sufficient for efficient transcription of the M. tuberculosis genome.

Inference of Transcriptional Network for Pluripotency in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aburatani, S

2015-01-01

In embryonic stem cells, various transcription factors (TFs) maintain pluripotency. To gain insights into the regulatory system controlling pluripotency, I inferred the regulatory relationships between the TFs expressed in ES cells. In this study, I applied a method based on structural equation modeling (SEM), combined with factor analysis, to 649 expression profiles of 19 TF genes measured in mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs). The factor analysis identified 19 TF genes that were regulated by several unmeasured factors. Since the known cell reprogramming TF genes (Pou5f1, Sox2 and Nanog) are regulated by different factors, each estimated factor is considered to be an input for signal transduction to control pluripotency in mouse ESCs. In the inferred network model, TF proteins were also arranged as unmeasured factors that control other TFs. The interpretation of the inferred network model revealed the regulatory mechanism for controlling pluripotency in ES cells

Towards a clinically relevant lentiviral transduction protocol for primary human CD34 hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.

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Michelle Millington

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC, in particular mobilized peripheral blood stem cells, represent an attractive target for cell and gene therapy. Efficient gene delivery into these target cells without compromising self-renewal and multi-potency is crucial for the success of gene therapy. We investigated factors involved in the ex vivo transduction of CD34(+ HSCs in order to develop a clinically relevant transduction protocol for gene delivery. Specifically sought was a protocol that allows for efficient transduction with minimal ex vivo manipulation without serum or other reagents of animal origin.Using commercially available G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood (PB CD34(+ cells as the most clinically relevant target, we systematically examined factors including the use of serum, cytokine combinations, pre-stimulation time, multiplicity of infection (MOI, transduction duration and the use of spinoculation and/or retronectin. A self-inactivating lentiviral vector (SIN-LV carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP was used as the gene delivery vehicle. HSCs were monitored for transduction efficiency, surface marker expression and cellular function. We were able to demonstrate that efficient gene transduction can be achieved with minimal ex vivo manipulation while maintaining the cellular function of transduced HSCs without serum or other reagents of animal origin.This study helps to better define factors relevant towards developing a standard clinical protocol for the delivery of SIN-LV into CD34(+ cells.

Inhibition of factor-dependent transcription termination in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Inhibition of factor-dependent transcription termination in Escherichia coli might relieve xenogene silencing by abrogating. H-NS-DNA interactions in vivo. DEEPTI CHANDRAPRAKASH and ASWIN SAI NARAIN SESHASAYEE. Chromatin immunoprecipitation. MG1655 hns::3xFLAG cells were grown in liquid LB me-.

Salmonella enterica serovar-specific transcriptional reprogramming of infected cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannemann, Sebastian; Galán, Jorge E

2017-07-01

Despite their high degree of genomic similarity, different Salmonella enterica serovars are often associated with very different clinical presentations. In humans, for example, the typhoidal S. enterica serovar Typhi causes typhoid fever, a life-threatening systemic disease. In contrast, the non-typhoidal S. enterica serovar Typhimurium causes self-limiting gastroenteritis. The molecular bases for these different clinical presentations are incompletely understood. The ability to re-program gene expression in host cells is an essential virulence factor for typhoidal and non-typhoidal S. enterica serovars. Here, we have compared the transcriptional profile of cultured epithelial cells infected with S. Typhimurium or S. Typhi. We found that both serovars stimulated distinct transcriptional responses in infected cells that are associated with the stimulation of specific signal transduction pathways. These specific responses were associated with the presence of a distinct repertoire of type III secretion effector proteins. These observations provide major insight into the molecular bases for potential differences in the pathogenic mechanisms of typhoidal and non-typhoidal S. enterica serovars.

Transcription factor FoxO1 is essential for enamel biomineralization.

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Ross A Poché

Full Text Available The Transforming growth factor β (Tgf-β pathway, by signaling via the activation of Smad transcription factors, induces the expression of many diverse downstream target genes thereby regulating a vast array of cellular events essential for proper development and homeostasis. In order for a specific cell type to properly interpret the Tgf-β signal and elicit a specific cellular response, cell-specific transcriptional co-factors often cooperate with the Smads to activate a discrete set of genes in the appropriate temporal and spatial manner. Here, via a conditional knockout approach, we show that mice mutant for Forkhead Box O transcription factor FoxO1 exhibit an enamel hypomaturation defect which phenocopies that of the Smad3 mutant mice. Furthermore, we determined that both the FoxO1 and Smad3 mutant teeth exhibit changes in the expression of similar cohort of genes encoding enamel matrix proteins required for proper enamel development. These data raise the possibility that FoxO1 and Smad3 act in concert to regulate a common repertoire of genes necessary for complete enamel maturation. This study is the first to define an essential role for the FoxO family of transcription factors in tooth development and provides a new molecular entry point which will allow researchers to delineate novel genetic pathways regulating the process of biomineralization which may also have significance for studies of human tooth diseases such as amelogenesis imperfecta.

Disseminated Tuberculosis and Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis in a Patient with a Gain-of-Function Mutation in Signal Transduction and Activator of Transcription 1

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Sigifredo Pedraza-Sánchez

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In humans, recessive loss-of-function mutations in STAT1 are associated with mycobacterial and viral infections, whereas gain-of-function (GOF mutations in STAT1 are associated with a type of primary immunodeficiency related mainly, but not exclusively, to chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC. We studied and established a molecular diagnosis in a pediatric patient with mycobacterial infections, associated with CMC. The patient, daughter of a non-consanguineous mestizo Mexican family, had axillary adenitis secondary to BCG vaccination and was cured with resection of the abscess at 1-year old. At the age of 4 years, she had a supraclavicular abscess with acid-fast-staining bacilli identified in the soft tissue and bone, with clinical signs of disseminated infection and a positive Gene-X-pert test, which responded to anti-mycobacterial drugs. Laboratory tests of the IL-12/interferon gamma (IFN-γ circuit showed a higher production of IL-12p70 in the whole blood from the patient compared to healthy controls, when stimulated with BCG and BCG + IFN-γ. The whole blood of the patient produced 35% less IFN-γ compared to controls assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry, but IL-17 producing T cells from patient were almost absent in PBMC stimulated with PMA plus ionomycin. Signal transduction and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1 was hyperphosphorylated at tyrosine 701 in response to IFN-γ and -α, as demonstrated by flow cytometry and Western blotting in fresh blood mononuclear cells and in Epstein-Barr virus lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs; phosphorylation of STAT1 in EBV-LCLs from the patient was resistant to inhibition by staurosporine but sensitive to ruxolitinib, a Jak phosphorylation inhibitor. Genomic DNA sequencing showed a de novo mutation in STAT1 in cells from the patient, absent in her parents and brother; a known T385M missense mutation in the DNA-binding domain of the transcription factor was identified, and it is a GOF

Uncovering Transcriptional Regulatory Networks by Sparse Bayesian Factor Model

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Qi Yuan(Alan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The problem of uncovering transcriptional regulation by transcription factors (TFs based on microarray data is considered. A novel Bayesian sparse correlated rectified factor model (BSCRFM is proposed that models the unknown TF protein level activity, the correlated regulations between TFs, and the sparse nature of TF-regulated genes. The model admits prior knowledge from existing database regarding TF-regulated target genes based on a sparse prior and through a developed Gibbs sampling algorithm, a context-specific transcriptional regulatory network specific to the experimental condition of the microarray data can be obtained. The proposed model and the Gibbs sampling algorithm were evaluated on the simulated systems, and results demonstrated the validity and effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed model was then applied to the breast cancer microarray data of patients with Estrogen Receptor positive ( status and Estrogen Receptor negative ( status, respectively.

Myocardin-related transcription factors are required for cardiac development and function

OpenAIRE

Mokalled, Mayssa H.; Carroll, Kelli J.; Cenik, Bercin K.; Chen, Beibei; Liu, Ning; Olson, Eric N.; Bassel-Duby, Rhonda

2015-01-01

Myocardin-Related Transcription Factors A and B (MRTF-A and MRTF-B) are highly homologous proteins that function as powerful coactivators of serum response factor (SRF), a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor essential for cardiac development. The SRF/MRTF complex binds to CArG boxes found in the control regions of genes that regulate cytoskeletal dynamics and muscle contraction, among other processes. While SRF is required for heart development and function, the role of MRTFs in the d...

Exploring the utility of organo-polyoxometalate hybrids to inhibit SOX transcription factors

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Kamesh Narasimhan

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Polyoxometalates are highly potent, nanomolar range inhibitors of the DNA binding activity of the Sox-HMG family. However, binding assays involving a limited subset of structurally diverse polyoxometalates revealed a low selectivity profile against different transcription factor families. Further progress in achieving selectivity and deciphering structure-activity relationship of POMs require the identification of POM binding sites on transcription factors using elaborate approaches like X-ray crystallography and multidimensional NMR. In summary, our report reaffirms that transcription factors are challenging molecular architectures and that future polyoxometalate chemistry must consider further modification strategies, to address the substantial challenges involved in achieving target selectivity.

Role of Transcription Factor Modifications in the Pathogenesis of Insulin Resistance

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Mi-Young Kim

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver not due to alcohol abuse. NAFLD is accompanied by variety of symptoms related to metabolic syndrome. Although the metabolic link between NAFLD and insulin resistance is not fully understood, it is clear that NAFLD is one of the main cause of insulin resistance. NAFLD is shown to affect the functions of other organs, including pancreas, adipose tissue, muscle and inflammatory systems. Currently efforts are being made to understand molecular mechanism of interrelationship between NAFLD and insulin resistance at the transcriptional level with specific focus on post-translational modification (PTM of transcription factors. PTM of transcription factors plays a key role in controlling numerous biological events, including cellular energy metabolism, cell-cycle progression, and organ development. Cell type- and tissue-specific reversible modifications include lysine acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation. Moreover, phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation on serine and threonine residues have been shown to affect protein stability, subcellular distribution, DNA-binding affinity, and transcriptional activity. PTMs of transcription factors involved in insulin-sensitive tissues confer specific adaptive mechanisms in response to internal or external stimuli. Our understanding of the interplay between these modifications and their effects on transcriptional regulation is growing. Here, we summarize the diverse roles of PTMs in insulin-sensitive tissues and their involvement in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.

Interactome analysis of transcriptional coactivator multiprotein bridging factor 1 unveils a yeast AP-1-like transcription factor involved in oxidation tolerance of mycopathogen Beauveria bassiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Xin-Ling; Dong, Wei-Xia; Ding, Jin-Li; Feng, Ming-Guang; Ying, Sheng-Hua

2018-02-01

Oxidation tolerance is an important determinant to predict the virulence and biocontrol potential of Beauveria bassiana, a well-known entomopathogenic fungus. As a transcriptional coactivator, multiprotein bridging factor 1 mediates the activity of transcription factor in diverse physiological processes, and its homolog in B. bassiana (BbMBF1) contributes to fungal oxidation tolerance. In this study, the BbMBF1-interactomes under oxidative stress and normal growth condition were deciphered by mass spectrometry integrated with the immunoprecipitation. BbMBF1p factor has a broad interaction with proteins that are involved in various cellular processes, and this interaction is dynamically regulated by oxidative stress. Importantly, a B. bassiana homolog of yeast AP-1-like transcription factor (BbAP-1) was specifically associated with the BbMBF1-interactome under oxidation and significantly contributed to fungal oxidation tolerance. In addition, qPCR analysis revealed that several antioxidant genes are jointly controlled by BbAP-1 and BbMBF1. Conclusively, it is proposed that BbMBF1p protein mediates BbAP-1p factor to transcribe the downstream antioxidant genes in B. bassiana under oxidative stress. This study demonstrates for the first time a proteomic view of the MBF1-interactome in fungi, and presents an initial framework to probe the transcriptional mechanism involved in fungal response to oxidation, which will provide a new strategy to improve the biocontrol efficacy of B. bassiana.

Emerging roles and regulation of MiT/TFE transcriptional factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Min; Liu, En; Tang, Li; Lei, Yuanyuan; Sun, Xuemei; Hu, Jiaxi; Dong, Hui; Yang, Shi-Ming; Gao, Mingfa; Tang, Bo

2018-06-15

The MiT/TFE transcription factors play a pivotal role in the regulation of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis. The subcellular localization and activity of MiT/TFE proteins are primarily regulated through phosphorylation. And the phosphorylated protein is retained in the cytoplasm and subsequently translocates to the nucleus upon dephosphorylation, where it stimulates the expression of hundreds of genes, leading to lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy induction. The transcription factor-mediated lysosome-to-nucleus signaling can be directly controlled by several signaling molecules involved in the mTORC1, PKC, and AKT pathways. MiT/TFE family members have attracted much attention owing to their intracellular clearance of pathogenic factors in numerous diseases. Recently, multiple studies have also revealed the MiT/TFE proteins as master regulators of cellular metabolic reprogramming, converging on autophagic and lysosomal function and playing a critical role in cancer, suggesting that novel therapeutic strategies could be based on the modulation of MiT/TFE family member activity. Here, we present an overview of the latest research on MiT/TFE transcriptional factors and their potential mechanisms in cancer.

Extracellular Matrix-Regulated Gene Expression RequiresCooperation of SWI/SNF and Transcription Factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ren; Spencer, Virginia A.; Bissell, Mina J.

2006-05-25

Extracellular cues play crucial roles in the transcriptional regulation of tissue-specific genes, but whether and how these signals lead to chromatin remodeling is not understood and subject to debate. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and mammary-specific genes as models, we show here that extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and prolactin cooperate to induce histone acetylation and binding of transcription factors and the SWI/SNF complex to the {beta}- and ?-casein promoters. Introduction of a dominant negative Brg1, an ATPase subunit of SWI/SNF complex, significantly reduced both {beta}- and ?-casein expression, suggesting that SWI/SNF-dependent chromatin remodeling is required for transcription of mammary-specific genes. ChIP analyses demonstrated that the ATPase activity of SWI/SNF is necessary for recruitment of RNA transcriptional machinery, but not for binding of transcription factors or for histone acetylation. Coimmunoprecipitation analyses showed that the SWI/SNF complex is associated with STAT5, C/EBP{beta}, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Thus, ECM- and prolactin-regulated transcription of the mammary-specific casein genes requires the concerted action of chromatin remodeling enzymes and transcription factors.

Physical interactions among plant MADS-box transcription factors and their biological relevance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nougalli Tonaco, I.A.

2008-01-01

The biological interpretation of the genome starts from transcription, and many different signaling pathways are integrated at this level. Transcription factors play a central role in the transcription process, because they select the down-stream genes and determine their spatial and temporal

Cooperative binding of transcription factors promotes bimodal gene expression response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo S Gutierrez

Full Text Available In the present work we extend and analyze the scope of our recently proposed stochastic model for transcriptional regulation, which considers an arbitrarily complex cis-regulatory system using only elementary reactions. Previously, we determined the role of cooperativity on the intrinsic fluctuations of gene expression for activating transcriptional switches, by means of master equation formalism and computer simulation. This model allowed us to distinguish between two cooperative binding mechanisms and, even though the mean expression levels were not affected differently by the acting mechanism, we showed that the associated fluctuations were different. In the present generalized model we include other regulatory functions in addition to those associated to an activator switch. Namely, we introduce repressive regulatory functions and two theoretical mechanisms that account for the biphasic response that some cis-regulatory systems show to the transcription factor concentration. We have also extended our previous master equation formalism in order to include protein production by stochastic translation of mRNA. Furthermore, we examine the graded/binary scenarios in the context of the interaction energy between transcription factors. In this sense, this is the first report to show that the cooperative binding of transcription factors to DNA promotes the "all-or-none" phenomenon observed in eukaryotic systems. In addition, we confirm that gene expression fluctuation levels associated with one of two cooperative binding mechanism never exceed the fluctuation levels of the other.

A deeper look into transcription regulatory code by preferred pair distance templates for transcription factor binding sites

KAUST Repository

Kulakovskiy, Ivan V.

2011-08-18

Motivation: Modern experimental methods provide substantial information on protein-DNA recognition. Studying arrangements of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) of interacting transcription factors (TFs) advances understanding of the transcription regulatory code. Results: We constructed binding motifs for TFs forming a complex with HIF-1α at the erythropoietin 3\\'-enhancer. Corresponding TFBSs were predicted in the segments around transcription start sites (TSSs) of all human genes. Using the genome-wide set of regulatory regions, we observed several strongly preferred distances between hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) and binding sites of a particular cofactor protein. The set of preferred distances was called as a preferred pair distance template (PPDT). PPDT dramatically depended on the TF and orientation of its binding sites relative to HRE. PPDT evaluated from the genome-wide set of regulatory sequences was used to detect significant PPDT-consistent binding site pairs in regulatory regions of hypoxia-responsive genes. We believe PPDT can help to reveal the layout of eukaryotic regulatory segments. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Specification of jaw identity by the Hand2 transcription factor

Science.gov (United States)

Funato, Noriko; Kokubo, Hiroki; Nakamura, Masataka; Yanagisawa, Hiromi; Saga, Yumiko

2016-01-01

Acquisition of the lower jaw (mandible) was evolutionarily important for jawed vertebrates. In humans, syndromic craniofacial malformations often accompany jaw anomalies. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Hand2, which is conserved among jawed vertebrates, is expressed in the neural crest in the mandibular process but not in the maxillary process of the first branchial arch. Here, we provide evidence that Hand2 is sufficient for upper jaw (maxilla)-to-mandible transformation by regulating the expression of homeobox transcription factors in mice. Altered Hand2 expression in the neural crest transformed the maxillae into mandibles with duplicated Meckel’s cartilage, which resulted in an absence of the secondary palate. In Hand2-overexpressing mutants, non-Hox homeobox transcription factors were dysregulated. These results suggest that Hand2 regulates mandibular development through downstream genes of Hand2 and is therefore a major determinant of jaw identity. Hand2 may have influenced the evolutionary acquisition of the mandible and secondary palate. PMID:27329940

In vivo bioimaging with tissue-specific transcription factor activated luciferase reporters.

OpenAIRE

Buckley, SM; Delhove, JM; Perocheau, DP; Karda, R; Rahim, AA; Howe, SJ; Ward, NJ; Birrell, MA; Belvisi, MG; Arbuthnot, P; Johnson, MR; Waddington, SN; McKay, TR

2015-01-01

The application of transcription factor activated luciferase reporter cassettes in vitro is widespread but potential for in vivo application has not yet been realized. Bioluminescence imaging enables non-invasive tracking of gene expression in transfected tissues of living rodents. However the mature immune response limits luciferase expression when delivered in adulthood. We present a novel approach of tissue-targeted delivery of transcription factor activated luciferase reporter lentiviruse...

Dlf1, a WRKY transcription factor, is involved in the control of flowering time and plant height in rice.

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Yuhui Cai

Full Text Available Flowering time and plant height are important agronomic traits for crop production. In this study, we characterized a semi-dwarf and late flowering (dlf1 mutation of rice that has pleiotropic effects on these traits. The dlf1 mutation was caused by a T-DNA insertion and the cloned Dlf1 gene was found to encode a WRKY transcription factor (OsWRKY11. The dlf1 mutant contains a T-DNA insertion at the promoter region, leading to enhanced accumulation of Dlf1 transcripts, resulting in a semidominant mutation. The dlf1 mutation suppressed the transcription of Ehd2/RID1/OsId1 and its downstream flowering-time genes including Hd1, Ehd1 and Hd3a under both long-day (LD and short-day (SD conditions. Knock-down of Dlf1 expression exhibited early flowering at LD condition related to the wild-type plants. Accumulation of Dlf1 mRNA was observed in most tissues, and two splicing forms of Dlf1 cDNAs were obtained (OsWRKY11.1 and OsWRKY11.2. These two proteins showed transactivation activity in yeast cells. Dlf1 protein was found to be localized in the nucleus. Enhanced expression of OsWRKY11.2 or its 5' truncated gene showed similar phenotypes to the dlf1 mutant, suggesting that it might function as a negative regulator. We conclude that Dlf1 acts as a transactivator to downregulate Ehd2/RID1/OsId1 in the signal transduction pathway of flowering and plays an important role in the regulation of plant height in rice.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel freezing-inducible DREB1/CBF transcription factor gene in boreal plant Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule

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Zhuo Huang

Full Text Available Abstract DREB1 of the AP2/ERF superfamily plays a key role in the regulation of plant response to low temperatures. In this study, a novel DREB1/CBF transcription factor, PnDREB1, was isolated from Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicaule, a plant adaptive to low temperature environments. It is homologous to the known DREB1s of Arabidopsis and other plant species. It also shares similar 3D structure, and conserved and functionally important motifs with DREB1s of Arabidopsis. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the AP2 domain of PnDREB1 is similar to those of Glycine max, Medicago truncatula, and M. sativa. PnDREB1 is constitutively expressed in diverse tissues and is increased in roots. qPCR analyses indicated that PnDREB1 is significantly induced by freezing treatment as well as by abscissic acid. The expression levels induced by freezing treatment were higher in the variety with higher degree of freezing tolerance. These results suggested that PnDREB1 is a novel and functional DREB1 transcription factor involved in freezing response and possibly in other abiotic stresses. Furthermore, the freezing-induction could be suppressed by exogenous gibberellins acid, indicating that PnDREB1 might play some role in the GA signaling transduction pathway. This study provides a basis for better understanding the roles of DREB1 in adaption of Iceland poppy to low temperatures.

Strand transfer and elongation of HIV-1 reverse transcription is facilitated by cell factors in vitro.

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David Warrilow

Full Text Available Recent work suggests a role for multiple host factors in facilitating HIV-1 reverse transcription. Previously, we identified a cellular activity which increases the efficiency of HIV-1 reverse transcription in vitro. Here, we describe aspects of the activity which shed light on its function. The cellular factor did not affect synthesis of strong-stop DNA but did improve downstream DNA synthesis. The stimulatory activity was isolated by gel filtration in a single fraction of the exclusion volume. Velocity-gradient purified HIV-1, which was free of detectable RNase activity, showed poor reverse transcription efficiency but was strongly stimulated by partially purified cell proteins. Hence, the cell factor(s did not inactivate an RNase activity that might degrade the viral genomic RNA and block completion of reverse transcription. Instead, the cell factor(s enhanced first strand transfer and synthesis of late reverse transcription suggesting it stabilized the reverse transcription complex. The factor did not affect lysis of HIV-1 by Triton X-100 in the endogenous reverse transcription (ERT system, and ERT reactions with HIV-1 containing capsid mutations, which varied the biochemical stability of viral core structures and impeded reverse transcription in cells, showed no difference in the ability to be stimulated by the cell factor(s suggesting a lack of involvement of the capsid in the in vitro assay. In addition, reverse transcription products were found to be resistant to exogenous DNase I activity when the active fraction was present in the ERT assay. These results indicate that the cell factor(s may improve reverse transcription by facilitating DNA strand transfer and DNA synthesis. It also had a protective function for the reverse transcription products, but it is unclear if this is related to improved DNA synthesis.

An engineered tale-transcription factor rescues transcription of factor VII impaired by promoter mutations and enhances its endogenous expression in hepatocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbon, Elena; Pignani, Silvia; Branchini, Alessio; Bernardi, Francesco; Pinotti, Mirko; Bovolenta, Matteo

2016-06-24

Tailored approaches to restore defective transcription responsible for severe diseases have been poorly explored. We tested transcription activator-like effectors fused to an activation domain (TALE-TFs) in a coagulation factor VII (FVII) deficiency model. In this model, the deficiency is caused by the -94C > G or -61T > G mutation, which abrogate the binding of Sp1 or HNF-4 transcription factors. Reporter assays in hepatoma HepG2 cells naturally expressing FVII identified a single TALE-TF (TF4) that, by targeting the region between mutations, specifically trans-activated both the variant (>100-fold) and wild-type (20-40-fold) F7 promoters. Importantly, in the genomic context of transfected HepG2 and transduced primary hepatocytes, TF4 increased F7 mRNA and protein levels (2- to 3-fold) without detectable off-target effects, even for the homologous F10 gene. The ectopic F7 expression in renal HEK293 cells was modestly affected by TF4 or by TALE-TF combinations. These results provide experimental evidence for TALE-TFs as gene-specific tools useful to counteract disease-causing promoter mutations.

Downstream reporter gene imaging for signal transduction pathway of dopamine type 2 receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le, Uyenchi N.; Min, Jung Joon; Moon, Sung Min; Bom, Hee Seung

2004-01-01

The Dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) signal pathway regulates gene expression by phosphorylation of proteins including cAMP reponse element-binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor. In this study, we developed a reporter strategy using the GAL4 fusion CREB to assess the phosphorylation of CREB, one of the targets of the D2R signal transduction pathway. We used three plasmids: GAL4 fusion transactivator (pCMV-CREB), firefly luciferase reporter with GAL4 binding sites (pG5-FLUC), and D2R plasmid (pCMV-D2R). Group 1 293T cells were transiently transfected with pCMV-CREB and pG5-FLUC, and group 2 cells were transfected with all three plasmids. Transfected cells were stimulated with different concentrations of dopamine (0-200 M). For animal studies, group 1 and 2 cells (1x10 6 ) were subcutaneously injected on the left and right thigh of six nude mice, respectively. Dopamine stimiulation was performed with intraperitoneal injection of L-DOPA incombination with carbidopa, a peripheral DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor. Bioluminescence optical imaging studies were performed before and after L-DOPA injection. In cell culture studies, group 1 cells showed strong luciferase activity which implies direct activation of the signaling pathway due to growth factors contained in culture medium. Group 2 cells showed strong luciferase activity and a further increase after administration of dopamine. In animal studies, group 1 and 2 cells showed bioluminescence signal before L-DOPA injection, but signal from group 2 cells significantly increased 12 h after L-DOPA injection. The signal from group 1 cells disappeared thereafter, but group 2 cells continued to show signal until 36 h of L-DOPA injection. This study demonstrates imaging of the D2R signal transduction pathway and should be useful for noninvasive imaging of downstream effects of G-coupled protein pathways

Characterization of senscence-associated NAC transcription factors in Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Podzimska, Dagmara Agata

, such as yield, biomass production and nutrient quality, and NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) transcription factors are promising targets for the breeding. The aim of this thesis was thus to assess the role of NAC transcription factors in regulation of senescence in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and to contribute...

The Inflammatory Transcription Factors NFκB, STAT1 and STAT3 Drive Age-Associated Transcriptional Changes in the Human Kidney

Science.gov (United States)

O’Brown, Zach K.; Van Nostrand, Eric L.; Higgins, John P.; Kim, Stuart K.

2015-01-01

Human kidney function declines with age, accompanied by stereotyped changes in gene expression and histopathology, but the mechanisms underlying these changes are largely unknown. To identify potential regulators of kidney aging, we compared age-associated transcriptional changes in the human kidney with genome-wide maps of transcription factor occupancy from ChIP-seq datasets in human cells. The strongest candidates were the inflammation-associated transcription factors NFκB, STAT1 and STAT3, the activities of which increase with age in epithelial compartments of the renal cortex. Stimulation of renal tubular epithelial cells with the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (a STAT3 activator), IFNγ (a STAT1 activator), or TNFα (an NFκB activator) recapitulated age-associated gene expression changes. We show that common DNA variants in RELA and NFKB1, the two genes encoding subunits of the NFκB transcription factor, associate with kidney function and chronic kidney disease in gene association studies, providing the first evidence that genetic variation in NFκB contributes to renal aging phenotypes. Our results suggest that NFκB, STAT1 and STAT3 underlie transcriptional changes and chronic inflammation in the aging human kidney. PMID:26678048

Problem-Solving Test: The Mechanism of Transcription Termination by the Rho Factor

Science.gov (United States)

Szeberenyi, Jozsef

2012-01-01

Transcription termination comes in two forms in "E. coli" cells. Rho-dependent termination requires the binding of a termination protein called Rho factor to the transcriptional machinery at the terminator region, whereas Rho-independent termination is achieved by conformational changes in the transcript itself. This article presents a test…

Pharmacological targeting of the transcription factor SOX18 delays breast cancer in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Overman, Jeroen; Fontaine, Frank; Moustaqil, Mehdi; Mittal, Deepak; Sierecki, Emma; Sacilotto, Natalia; Zuegg, Johannes; Robertson, Avril AB; Holmes, Kelly; Salim, Angela A; Mamidyala, Sreeman; Butler, Mark S; Robinson, Ashley S; Lesieur, Emmanuelle; Johnston, Wayne; Alexandrov, Kirill; Black, Brian L; Hogan, Benjamin M; De Val, Sarah; Capon, Robert J; Carroll, Jason S; Bailey, Timothy L; Koopman, Peter; Jauch, Ralf; Smyth, Mark J; Cooper, Matthew A; Gambin, Yann; Francois, Mathias

2017-01-01

Pharmacological targeting of transcription factors holds great promise for the development of new therapeutics, but strategies based on blockade of DNA binding, nuclear shuttling, or individual protein partner recruitment have yielded limited success to date. Transcription factors typically engage in complex interaction networks, likely masking the effects of specifically inhibiting single protein-protein interactions. Here, we used a combination of genomic, proteomic and biophysical methods to discover a suite of protein-protein interactions involving the SOX18 transcription factor, a known regulator of vascular development and disease. We describe a small-molecule that is able to disrupt a discrete subset of SOX18-dependent interactions. This compound selectively suppressed SOX18 transcriptional outputs in vitro and interfered with vascular development in zebrafish larvae. In a mouse pre-clinical model of breast cancer, treatment with this inhibitor significantly improved survival by reducing tumour vascular density and metastatic spread. Our studies validate an interactome-based molecular strategy to interfere with transcription factor activity, for the development of novel disease therapeutics. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21221.001 PMID:28137359

Mitochondrial transcription factor A protects human retinal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the impact of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), as a modulator of NF-κB, on proliferation of hypoxia-induced human retinal endothelial cell (HREC), and the probable mechanism. Methods: After exposure to hypoxia (1 % O2) for 5 days, cell proliferation and cell cycle of HREC were ...

Proteopedia: 3D Visualization and Annotation of Transcription Factor-DNA Readout Modes

Science.gov (United States)

Dantas Machado, Ana Carolina; Saleebyan, Skyler B.; Holmes, Bailey T.; Karelina, Maria; Tam, Julia; Kim, Sharon Y.; Kim, Keziah H.; Dror, Iris; Hodis, Eran; Martz, Eric; Compeau, Patricia A.; Rohs, Remo

2012-01-01

3D visualization assists in identifying diverse mechanisms of protein-DNA recognition that can be observed for transcription factors and other DNA binding proteins. We used Proteopedia to illustrate transcription factor-DNA readout modes with a focus on DNA shape, which can be a function of either nucleotide sequence (Hox proteins) or base pairing…

Identification and characterization of bZIP-type transcription factors involved in carrot (Daucus carota L.) somatic embryogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yucheng; Ren, Haibo; Xie, He; Ma, Zeyang; Chen, Fan

2009-10-01

Seed dormancy is an important adaptive trait that enables seeds of many species to remain quiescent until conditions become favorable for germination. Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in these developmental processes. Like dormancy and germination, the elongation of carrot somatic embryo radicles is retarded by sucrose concentrations at or above 6%, and normal growth resumes at sucrose concentrations below 3%. Using a yeast one-hybrid screening system, we isolated two bZIP-type transcription factors, CAREB1 and CAREB2, from a cDNA library prepared from carrot somatic embryos cultured in a high-sucrose medium. Both CAREB1 and CAREB2 were localized to the nucleus, and specifically bound to the ABA response element (ABRE) in the Dc3 promoter. Expression of CAREB2 was induced in seedlings by drought and exogenous ABA application; whereas expression of CAREB1 increased during late embryogenesis, and reduced dramatically when somatic embryos were treated with fluridone, an inhibitor of ABA synthesis. Overexpression of CAREB1 caused somatic embryos to develop slowly when cultured in low-sucrose medium, and retarded the elongation of the radicles. These results indicate that CAREB1 and CAREB2 have similar DNA-binding activities, but play different roles during carrot development. Our results indicate that CAREB1 functions as an important trans-acting factor in the ABA signal transduction pathway during carrot somatic embryogenesis.

E2F1 and p53 Transcription Factors as Accessory Factors for Nucleotide Excision Repair

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David G. Johnson

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Many of the biochemical details of nucleotide excision repair (NER have been established using purified proteins and DNA substrates. In cells however, DNA is tightly packaged around histones and other chromatin-associated proteins, which can be an obstacle to efficient repair. Several cooperating mechanisms enhance the efficiency of NER by altering chromatin structure. Interestingly, many of the players involved in modifying chromatin at sites of DNA damage were originally identified as regulators of transcription. These include ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, histone modifying enzymes and several transcription factors. The p53 and E2F1 transcription factors are well known for their abilities to regulate gene expression in response to DNA damage. This review will highlight the underappreciated, transcription-independent functions of p53 and E2F1 in modifying chromatin structure in response to DNA damage to promote global NER.

Arabidopsis R2R3-MYB transcription factor AtMYB60 functions as a transcriptional repressor of anthocyanin biosynthesis in lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jong-Sug; Kim, Jung-Bong; Cho, Kang-Jin; Cheon, Choong-Ill; Sung, Mi-Kyung; Choung, Myoung-Gun; Roh, Kyung-Hee

2008-06-01

The MYB transcription factors play important roles in the regulation of many secondary metabolites at the transcriptional level. We evaluated the possible roles of the Arabidopsis R2R3-MYB transcription factors in flavonoid biosynthesis because they are induced by UV-B irradiation but their associated phenotypes are largely unexplored. We isolated their genes by RACE-PCR, and performed transgenic approach and metabolite analyses in lettuce (Lactuca sativa). We found that one member of this protein family, AtMYB60, inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis in the lettuce plant. Wild-type lettuce normally accumulates anthocyanin, predominantly cyanidin and traces of delphinidin, and develops a red pigmentation. However, the production and accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in AtMYB60-overexpressing lettuce was inhibited. Using RT-PCR analysis, we also identified the complete absence or reduction of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) transcripts in AtMYB60- overexpressing lettuce (AtMYB60-117 and AtMYB60-112 lines). The correlation between the overexpression of AtMYB60 and the inhibition of anthocyanin accumulation suggests that the transcription factorAtMYB60 controls anthocyanin biosynthesis in the lettuce leaf. Clarification of the roles of the AtMYB60 transcription factor will facilitate further studies and provide genetic tools to better understand the regulation in plants of the genes controlled by the MYB-type transcription factors. Furthermore, the characterization of AtMYB60 has implications for the development of new varieties of lettuce and other commercially important plants with metabolic engineering approaches.

The mitochondrial transcription factor A functions in mitochondrial base excision repair

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canugovi, Chandrika; Maynard, Scott; Bayne, Anne-Cécile V

2010-01-01

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is an essential component of mitochondrial nucleoids. TFAM plays an important role in mitochondrial transcription and replication. TFAM has been previously reported to inhibit nucleotide excision repair (NER) in vitro but NER has not yet been detected i...

Interaction between FMDV Lpro and transcription factor ADNP is required for viral replication

Science.gov (United States)

The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) leader protease (Lpro) inhibits host translation and transcription affecting the expression of several factors involved in innate immunity. In this study, we have identified the host transcription factor ADNP (activity dependent neuroprotective protein) as an ...

WRKY transcription factor superfamily: Structure, origin and functions

African Journals Online (AJOL)

terminal ends contain the WRKYGQR amino acid sequence and a zinc-finger motif. WRKY transcription factors can regulate the expression of target genes that contain the W-box elements (C/T)TGAC(C/T) in the promoter regions by specifically ...

Posttranslational modifications of Forkhead box O transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horst, Aart Arno van der

2006-01-01

FOXO transcription factors play an important role in essential biological processes such as differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, DNA repair, metabolism and stress resistance. Phosphorylation is the modification that was first found on FOXOs and much of the subsequent studies focused on this

ISL1 protein transduction promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation from human embryonic stem cells.

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Hananeh Fonoudi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs have the potential to provide an unlimited source of cardiomyocytes, which are invaluable resources for drug or toxicology screening, medical research, and cell therapy. Currently a number of obstacles exist such as the insufficient efficiency of differentiation protocols, which should be overcome before hESC-derived cardiomyocytes can be used for clinical applications. Although the differentiation efficiency can be improved by the genetic manipulation of hESCs to over-express cardiac-specific transcription factors, these differentiated cells are not safe enough to be applied in cell therapy. Protein transduction has been demonstrated as an alternative approach for increasing the efficiency of hESCs differentiation toward cardiomyocytes. METHODS: We present an efficient protocol for the differentiation of hESCs in suspension by direct introduction of a LIM homeodomain transcription factor, Islet1 (ISL1 recombinant protein into the cells. RESULTS: We found that the highest beating clusters were derived by continuous treatment of hESCs with 40 µg/ml recombinant ISL1 protein during days 1-8 after the initiation of differentiation. The treatment resulted in up to a 3-fold increase in the number of beating areas. In addition, the number of cells that expressed cardiac specific markers (cTnT, CONNEXIN 43, ACTININ, and GATA4 doubled. This protocol was also reproducible for another hESC line. CONCLUSIONS: This study has presented a new, efficient, and reproducible procedure for cardiomyocytes differentiation. Our results will pave the way for scaled up and controlled differentiation of hESCs to be used for biomedical applications in a bioreactor culture system.

Abscisic acid and sucrose regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening through the abscisic acid-stress-ripening transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Haifeng; Jiu, Songtao; Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Chen; Tariq, Pervaiz; Liu, Zhongjie; Wang, Baoju; Cui, Liwen; Fang, Jinggui

2016-10-01

Although great progress has been made towards understanding the role of abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose in fruit ripening, the mechanisms underlying the ABA and sucrose signalling pathways remain elusive. In this study, transcription factor ABA-stress-ripening (ASR), which is involved in the transduction of ABA and sucrose signalling pathways, was isolated and analysed in the nonclimacteric fruit, strawberry and the climacteric fruit, tomato. We have identified four ASR isoforms in tomato and one in strawberry. All ASR sequences contained the ABA stress- and ripening-induced proteins and water-deficit stress-induced proteins (ABA/WDS) domain and all ASR transcripts showed increased expression during fruit development. The expression of the ASR gene was influenced not only by sucrose and ABA, but also by jasmonic acid (JA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and these four factors were correlated with each other during fruit development. ASR bound the hexose transporter (HT) promoter, which contained a sugar box that activated downstream gene expression. Overexpression of the ASR gene promoted fruit softening and ripening, whereas RNA interference delayed fruit ripening, as well as affected fruit physiological changes. Change in ASR gene expression influenced the expression of several ripening-related genes such as CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANS, UFGT, PG, PL, EXP1/2, XET16, Cel1/2 and PME. Taken together, this study may provide new evidence on the important role of ASR in cross-signalling between ABA and sucrose to regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening. The findings of this study also provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism underlying fruit development. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genomewide identification of pheromone-targeted transcription in fission yeast

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Wright Anthony

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fission yeast cells undergo sexual differentiation in response to nitrogen starvation. In this process haploid M and P cells first mate to form diploid zygotes, which then enter meiosis and sporulate. Prior to mating, M and P cells communicate with diffusible mating pheromones that activate a signal transduction pathway in the opposite cell type. The pheromone signalling orchestrates mating and is also required for entry into meiosis. Results Here we use DNA microarrays to identify genes that are induced by M-factor in P cells and by P-factor in M-cells. The use of a cyr1 genetic background allowed us to study pheromone signalling independently of nitrogen starvation. We identified a total of 163 genes that were consistently induced more than two-fold by pheromone stimulation. Gene disruption experiments demonstrated the involvement of newly discovered pheromone-induced genes in the differentiation process. We have mapped Gene Ontology (GO categories specifically associated with pheromone induction. A direct comparison of the M- and P-factor induced expression pattern allowed us to identify cell-type specific transcripts, including three new M-specific genes and one new P-specific gene. Conclusion We found that the pheromone response was very similar in M and P cells. Surprisingly, pheromone control extended to genes fulfilling their function well beyond the point of entry into meiosis, including numerous genes required for meiotic recombination. Our results suggest that the Ste11 transcription factor is responsible for the majority of pheromone-induced transcription. Finally, most cell-type specific genes now appear to be identified in fission yeast.

Transcription factor trapping by RNA in gene regulatory elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigova, Alla A; Abraham, Brian J; Ji, Xiong; Molinie, Benoit; Hannett, Nancy M; Guo, Yang Eric; Jangi, Mohini; Giallourakis, Cosmas C; Sharp, Phillip A; Young, Richard A

2015-11-20

Transcription factors (TFs) bind specific sequences in promoter-proximal and -distal DNA elements to regulate gene transcription. RNA is transcribed from both of these DNA elements, and some DNA binding TFs bind RNA. Hence, RNA transcribed from regulatory elements may contribute to stable TF occupancy at these sites. We show that the ubiquitously expressed TF Yin-Yang 1 (YY1) binds to both gene regulatory elements and their associated RNA species across the entire genome. Reduced transcription of regulatory elements diminishes YY1 occupancy, whereas artificial tethering of RNA enhances YY1 occupancy at these elements. We propose that RNA makes a modest but important contribution to the maintenance of certain TFs at gene regulatory elements and suggest that transcription of regulatory elements produces a positive-feedback loop that contributes to the stability of gene expression programs. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

G =  MAT: linking transcription factor expression and DNA binding data.

Science.gov (United States)

Tretyakov, Konstantin; Laur, Sven; Vilo, Jaak

2011-01-31

Transcription factors are proteins that bind to motifs on the DNA and thus affect gene expression regulation. The qualitative description of the corresponding processes is therefore important for a better understanding of essential biological mechanisms. However, wet lab experiments targeted at the discovery of the regulatory interplay between transcription factors and binding sites are expensive. We propose a new, purely computational method for finding putative associations between transcription factors and motifs. This method is based on a linear model that combines sequence information with expression data. We present various methods for model parameter estimation and show, via experiments on simulated data, that these methods are reliable. Finally, we examine the performance of this model on biological data and conclude that it can indeed be used to discover meaningful associations. The developed software is available as a web tool and Scilab source code at http://biit.cs.ut.ee/gmat/.

G = MAT: Linking Transcription Factor Expression and DNA Binding Data

Science.gov (United States)

Tretyakov, Konstantin; Laur, Sven; Vilo, Jaak

2011-01-01

Transcription factors are proteins that bind to motifs on the DNA and thus affect gene expression regulation. The qualitative description of the corresponding processes is therefore important for a better understanding of essential biological mechanisms. However, wet lab experiments targeted at the discovery of the regulatory interplay between transcription factors and binding sites are expensive. We propose a new, purely computational method for finding putative associations between transcription factors and motifs. This method is based on a linear model that combines sequence information with expression data. We present various methods for model parameter estimation and show, via experiments on simulated data, that these methods are reliable. Finally, we examine the performance of this model on biological data and conclude that it can indeed be used to discover meaningful associations. The developed software is available as a web tool and Scilab source code at http://biit.cs.ut.ee/gmat/. PMID:21297945

Naturally occurring mutations in the human 5-lipoxygenase gene promoter that modify transcription factor binding and reporter gene transcription.

OpenAIRE

In, K H; Asano, K; Beier, D; Grobholz, J; Finn, P W; Silverman, E K; Silverman, E S; Collins, T; Fischer, A R; Keith, T P; Serino, K; Kim, S W; De Sanctis, G T; Yandava, C; Pillari, A

1997-01-01

Five lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the first committed enzyme in the metabolic pathway leading to the synthesis of the leukotrienes. We examined genomic DNA isolated from 25 normal subjects and 31 patients with asthma (6 of whom had aspirin-sensitive asthma) for mutations in the known transcription factor binding regions and the protein encoding region of the 5-LO gene. A family of mutations in the G + C-rich transcription factor binding region was identified consisting of the deletion of one, delet...

VEGF-A isoforms program differential VEGFR2 signal transduction, trafficking and proteolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gareth W. Fearnley

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A binding to the receptor tyrosine kinase VEGFR2 triggers multiple signal transduction pathways, which regulate endothelial cell responses that control vascular development. Multiple isoforms of VEGF-A can elicit differential signal transduction and endothelial responses. However, it is unclear how such cellular responses are controlled by isoform-specific VEGF-A–VEGFR2 complexes. Increasingly, there is the realization that the membrane trafficking of receptor–ligand complexes influences signal transduction and protein turnover. By building on these concepts, our study shows for the first time that three different VEGF-A isoforms (VEGF-A165, VEGF-A121 and VEGF-A145 promote distinct patterns of VEGFR2 endocytosis for delivery into early endosomes. This differential VEGFR2 endocytosis and trafficking is linked to VEGF-A isoform-specific signal transduction events. Disruption of clathrin-dependent endocytosis blocked VEGF-A isoform-specific VEGFR2 activation, signal transduction and caused substantial depletion in membrane-bound VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 levels. Furthermore, such VEGF-A isoforms promoted differential patterns of VEGFR2 ubiquitylation, proteolysis and terminal degradation. Our study now provides novel insights into how different VEGF-A isoforms can bind the same receptor tyrosine kinase and elicit diverse cellular outcomes.

VEGF-A isoforms program differential VEGFR2 signal transduction, trafficking and proteolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fearnley, Gareth W; Smith, Gina A; Abdul-Zani, Izma; Yuldasheva, Nadira; Mughal, Nadeem A; Homer-Vanniasinkam, Shervanthi; Kearney, Mark T; Zachary, Ian C; Tomlinson, Darren C; Harrison, Michael A; Wheatcroft, Stephen B; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

2016-05-15

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) binding to the receptor tyrosine kinase VEGFR2 triggers multiple signal transduction pathways, which regulate endothelial cell responses that control vascular development. Multiple isoforms of VEGF-A can elicit differential signal transduction and endothelial responses. However, it is unclear how such cellular responses are controlled by isoform-specific VEGF-A-VEGFR2 complexes. Increasingly, there is the realization that the membrane trafficking of receptor-ligand complexes influences signal transduction and protein turnover. By building on these concepts, our study shows for the first time that three different VEGF-A isoforms (VEGF-A165, VEGF-A121 and VEGF-A145) promote distinct patterns of VEGFR2 endocytosis for delivery into early endosomes. This differential VEGFR2 endocytosis and trafficking is linked to VEGF-A isoform-specific signal transduction events. Disruption of clathrin-dependent endocytosis blocked VEGF-A isoform-specific VEGFR2 activation, signal transduction and caused substantial depletion in membrane-bound VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 levels. Furthermore, such VEGF-A isoforms promoted differential patterns of VEGFR2 ubiquitylation, proteolysis and terminal degradation. Our study now provides novel insights into how different VEGF-A isoforms can bind the same receptor tyrosine kinase and elicit diverse cellular outcomes. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Architectures and representations for string transduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chrupala, Grzegorz

2015-01-01

String transduction problems are ubiquitous in natural language processing: they include transliteration, grapheme-to-phoneme conversion, text normalization and translation. String transduction can be reduced to the simpler problems of sequence labeling by expressing the target string as a sequence

Efficient Transduction of Feline Neural Progenitor Cells for Delivery of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Using a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus-Based Lentiviral Construct

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Joann You

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Work has shown that stem cell transplantation can rescue or replace neurons in models of retinal degenerative disease. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs modified to overexpress neurotrophic factors are one means of providing sustained delivery of therapeutic gene products in vivo. To develop a nonrodent animal model of this therapeutic strategy, we previously derived NPCs from the fetal cat brain (cNPCs. Here we use bicistronic feline lentiviral vectors to transduce cNPCs with glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF together with a GFP reporter gene. Transduction efficacy is assessed, together with transgene expression level and stability during induction of cellular differentiation, together with the influence of GDNF transduction on growth and gene expression profile. We show that GDNF overexpressing cNPCs expand in vitro, coexpress GFP, and secrete high levels of GDNF protein—before and after differentiation—all qualities advantageous for use as a cell-based approach in feline models of neural degenerative disease.

Advanced Glycation End-Products affect transcription factors regulating insulin gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puddu, A.; Storace, D.; Odetti, P.; Viviani, G.L.

2010-01-01

Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) are generated by the covalent interaction of reducing sugars with proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. AGEs are implicated in diabetic complications and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that exposure of the pancreatic islet cell line HIT-T15 to high concentrations of AGEs leads to a significant decrease of insulin secretion and content. Insulin gene transcription is positively regulated by the beta cell specific transcription factor PDX-1 (Pancreatic and Duodenal Homeobox-1). On the contrary, the forkhead transcription factor FoxO1 inhibits PDX-1 gene transcription. Activity of FoxO1 is regulated by post-translational modifications: phosphorylation deactivates FoxO1, and acetylation prevents FoxO1 ubiquitination. In this work we investigated whether AGEs affect expression and subcellular localization of PDX-1 and FoxO1. HIT-T15 cells were cultured for 5 days in presence of AGEs. Cells were then lysed and processed for subcellular fractionation. We determined intracellular insulin content, then we assessed the expression and subcellular localization of PDX-1, FoxO1, phosphoFoxO1 and acetylFoxO1. As expected intracellular insulin content was lower in HIT-T15 cells cultured with AGEs. The results showed that AGEs decreased expression and nuclear localization of PDX-1, reduced phosphorylation of FoxO1, and increased expression and acetylation of FoxO1. These results suggest that AGEs decrease insulin content unbalancing transcription factors regulating insulin gene expression.

Arabidopsis basic leucine zipper transcription factors involved in an abscisic acid-dependent signal transduction pathway under drought and high-salinity conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Uno, Y; Furihata, T; Abe, H; Yoshida, R; Shinozaki, K; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K

2000-10-10

The induction of the dehydration-responsive Arabidopsis gene, rd29B, is mediated mainly by abscisic acid (ABA). Promoter analysis of rd29B indicated that two ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) are required for the dehydration-responsive expression of rd29B as cis-acting elements. Three cDNAs encoding basic leucine zipper (bZIP)-type ABRE-binding proteins were isolated by using the yeast one-hybrid system and were designated AREB1, AREB2, and AREB3 (ABA-responsive element binding protein). Transcription of the AREB1 and AREB2 genes is up-regulated by drought, NaCl, and ABA treatment in vegetative tissues. In a transient transactivation experiment using Arabidopsis leaf protoplasts, both the AREB1 and AREB2 proteins activated transcription of a reporter gene driven by ABRE. AREB1 and AREB2 required ABA for their activation, because their transactivation activities were repressed in aba2 and abi1 mutants and enhanced in an era1 mutant. Activation of AREBs by ABA was suppressed by protein kinase inhibitors. These results suggest that both AREB1 and AREB2 function as transcriptional activators in the ABA-inducible expression of rd29B, and further that ABA-dependent posttranscriptional activation of AREB1 and AREB2, probably by phosphorylation, is necessary for their maximum activation by ABA. Using cultured Arabidopsis cells, we demonstrated that a specific ABA-activated protein kinase of 42-kDa phosphorylated conserved N-terminal regions in the AREB proteins.

G =  MAT: linking transcription factor expression and DNA binding data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantin Tretyakov

Full Text Available Transcription factors are proteins that bind to motifs on the DNA and thus affect gene expression regulation. The qualitative description of the corresponding processes is therefore important for a better understanding of essential biological mechanisms. However, wet lab experiments targeted at the discovery of the regulatory interplay between transcription factors and binding sites are expensive. We propose a new, purely computational method for finding putative associations between transcription factors and motifs. This method is based on a linear model that combines sequence information with expression data. We present various methods for model parameter estimation and show, via experiments on simulated data, that these methods are reliable. Finally, we examine the performance of this model on biological data and conclude that it can indeed be used to discover meaningful associations. The developed software is available as a web tool and Scilab source code at http://biit.cs.ut.ee/gmat/.

Signal transduction and chemotaxis in mast cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dráber, Petr; Hálová, Ivana; Polakovičová, Iva; Kawakami, T.

2016-01-01

Roč. 778, jaro (2016), s. 11-23 ISSN 0014-2999 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-09807S; GA ČR(CZ) GBP302/12/G101; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-00703S Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : Mast cell * IgE receptor * KIT receptor * Signal transduction * Chemotaxis * Plasma membrane Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.896, year: 2016

DNA repair helicase: a component of BTF2 (TFIIH) basic transcription factor. (research article)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L. Schaeffer; R. Roy (Richard); S. Humbert; V. Moncollin; W. Vermeulen (Wim); J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Jan); P. Chambon; J-M. Egly (Jean-Marc)

1993-01-01

textabstractThe human BTF2 basic transcription factor (also called TFIIH), which is similar to the delta factor in rat and factor b in yeast, is required for class II gene transcription. A strand displacement assay was used to show that highly purified preparation of BTF2 had an adenosine

Salmonella enterica serovar-specific transcriptional reprogramming of infected cells.

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Sebastian Hannemann

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Despite their high degree of genomic similarity, different Salmonella enterica serovars are often associated with very different clinical presentations. In humans, for example, the typhoidal S. enterica serovar Typhi causes typhoid fever, a life-threatening systemic disease. In contrast, the non-typhoidal S. enterica serovar Typhimurium causes self-limiting gastroenteritis. The molecular bases for these different clinical presentations are incompletely understood. The ability to re-program gene expression in host cells is an essential virulence factor for typhoidal and non-typhoidal S. enterica serovars. Here, we have compared the transcriptional profile of cultured epithelial cells infected with S. Typhimurium or S. Typhi. We found that both serovars stimulated distinct transcriptional responses in infected cells that are associated with the stimulation of specific signal transduction pathways. These specific responses were associated with the presence of a distinct repertoire of type III secretion effector proteins. These observations provide major insight into the molecular bases for potential differences in the pathogenic mechanisms of typhoidal and non-typhoidal S. enterica serovars.

Asap: a framework for over-representation statistics for transcription factor binding sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marstrand, Troels T; Frellsen, Jes; Moltke, Ida

2008-01-01

-founded choice. METHODOLOGY: We introduce a software package, Asap, for fast searching with position weight matrices that include several standard methods for assessing over-representation. We have compared the ability of these methods to detect over-represented transcription factor binding sites in artificial......BACKGROUND: In studies of gene regulation the efficient computational detection of over-represented transcription factor binding sites is an increasingly important aspect. Several published methods can be used for testing whether a set of hypothesised co-regulated genes share a common regulatory...... regime based on the occurrence of the modelled transcription factor binding sites. However there is little or no information available for guiding the end users choice of method. Furthermore it would be necessary to obtain several different software programs from various sources to make a well...

C2H2 type of zinc finger transcription factors in foxtail millet define response to abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Khandelwal, Rohit; Khan, Yusuf; Roy, Riti; Prasad, Manoj

2014-09-01

C2H2 type of zinc finger transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant stress response and hormone signal transduction. Hence considering its importance, genome-wide investigation and characterization of C2H2 zinc finger proteins were performed in Arabidopsis, rice and poplar but no such study was conducted in foxtail millet which is a C4 Panicoid model crop well known for its abiotic stress tolerance. The present study identified 124 C2H2-type zinc finger TFs in foxtail millet (SiC2H2) and physically mapped them onto the genome. The gene duplication analysis revealed that SiC2H2s primarily expanded in the genome through tandem duplication. The phylogenetic tree classified these TFs into five groups (I-V). Further, miRNAs targeting SiC2H2 transcripts in foxtail millet were identified. Heat map demonstrated differential and tissue-specific expression patterns of these SiC2H2 genes. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet SiC2H2 genes and its orthologs of sorghum, maize and rice revealed the evolutionary relationships of C2H2 type of zinc finger TFs. The duplication and divergence data provided novel insight into the evolutionary aspects of these TFs in foxtail millet and related grass species. Expression profiling of candidate SiC2H2 genes in response to salinity, dehydration and cold stress showed differential expression pattern of these genes at different time points of stresses.

Valproic acid disrupts the oscillatory expression of core circadian rhythm transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Griggs, Chanel A; Malm, Scott W; Jaime-Frias, Rosa; Smith, Catharine L

2018-01-15

Valproic acid (VPA) is a well-established therapeutic used in treatment of seizure and mood disorders as well as migraines and a known hepatotoxicant. About 50% of VPA users experience metabolic disruptions, including weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia, among others. Several of these metabolic abnormalities are similar to the effects of circadian rhythm disruption. In the current study, we examine the effect of VPA exposure on the expression of core circadian transcription factors that drive the circadian clock via a transcription-translation feedback loop. In cells with an unsynchronized clock, VPA simultaneously upregulated the expression of genes encoding core circadian transcription factors that regulate the positive and negative limbs of the feedback loop. Using low dose glucocorticoid, we synchronized cultured fibroblast cells to a circadian oscillatory pattern. Whether VPA was added at the time of synchronization or 12h later at CT12, we found that VPA disrupted the oscillatory expression of multiple genes encoding essential transcription factors that regulate circadian rhythm. Therefore, we conclude that VPA has a potent effect on the circadian rhythm transcription-translation feedback loop that may be linked to negative VPA side effects in humans. Furthermore, our study suggests potential chronopharmacology implications of VPA usage. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The transcription factor KLF2 restrains CD4⁺ T follicular helper cell differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, June-Yong; Skon, Cara N; Lee, You Jeong; Oh, Soohwan; Taylor, Justin J; Malhotra, Deepali; Jenkins, Marc K; Rosenfeld, M Geoffrey; Hogquist, Kristin A; Jameson, Stephen C

2015-02-17

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are essential for efficient B cell responses, yet the factors that regulate differentiation of this CD4(+) T cell subset are incompletely understood. Here we found that the KLF2 transcription factor serves to restrain Tfh cell generation. Induced KLF2 deficiency in activated CD4(+) T cells led to increased Tfh cell generation and B cell priming, whereas KLF2 overexpression prevented Tfh cell production. KLF2 promotes expression of the trafficking receptor S1PR1, and S1PR1 downregulation is essential for efficient Tfh cell production. However, KLF2 also induced expression of the transcription factor Blimp-1, which repressed transcription factor Bcl-6 and thereby impaired Tfh cell differentiation. Furthermore, KLF2 induced expression of the transcription factors T-bet and GATA3 and enhanced Th1 differentiation. Hence, our data indicate KLF2 is pivotal for coordinating CD4(+) T cell differentiation through two distinct and complementary mechanisms: via control of T cell localization and by regulation of lineage-defining transcription factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOT/FAA Human Factors Workshop on Aviation (5th). Transcript.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

This document is a verbatim transcript of the proceedings of the Fifth Human Factors Workshop held at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 7-9, 1981. The Sixth Human Factors Workshop was held at the same facility ...

Functionally significant, rare transcription factor variants in tetralogy of Fallot.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Töpf

Full Text Available Rare variants in certain transcription factors involved in cardiac development cause Mendelian forms of congenital heart disease. The purpose of this study was to systematically assess the frequency of rare transcription factor variants in sporadic patients with the cardiac outflow tract malformation tetralogy of Fallot (TOF.We sequenced the coding, 5'UTR, and 3'UTR regions of twelve transcription factor genes implicated in cardiac outflow tract development (NKX2.5, GATA4, ISL1, TBX20, MEF2C, BOP/SMYD1, HAND2, FOXC1, FOXC2, FOXH, FOXA2 and TBX1 in 93 non-syndromic, non-Mendelian TOF cases. We also analysed Illumina Human 660W-Quad SNP Array data for copy number variants in these genes; none were detected. Four of the rare variants detected have previously been shown to affect transactivation in in vitro reporter assays: FOXC1 p.P297S, FOXC2 p.Q444R, FOXH1 p.S113T and TBX1 p.P43_G61del PPPPRYDPCAAAAPGAPGP. Two further rare variants, HAND2 p.A25_A26insAA and FOXC1 p.G378_G380delGGG, A488_491delAAAA, affected transactivation in in vitro reporter assays. Each of these six functionally significant variants was present in a single patient in the heterozygous state; each of the four for which parental samples were available were maternally inherited. Thus in the 93 TOF cases we identified six functionally significant mutations in the secondary heart field transcriptional network.This study indicates that rare genetic variants in the secondary heart field transcriptional network with functional effects on protein function occur in 3-13% of patients with TOF. This is the first report of a functionally significant HAND2 mutation in a patient with congenital heart disease.

The transcription factor ATF3 is upregulated during chondrocyte differentiation and represses cyclin D1 and A gene transcription

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Claudine G

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coordinated chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation are required for normal endochondral bone growth. Transcription factors binding to the cyclicAMP response element (CRE are known to regulate these processes. One member of this family, Activating Tanscription Factor 3 (ATF3, is expressed during skeletogenesis and acts as a transcriptional repressor, but the function of this protein in chondrogenesis is unknown. Results Here we demonstrate that Atf3 mRNA levels increase during mouse chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, Atf3 mRNA levels are increased in response to cytochalasin D treatment, an inducer of chondrocyte maturation. This is accompanied by increased Atf3 promoter activity in cytochalasin D-treated chondrocytes. We had shown earlier that transcription of the cell cycle genes cyclin D1 and cyclin A in chondrocytes is dependent on CREs. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of ATF3 in primary mouse chondrocytes results in reduced transcription of both genes, as well as decreased activity of a CRE reporter plasmid. Repression of cyclin A transcription by ATF3 required the CRE in the cyclin A promoter. In parallel, ATF3 overexpression reduces the activity of a SOX9-dependent promoter and increases the activity of a RUNX2-dependent promoter. Conclusion Our data suggest that transcriptional induction of the Atf3 gene in maturing chondrocytes results in down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin A expression as well as activation of RUNX2-dependent transcription. Therefore, ATF3 induction appears to facilitate cell cycle exit and terminal differentiation of chondrocytes.

Cannabinoid inhibition of adenylate cyclase-mediated signal transduction and interleukin 2 (IL-2) expression in the murine T-cell line, EL4.IL-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Condie, R; Herring, A; Koh, W S; Lee, M; Kaminski, N E

1996-05-31

Cannabinoid receptors negatively regulate adenylate cyclase through a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein. In the present studies, signaling via the adenylate cyclase/cAMP pathway was investigated in the murine thymoma-derived T-cell line, EL4.IL-2. Northern analysis of EL4.IL-2 cells identified the presence of 4-kilobase CB2 but not CB1 receptor-subtype mRNA transcripts. Southern analysis of genomic DNA digests for the CB2 receptor demonstrated identical banding patterns for EL4.IL-2 cells and mouse-derived DNA, both of which were dissimilar to DNA isolated from rat. Treatment of EL4.IL-2 cells with either cannabinol or Delta9-THC disrupted the adenylate cyclase signaling cascade by inhibiting forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation which consequently led to a decrease in protein kinase A activity and the binding of transcription factors to a CRE consensus sequence. Likewise, an inhibition of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin-induced interleukin 2 (IL-2) protein secretion, which correlated to decreased IL-2 gene transcription, was induced by both cannabinol and Delta9-THC. Further, cannabinoid treatment also decreased PMA/ionomycin-induced nuclear factor binding to the AP-1 proximal site of the IL-2 promoter. Conversely, forskolin enhanced PMA/ionomycin-induced AP-1 binding. These findings suggest that inhibition of signal transduction via the adenylate cyclase/cAMP pathway induces T-cell dysfunction which leads to a diminution in IL-2 gene transcription.

Transcription factors as readers and effectors of DNA methylation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Heng; Wang, Guohua; Qian, Jiang

2016-08-01

Recent technological advances have made it possible to decode DNA methylomes at single-base-pair resolution under various physiological conditions. Many aberrant or differentially methylated sites have been discovered, but the mechanisms by which changes in DNA methylation lead to observed phenotypes, such as cancer, remain elusive. The classical view of methylation-mediated protein-DNA interactions is that only proteins with a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) can interact with methylated DNA. However, evidence is emerging to suggest that transcription factors lacking a MBD can also interact with methylated DNA. The identification of these proteins and the elucidation of their characteristics and the biological consequences of methylation-dependent transcription factor-DNA interactions are important stepping stones towards a mechanistic understanding of methylation-mediated biological processes, which have crucial implications for human development and disease.

The MYST family histone acetyltransferase complex regulates stress resistance and longevity through transcriptional control of DAF-16/FOXO transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeda, Takako; Uno, Masaharu; Honjoh, Sakiko; Nishida, Eisuke

2017-08-09

The well-known link between longevity and the Sir2 histone deacetylase family suggests that histone deacetylation, a modification associated with repressed chromatin, is beneficial to longevity. However, the molecular links between histone acetylation and longevity remain unclear. Here, we report an unexpected finding that the MYST family histone acetyltransferase complex (MYS-1/TRR-1 complex) promotes rather than inhibits stress resistance and longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans Our results show that these beneficial effects are largely mediated through transcriptional up-regulation of the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16. MYS-1 and TRR-1 are recruited to the promoter regions of the daf-16 gene, where they play a role in histone acetylation, including H4K16 acetylation. Remarkably, we also find that the human MYST family Tip60/TRRAP complex promotes oxidative stress resistance by up-regulating the expression of FOXO transcription factors in human cells. Tip60 is recruited to the promoter regions of the foxo1 gene, where it increases H4K16 acetylation levels. Our results thus identify the evolutionarily conserved role of the MYST family acetyltransferase as a key epigenetic regulator of DAF-16/FOXO transcription factors. © 2017 The Authors.

Incorporating evolution of transcription factor binding sites into ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PRAKASH KUMAR

Identifying transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) is essential to elucidate ... alignments with parts annotated as gap lessly aligned TFBSs (pair-profile hits) are generated. Moreover, the pair- profile related parameters are derived in a sound statistical framework. ... Much research has gone into the study of the evolution of.

Identification of a novel and unique transcription factor in the intraerythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kanako Komaki-Yasuda

Full Text Available The mechanisms of stage-specific gene regulation in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are largely unclear, with only a small number of specific regulatory transcription factors (AP2 family having been identified. In particular, the transcription factors that function in the intraerythrocytic stage remain to be elucidated. Previously, as a model case for stage-specific transcription in the P. falciparum intraerythrocytic stage, we analyzed the transcriptional regulation of pf1-cys-prx, a trophozoite/schizont-specific gene, and suggested that some nuclear factors bind specifically to the cis-element of pf1-cys-prx and enhance transcription. In the present study, we purified nuclear factors from parasite nuclear extract by 5 steps of chromatography, and identified a factor termed PREBP. PREBP is not included in the AP2 family, and is a novel protein with four K-homology (KH domains. The KH domain is known to be found in RNA-binding or single-stranded DNA-binding proteins. PREBP is well conserved in Plasmodium species and partially conserved in phylum Apicomplexa. To evaluate the effects of PREBP overexpression, we used a transient overexpression and luciferase assay combined approach. Overexpression of PREBP markedly enhanced luciferase expression under the control of the pf1-cys-prx cis-element. These results provide the first evidence of a novel transcription factor that activates the gene expression in the malaria parasite intraerythrocytic stage. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolution of specific transcription machinery in Plasmodium and other eukaryotes.

Biological effects of tolerable level chronic boron intake on transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Orenay Boyacioglu, Seda; Korkmaz, Mehmet; Kahraman, Erkan; Yildirim, Hatice; Bora, Selin; Ataman, Osman Yavuz

2017-01-01

The mechanism of boron effect on human transcription and translation has not been fully understood. In the current study it was aimed to reveal the role of boron on the expression of certain transcription factors that play key roles in many cellular pathways on human subjects chronically exposed to low amounts of boron. The boron concentrations in drinking water samples were 1.57±0.06mg/l for boron group while the corresponding value for the control group was 0.016±0.002mg/l. RNA isolation was performed using PAX gene RNA kit on the blood samples from the subjects. The RNA was then reverse transcribed into cDNA and analyzed using the Human Transcription Factors RT 2 Profiler™ PCR Arrays. While the boron amount in urine was detected as 3.56±1.47mg/day in the boron group, it was 0.72±0.30mg/day in the control group. Daily boron intake of the boron and control groups were calculated to be 6.98±3.39 and 1.18±0.41mg/day, respectively. The expression levels of the transcription factor genes were compared between the boron and control groups and no statistically significant difference was detected (P>0.05). The data suggest that boron intake at 6.98±3.39mg/day, which is the dose at which beneficial effects might be seen, does not result in toxicity at molecular level since the expression levels of transcription factors are not changed. Although boron intake over this level will seem to increase RNA synthesis, further examination of the topic is needed using new molecular epidemiological data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Intrapulmonary Versus Nasal Transduction of Murine Airways With GP64-pseudotyped Viral Vectors

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Mayumi Oakland

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Persistent viral vector-mediated transgene expression in the airways requires delivery to cells with progenitor capacity and avoidance of immune responses. Previously, we observed that GP64-pseudotyped feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV-mediated gene transfer was more efficient in the nasal airways than the large airways of the murine lung. We hypothesized that in vivo gene transfer was limited by immunological and physiological barriers in the murine intrapulmonary airways. Here, we systematically investigate multiple potential barriers to lentiviral gene transfer in the airways of mice. We show that GP64-FIV vector transduced primary cultures of well-differentiated murine nasal epithelia with greater efficiency than primary cultures of murine tracheal epithelia. We further demonstrate that neutrophils, type I interferon (IFN responses, as well as T and B lymphocytes are not the major factors limiting the transduction of murine conducting airways. In addition, we observed better transduction of GP64-pseudotyped vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV in the nasal epithelia compared with the intrapulmonary airways in mice. VSVG glycoprotein pseudotyped VSV transduced intrapulmonary epithelia with similar efficiency as nasal epithelia. Our results suggest that the differential transduction efficiency of nasal versus intrapulmonary airways by FIV vector is not a result of immunological barriers or surface area, but rather differential expression of cellular factors specific for FIV vector transduction.

bZIPs and WRKYs: two large transcription factor families executing two different functional strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carles eMarco Llorca

2014-04-01

Full Text Available bZIPs and WRKYs are two important plant transcription factor families regulating diverse developmental and stress-related processes. Since a partial overlap in these biological processes is obvious, it can be speculated that they fulfill non-redundant functions in a complex regulatory network. Here, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms that are so far described for bZIPs and WRKYs. bZIP factors need to heterodimerize for DNA-binding and regulation of transcription, and based on a bioinformatics approach, bZIPs can build up more than the double of protein interactions than WRKYs. In contrast, an enrichment of the WRKY DNA-binding motifs can be found in WRKY promoters, a phenomenon which is not observed for the bZIP family. Thus, the two transcription factor families follow two different functional strategies in which WRKYs regulate each other’s transcription in a transcriptional network whereas bZIP action relies on intensive heterodimerization.

Cisplatin- and UV-damaged DNA lure the basal transcription factor TFIID/TBP.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P. Vichi; F. Coin (Frédéric); J-P. Renaud (Jean-Paul); W. Vermeulen (Wim); J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Jan); D. Moras; J-M. Egly (Jean-Marc)

1997-01-01

textabstractA connection between transcription and DNA repair was demonstrated previously through the characterization of TFIIH. Using filter binding as well as in vitro transcription challenge competition assays, we now show that the promoter recognition factor TATA box-binding protein (TBP)/TFIID

Engineered zinc-finger transcription factors inhibit the replication and transcription of HBV in vitro and in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wei; Wang, Junxia; Xu, Dengfeng; Bai, Huili; Zhang, Yangli; Zhang, Yuhong; Li, Xiaosong

2018-04-01

In the present study, an artificial zinc-finger transcription factor eukaryotic expression vector specifically recognizing and binding to the hepatitis B virus (HBV) enhancer (Enh) was constructed, which inhibited the replication and expression of HBV DNA. The HBV EnhI‑specific pcDNA3.1‑artificial transcription factor (ATF) vector was successfully constructed, and then transformed or injected into HepG2.2.15 cells and HBV transgenic mice, respectively. The results demonstrated that the HBV EnhI (1,070‑1,234 bp)‑specific ATF significantly inhibited the replication and transcription of HBV DNA in vivo and in vitro. The HBV EnhI‑specific ATF may be a meritorious component of progressive combination therapies for eliminating HBV DNA in infected patients. A radical cure for chronic HBV infection may become feasible by using this bioengineering technology.

MADS interactomics : towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant MADS-domain transcription factor function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smaczniak, C.D.

2013-01-01

Protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions are essential for the molecular action of transcription factors. By combinatorial binding to target gene promoters, transcription factors are able to up- or down-regulate the expression of these genes. MADS-domain proteins comprise a large family of

NAC Transcription Factors of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and their Involvement in Leaf Senescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wagner, Michael

parts of the senescence process. The specific aims of this study were therefore (1) to establish and characterise the NAC transcription factors of the model cereal crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (2) to identify and study putative barley NAC transcription factors involved in the regulation of leaf...

Genetic Variants in Transcription Factors Are Associated With the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Metformin

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, S; Yee, SW; Stocker, S; Mosley, JD; Kubo, M; Castro, R; Mefford, JA; Wen, C; Liang, X; Witte, J; Brett, C; Maeda, S; Simpson, MD; Hedderson, MM; Davis, RL; Roden, DM; Giacomini, KM; Savic, RM

2014-01-01

One-third of type 2 diabetes patients do not respond to metformin. Genetic variants in metformin transporters have been extensively studied as a likely contributor to this high failure rate. Here, we investigate, for the first time, the effect of genetic variants in transcription factors on metformin pharmacokinetics (PK) and response. Overall, 546 patients and healthy volunteers contributed their genome-wide, pharmacokinetic (235 subjects), and HbA1c data (440 patients) for this analysis. Five variants in specificity protein 1 (SP1), a transcription factor that modulates the expression of metformin transporters, were associated with changes in treatment HbA1c (P < 0.01) and metformin secretory clearance (P < 0.05). Population pharmacokinetic modeling further confirmed a 24% reduction in apparent clearance in homozygous carriers of one such variant, rs784888. Genetic variants in other transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-α, were significantly associated with HbA1c change only. Overall, our study highlights the importance of genetic variants in transcription factors as modulators of metformin PK and response. PMID:24853734

Pluripotency transcription factors and Tet1/2 maintain Brd4-independent stem cell identity.

Science.gov (United States)

Finley, Lydia W S; Vardhana, Santosha A; Carey, Bryce W; Alonso-Curbelo, Direna; Koche, Richard; Chen, Yanyang; Wen, Duancheng; King, Bryan; Radler, Megan R; Rafii, Shahin; Lowe, Scott W; Allis, C David; Thompson, Craig B

2018-05-01

A robust network of transcription factors and an open chromatin landscape are hallmarks of the naive pluripotent state. Recently, the acetyllysine reader Brd4 has been implicated in stem cell maintenance, but the relative contribution of Brd4 to pluripotency remains unclear. Here, we show that Brd4 is dispensable for self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). When maintained in their ground state, ESCs retain transcription factor binding and chromatin accessibility independent of Brd4 function or expression. In metastable ESCs, Brd4 independence can be achieved by increased expression of pluripotency transcription factors, including STAT3, Nanog or Klf4, so long as the DNA methylcytosine oxidases Tet1 and Tet2 are present. These data reveal that Brd4 is not essential for ESC self-renewal. Rather, the levels of pluripotency transcription factor abundance and Tet1/2 function determine the extent to which bromodomain recognition of protein acetylation contributes to the maintenance of gene expression and cell identity.

Construction and Deciphering of Human Phosphorylation-Mediated Signaling Transduction Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Menghuan; Li, Hong; He, Ying; Sun, Han; Xia, Li; Wang, Lishun; Sun, Bo; Ma, Liangxiao; Zhang, Guoqing; Li, Jing; Li, Yixue; Xie, Lu

2015-07-02

Protein phosphorylation is the most abundant reversible covalent modification. Human protein kinases participate in almost all biological pathways, and approximately half of the kinases are associated with disease. PhoSigNet was designed to store and display human phosphorylation-mediated signal transduction networks, with additional information related to cancer. It contains 11 976 experimentally validated directed edges and 216 871 phosphorylation sites. Moreover, 3491 differentially expressed proteins in human cancer from dbDEPC, 18 907 human cancer variation sites from CanProVar, and 388 hyperphosphorylation sites from PhosphoSitePlus were collected as annotation information. Compared with other phosphorylation-related databases, PhoSigNet not only takes the kinase-substrate regulatory relationship pairs into account, but also extends regulatory relationships up- and downstream (e.g., from ligand to receptor, from G protein to kinase, and from transcription factor to targets). Furthermore, PhoSigNet allows the user to investigate the impact of phosphorylation modifications on cancer. By using one set of in-house time series phosphoproteomics data, the reconstruction of a conditional and dynamic phosphorylation-mediated signaling network was exemplified. We expect PhoSigNet to be a useful database and analysis platform benefiting both proteomics and cancer studies.

Function of the PHA-4/FOXA transcription factor during C. elegans post-embryonic development

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Chen Di

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background pha-4 encodes a forkhead box (FOX A transcription factor serving as the C. elegans pharynx organ identity factor during embryogenesis. Using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE, comparison of gene expression profiles between growing stages animals and long-lived, developmentally diapaused dauer larvae revealed that pha-4 transcription is increased in the dauer stage. Results Knocking down pha-4 expression by RNAi during post-embryonic development showed that PHA-4 is essential for dauer recovery, gonad and vulva development. daf-16, which encodes a FOXO transcription factor regulated by insulin/IGF-1 signaling, shows overlapping expression patterns and a loss-of-function post-embryonic phenotype similar to that of pha-4 during dauer recovery. pha-4 RNAi and daf-16 mutations have additive effects on dauer recovery, suggesting these two regulators may function in parallel pathways. Gene expression studies using RT-PCR and GFP reporters showed that pha-4 transcription is elevated under starvation, and a conserved forkhead transcription factor binding site in the second intron of pha-4 is important for the neuronal expression. The vulval transcription of lag-2, which encodes a ligand for the LIN-12/Notch lateral signaling pathway, is inhibited by pha-4 RNAi, indicating that LAG-2 functions downstream of PHA-4 in vulva development. Conclusion Analysis of PHA-4 during post-embryonic development revealed previously unsuspected functions for this important transcriptional regulator in dauer recovery, and may help explain the network of transcriptional control integrating organogenesis with the decision between growth and developmental arrest at the dauer entry and exit stages.

Nuclear factor ETF specifically stimulates transcription from promoters without a TATA box.

Science.gov (United States)

Kageyama, R; Merlino, G T; Pastan, I

1989-09-15

Transcription factor ETF stimulates the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene which does not have a TATA box in the promoter region. Here, we show that ETF recognizes various GC-rich sequences including stretches of deoxycytidine or deoxyguanosine residues and GC boxes with similar affinities. ETF also binds to TATA boxes but with a lower affinity. ETF stimulated in vitro transcription from several promoters without TATA boxes but had little or no effect on TATA box-containing promoters even though they had strong ETF-binding sites. These inactive ETF-binding sites became functional when placed upstream of the EGFR promoter whose own ETF-binding sites were removed. Furthermore, when a TATA box was introduced into the EGFR promoter, the responsiveness to ETF was abolished. These results indicate that ETF is a specific transcription factor for promoters which do not contain TATA elements.

Genome-wide classification and expression analysis of MYB transcription factor families in rice and Arabidopsis

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The MYB gene family comprises one of the richest groups of transcription factors in plants. Plant MYB proteins are characterized by a highly conserved MYB DNA-binding domain. MYB proteins are classified into four major groups namely, 1R-MYB, 2R-MYB, 3R-MYB and 4R-MYB based on the number and position of MYB repeats. MYB transcription factors are involved in plant development, secondary metabolism, hormone signal transduction, disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance. A comparative analysis of MYB family genes in rice and Arabidopsis will help reveal the evolution and function of MYB genes in plants. Results A genome-wide analysis identified at least 155 and 197 MYB genes in rice and Arabidopsis, respectively. Gene structure analysis revealed that MYB family genes possess relatively more number of introns in the middle as compared with C- and N-terminal regions of the predicted genes. Intronless MYB-genes are highly conserved both in rice and Arabidopsis. MYB genes encoding R2R3 repeat MYB proteins retained conserved gene structure with three exons and two introns, whereas genes encoding R1R2R3 repeat containing proteins consist of six exons and five introns. The splicing pattern is similar among R1R2R3 MYB genes in Arabidopsis. In contrast, variation in splicing pattern was observed among R1R2R3 MYB members of rice. Consensus motif analysis of 1kb upstream region (5′ to translation initiation codon) of MYB gene ORFs led to the identification of conserved and over-represented cis-motifs in both rice and Arabidopsis. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that several members of MYBs are up-regulated by various abiotic stresses both in rice and Arabidopsis. Conclusion A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of chromosomal distribution, tandem repeats and phylogenetic relationship of MYB family genes in rice and Arabidopsis suggested their evolution via duplication. Genome-wide comparative analysis of MYB genes and their expression analysis

Survival-related profile, pathways, and transcription factors in ovarian cancer.

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Anne P G Crijns

2009-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis due to advanced stage at presentation and either intrinsic or acquired resistance to classic cytotoxic drugs such as platinum and taxoids. Recent large clinical trials with different combinations and sequences of classic cytotoxic drugs indicate that further significant improvement in prognosis by this type of drugs is not to be expected. Currently a large number of drugs, targeting dysregulated molecular pathways in cancer cells have been developed and are introduced in the clinic. A major challenge is to identify those patients who will benefit from drugs targeting these specific dysregulated pathways.The aims of our study were (1 to develop a gene expression profile associated with overall survival in advanced stage serous ovarian cancer, (2 to assess the association of pathways and transcription factors with overall survival, and (3 to validate our identified profile and pathways/transcription factors in an independent set of ovarian cancers. METHODS AND FINDINGS: According to a randomized design, profiling of 157 advanced stage serous ovarian cancers was performed in duplicate using approximately 35,000 70-mer oligonucleotide microarrays. A continuous predictor of overall survival was built taking into account well-known issues in microarray analysis, such as multiple testing and overfitting. A functional class scoring analysis was utilized to assess pathways/transcription factors for their association with overall survival. The prognostic value of genes that constitute our overall survival profile was validated on a fully independent, publicly available dataset of 118 well-defined primary serous ovarian cancers. Furthermore, functional class scoring analysis was also performed on this independent dataset to assess the similarities with results from our own dataset. An 86-gene overall survival profile discriminated between patients with unfavorable and favorable prognosis (median survival, 19

Molecular architecture of transcription factor hotspots in early adipogenesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siersbæk, Rasmus; Baek, Songjoon; Rabiee, Atefeh

2014-01-01

motif on chromatin, and we suggest that this may be a general mechanism for integrating external signals on chromatin. Furthermore, we find evidence of extensive recruitment of transcription factors to hotspots through alternative mechanisms not involving their known motifs and demonstrate...

A transcription factor for cold sensation!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milbrandt Jeffrey

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract The ability to feel hot and cold is critical for animals and human beings to survive in the natural environment. Unlike other sensations, the physiology of cold sensation is mostly unknown. In the present study, we use genetically modified mice that do not express nerve growth factor-inducible B (NGFIB to investigate the possible role of NGFIB in cold sensation. We found that genetic deletion of NGFIB selectively affected behavioral responses to cold stimuli while behavioral responses to noxious heat or mechanical stimuli were normal. Furthermore, behavioral responses remained reduced or blocked in NGFIB knockout mice even after repetitive application of cold stimuli. Our results provide strong evidence that the first transcription factor NGFIB determines the ability of animals to respond to cold stimulation.

Adaptation to Environmental Stimuli within the Host: Two-Component Signal Transduction Systems of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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Bretl, Daniel J.; Demetriadou, Chrystalla; Zahrt, Thomas C.

2011-01-01

Summary: Pathogenic microorganisms encounter a variety of environmental stresses following infection of their respective hosts. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis, is an unusual bacterial pathogen in that it is able to establish lifelong infections in individuals within granulomatous lesions that are formed following a productive immune response. Adaptation to this highly dynamic environment is thought to be mediated primarily through transcriptional reprogramming initiated in response to recognition of stimuli, including low-oxygen tension, nutrient depletion, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, altered pH, toxic lipid moieties, cell wall/cell membrane-perturbing agents, and other environmental cues. To survive continued exposure to these potentially adverse factors, M. tuberculosis encodes a variety of regulatory factors, including 11 complete two-component signal transduction systems (TCSSs) and several orphaned response regulators (RRs) and sensor kinases (SKs). This report reviews our current knowledge of the TCSSs present in M. tuberculosis. In particular, we discuss the biochemical and functional characteristics of individual RRs and SKs, the environmental stimuli regulating their activation, the regulons controlled by the various TCSSs, and the known or postulated role(s) of individual TCSSs in the context of M. tuberculosis physiology and/or pathogenesis. PMID:22126994

A regulating element essential for PDGFRA transcription is recognized by neural tube defect-associated PRX homeobox transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joosten, Paul H. L. J.; Toepoel, Mascha; van Oosterhout, Dirk; Afink, Gijs B.; van Zoelen, Everardus J. J.

2002-01-01

We have previously shown that deregulated expression of the platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor (PDGFRA) can be associated with neural tube defects (NTDs) in both men and mice. In the present study, we have investigated the transcription factors that control the up-regulation of PDGFRA

The Hv NAC6 transcription factor: a positive regulator of penetration resistance in barley and Arabidopsis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Michael Krogh; Rung, Jesper Henrik; Gregersen, Per Langkjaer

2007-01-01

Pathogens induce the expression of many genes encoding plant transcription factors, though specific knowledge of the biological function of individual transcription factors remains scarce. NAC transcription factors are encoded in plants by a gene family with proposed functions in both abiotic...... and biotic stress adaptation, as well as in developmental processes. In this paper, we provide convincing evidence that a barley NAC transcription factor has a direct role in regulating basal defence. The gene transcript was isolated by differential display from barley leaves infected with the biotrophic...... powdery mildew fungus, Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei (Bgh). The full-length cDNA clone was obtained using 5'-RACE and termed HvNAC6, due to its high similarity to the rice homologue, OsNAC6. Gene silencing of HvNAC6 during Bgh inoculation compromises penetration resistance in barley epidermal cells...

Regulation of endogenous human gene expression by ligand-inducible TALE transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercer, Andrew C; Gaj, Thomas; Sirk, Shannon J; Lamb, Brian M; Barbas, Carlos F

2014-10-17

The construction of increasingly sophisticated synthetic biological circuits is dependent on the development of extensible tools capable of providing specific control of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. Here, we describe a new class of synthetic transcription factors that activate gene expression in response to extracellular chemical stimuli. These inducible activators consist of customizable transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins combined with steroid hormone receptor ligand-binding domains. We demonstrate that these ligand-responsive TALE transcription factors allow for tunable and conditional control of gene activation and can be used to regulate the expression of endogenous genes in human cells. Since TALEs can be designed to recognize any contiguous DNA sequence, the conditional gene regulatory system described herein will enable the design of advanced synthetic gene networks.

ERK-dependent phosphorylation of the transcription initiation factor TIF-IA is required for RNA polymerase I transcription and cell growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, Jian; Yuan, Xuejun; Frödin, Morten

2003-01-01

-specific transcription initiation factor TIF-IA. Activation of TIF-IA and ribosomal gene transcription is sensitive to PD98059, indicating that TIF-IA is targeted by MAPK in vivo. Phosphopeptide mapping and mutational analysis reveals two serine residues (S633 and S649) that are phosphorylated by ERK and RSK kinases....... Replacement of S649 by alanine inactivates TIF-IA, inhibits pre-rRNA synthesis, and retards cell growth. The results provide a link between growth factor signaling, ribosome production, and cell growth, and may have a major impact on the mechanism of cell transformation....

A mechanistic overview of herbal medicine and botanical compounds to target transcriptional factors in Breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yingke; Liu, Yue

2018-04-01

The abnormalities of transcription factors, such as NF-κB, STAT, estrogen receptor, play a critical role in the initiation and progression of breast cancer. Due to the limitation of current treatment, transcription factors could be promising therapeutic targets, which have received close attention. In this review, we introduced herbal medicines, as well as botanical compounds that had been verified with anti-tumor properties via regulating transcription factors. Herbs, compounds, as well as formulae reported with various transcriptional targets, were summarized thoroughly, to provide implication for the future research on basic experiment and clinical application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sucrose-induced anthocyanin accumulation in vegetative tissue of Petunia plants requires anthocyanin regulatory transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Trinh Ngoc; Naing, Aung Htay; Arun, Muthukrishnan; Lim, Sun-Hyung; Kim, Chang Kil

2016-11-01

The effects of three different sucrose concentrations on plant growth and anthocyanin accumulation were examined in non-transgenic (NT) and transgenic (T 2 ) specimens of the Petunia hybrida cultivar 'Mirage rose' that carried the anthocyanin regulatory transcription factors B-Peru+mPAP1 or RsMYB1. Anthocyanin accumulation was not observed in NT plants in any treatments, whereas a range of anthocyanin accumulation was observed in transgenic plants. The anthocyanin content detected in transgenic plants expressing the anthocyanin regulatory transcription factors (B-Peru+mPAP1 or RsMYB1) was higher than that in NT plants. In addition, increasing sucrose concentration strongly enhanced anthocyanin content as shown by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, wherein increased concentrations of sucrose enhanced transcript levels of the transcription factors that are responsible for the induction of biosynthetic genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis; this pattern was not observed in NT plants. In addition, sucrose affected plant growth, although the effects were different between NT and transgenic plants. Taken together, the application of sucrose could enhance anthocyanin production in vegetative tissue of transgenic Petunia carrying anthocyanin regulatory transcription factors, and this study provides insights about interactive effects of sucrose and transcription factors in anthocyanin biosynthesis in the transgenic plant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear exclusion of transcription factors associated with apoptosis in developing nervous tissue

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R. Linden

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Programmed cell death in the form of apoptosis involves a network of metabolic events and may be triggered by a variety of stimuli in distinct cells. The nervous system contains several neuron and glial cell types, and developmental events are strongly dependent on selective cell interactions. Retinal explants have been used as a model to investigate apoptosis in nervous tissue. This preparation maintains the structural complexity and cell interactions similar to the retina in situ, and contains cells in all stages of development. We review the finding of nuclear exclusion of several transcription factors during apoptosis in retinal cells. The data reviewed in this paper suggest a link between apoptosis and a failure in the nucleo-cytoplasmic partition of transcription factors. It is argued that the nuclear exclusion of transcription factors may be an integral component of apoptosis both in the nervous system and in other types of cells and tissues.

An NAD+-dependent transcriptional program governs self-renewal and radiation resistance in glioblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Gujar, Amit D; Le, Son; Mao, Diane D; Dadey, David Y A; Turski, Alice; Sasaki, Yo; Aum, Diane; Luo, Jingqin; Dahiya, Sonika; Yuan, Liya; Rich, Keith M; Milbrandt, Jeffrey; Hallahan, Dennis E; Yano, Hiroko; Tran, David D; Kim, Albert H

2016-12-20

Accumulating evidence suggests cancer cells exhibit a dependency on metabolic pathways regulated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ). Nevertheless, how the regulation of this metabolic cofactor interfaces with signal transduction networks remains poorly understood in glioblastoma. Here, we report nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting step in NAD + synthesis, is highly expressed in glioblastoma tumors and patient-derived glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs). High NAMPT expression in tumors correlates with decreased patient survival. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of NAMPT decreased NAD + levels and GSC self-renewal capacity, and NAMPT knockdown inhibited the in vivo tumorigenicity of GSCs. Regulatory network analysis of RNA sequencing data using GSCs treated with NAMPT inhibitor identified transcription factor E2F2 as the center of a transcriptional hub in the NAD + -dependent network. Accordingly, we demonstrate E2F2 is required for GSC self-renewal. Downstream, E2F2 drives the transcription of members of the inhibitor of differentiation (ID) helix-loop-helix gene family. Finally, we find NAMPT mediates GSC radiation resistance. The identification of a NAMPT-E2F2-ID axis establishes a link between NAD + metabolism and a self-renewal transcriptional program in glioblastoma, with therapeutic implications for this formidable cancer.

Engineering synthetic TALE and CRISPR/Cas9 transcription factors for regulating gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabadi, Ami M; Gersbach, Charles A

2014-09-01

Engineered DNA-binding proteins that can be targeted to specific sites in the genome to manipulate gene expression have enabled many advances in biomedical research. This includes generating tools to study fundamental aspects of gene regulation and the development of a new class of gene therapies that alter the expression of endogenous genes. Designed transcription factors have entered clinical trials for the treatment of human diseases and others are in preclinical development. High-throughput and user-friendly platforms for designing synthetic DNA-binding proteins present innovative methods for deciphering cell biology and designing custom synthetic gene circuits. We review two platforms for designing synthetic transcription factors for manipulating gene expression: Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) and the RNA-guided clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. We present an overview of each technology and a guide for designing and assembling custom TALE- and CRISPR/Cas9-based transcription factors. We also discuss characteristics of each platform that are best suited for different applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NF-κB Transcription Factor Role in Consolidation and Reconsolidation of Persistent Memories

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Verónica ede la Fuente

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Transcriptional regulation is an important molecular process required for long-term neural plasticity and long-term memory formation. Thus, one main interest in molecular neuroscience in the last decades has been the identification of transcription factors that are involved in memory processes. Among them, the NF-κB family of transcription factors has gained interest due to a significant body of evidence that supports a key role of these proteins in synaptic plasticity and memory. In recent years, the interest was particularly reinforced because NF-κB was characterized as an important regulator of synaptogenesis. This function may be explained by its participation in synapse to nucleus communication, as well as a possible local role at the synapse. This review provides an overview of experimental work obtained in the last years, showing the essential role of this transcription factor in memory processes in different learning tasks in mammals. We focus the review on the consolidation and reconsolidation memory phases as well as on the regulation of immediate-early and late genes by epigenetic mechanisms that determine enduring forms of memories.

Targeted genome editing by lentiviral protein transduction of zinc-finger and TAL-effector nucleases.

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Cai, Yujia; Bak, Rasmus O; Mikkelsen, Jacob Giehm

2014-04-24

Future therapeutic use of engineered site-directed nucleases, like zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), relies on safe and effective means of delivering nucleases to cells. In this study, we adapt lentiviral vectors as carriers of designer nuclease proteins, providing efficient targeted gene disruption in vector-treated cell lines and primary cells. By co-packaging pairs of ZFN proteins with donor RNA in 'all-in-one' lentiviral particles, we co-deliver ZFN proteins and the donor template for homology-directed repair leading to targeted DNA insertion and gene correction. Comparative studies of ZFN activity in a predetermined target locus and a known nearby off-target locus demonstrate reduced off-target activity after ZFN protein transduction relative to conventional delivery approaches. Additionally, TALEN proteins are added to the repertoire of custom-designed nucleases that can be delivered by protein transduction. Altogether, our findings generate a new platform for genome engineering based on efficient and potentially safer delivery of programmable nucleases.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01911.001. Copyright © 2014, Cai et al.

A systems biology perspective on the role of WRKY transcription factors in drought responses in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Prateek; Rabara, Roel C; Rushton, Paul J

2014-02-01

Drought is one of the major challenges affecting crop productivity and yield. However, water stress responses are notoriously multigenic and quantitative with strong environmental effects on phenotypes. It is also clear that water stress often does not occur alone under field conditions but rather in conjunction with other abiotic stresses such as high temperature and high light intensities. A multidisciplinary approach with successful integration of a whole range of -omics technologies will not only define the system, but also provide new gene targets for both transgenic approaches and marker-assisted selection. Transcription factors are major players in water stress signaling and some constitute major hubs in the signaling webs. The main transcription factors in this network include MYB, bHLH, bZIP, ERF, NAC, and WRKY transcription factors. The role of WRKY transcription factors in abiotic stress signaling networks is just becoming apparent and systems biology approaches are starting to define their places in the signaling network. Using systems biology approaches, there are now many transcriptomic analyses and promoter analyses that concern WRKY transcription factors. In addition, reports on nuclear proteomics have identified WRKY proteins that are up-regulated at the protein level by water stress. Interactomics has started to identify different classes of WRKY-interacting proteins. What are often lacking are connections between metabolomics, WRKY transcription factors, promoters, biosynthetic pathways, fluxes and downstream responses. As more levels of the system are characterized, a more detailed understanding of the roles of WRKY transcription factors in drought responses in crops will be obtained.

Global transcriptional regulatory network for Escherichia coli robustly connects gene expression to transcription factor activities

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Xin; Sastry, Anand; Mih, Nathan; Kim, Donghyuk; Tan, Justin; Lloyd, Colton J.; Gao, Ye; Yang, Laurence; Palsson, Bernhard O.

2017-01-01

Transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) have been studied intensely for >25 y. Yet, even for the Escherichia coli TRN—probably the best characterized TRN—several questions remain. Here, we address three questions: (i) How complete is our knowledge of the E. coli TRN; (ii) how well can we predict gene expression using this TRN; and (iii) how robust is our understanding of the TRN? First, we reconstructed a high-confidence TRN (hiTRN) consisting of 147 transcription factors (TFs) regulating 1,538 transcription units (TUs) encoding 1,764 genes. The 3,797 high-confidence regulatory interactions were collected from published, validated chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data and RegulonDB. For 21 different TF knockouts, up to 63% of the differentially expressed genes in the hiTRN were traced to the knocked-out TF through regulatory cascades. Second, we trained supervised machine learning algorithms to predict the expression of 1,364 TUs given TF activities using 441 samples. The algorithms accurately predicted condition-specific expression for 86% (1,174 of 1,364) of the TUs, while 193 TUs (14%) were predicted better than random TRNs. Third, we identified 10 regulatory modules whose definitions were robust against changes to the TRN or expression compendium. Using surrogate variable analysis, we also identified three unmodeled factors that systematically influenced gene expression. Our computational workflow comprehensively characterizes the predictive capabilities and systems-level functions of an organism’s TRN from disparate data types. PMID:28874552

Transcription Factors Expressed in Lateral Organ Boundaries: Identification of Downstream Targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Springer, Patricia S

2010-07-12

The processes of lateral organ initiation and patterning are central to the generation of mature plant form. Characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes is essential to our understanding of plant development. Communication between the shoot apical meristem and initiating organ primordia is important both for functioning of the meristem and for proper organ patterning, and very little is known about this process. In particular, the boundary between meristem and leaf is emerging as a critical region that is important for SAM maintenance and regulation of organogenesis. The goal of this project was to characterize three boundary-expressed genes that encode predicted transcription factors. Specifically, we have studied LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES (LOB), LATERAL ORGAN FUSION1 (LOF1), and LATERAL ORGAN FUSION2 (LOF2). LOB encodes the founding member of the LOB-DOMAIN (LBD) plant-specific DNA binding transcription factor family and LOF1 and LOF2 encode paralogous MYB-domain transcription factors. We characterized the genetic relationship between these three genes and other boundary and meristem genes. We also used an ectopic inducible expression system to identify direct targets of LOB.

Evidence for site-specific occupancy of the mitochondrial genome by nuclear transcription factors.

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Georgi K Marinov

Full Text Available Mitochondria contain their own circular genome, with mitochondria-specific transcription and replication systems and corresponding regulatory proteins. All of these proteins are encoded in the nuclear genome and are post-translationally imported into mitochondria. In addition, several nuclear transcription factors have been reported to act in mitochondria, but there has been no comprehensive mapping of their occupancy patterns and it is not clear how many other factors may also be found in mitochondria. Here we address these questions by using ChIP-seq data from the ENCODE, mouseENCODE and modENCODE consortia for 151 human, 31 mouse and 35 C. elegans factors. We identified 8 human and 3 mouse transcription factors with strong localized enrichment over the mitochondrial genome that was usually associated with the corresponding recognition sequence motif. Notably, these sites of occupancy are often the sites with highest ChIP-seq signal intensity within both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and are thus best explained as true binding events to mitochondrial DNA, which exist in high copy number in each cell. We corroborated these findings by immunocytochemical staining evidence for mitochondrial localization. However, we were unable to find clear evidence for mitochondrial binding in ENCODE and other publicly available ChIP-seq data for most factors previously reported to localize there. As the first global analysis of nuclear transcription factors binding in mitochondria, this work opens the door to future studies that probe the functional significance of the phenomenon.

The transcription factor MEF2C mediates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by IGF-1 signaling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munoz, Juan Pablo; Collao, Andres; Chiong, Mario; Maldonado, Carola; Adasme, Tatiana; Carrasco, Loreto; Ocaranza, Paula; Bravo, Roberto; Gonzalez, Leticia; Diaz-Araya, Guillermo [Centro FONDAP Estudios Moleculares de la Celula, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas y Farmaceuticas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Hidalgo, Cecilia [Centro FONDAP Estudios Moleculares de la Celula, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Lavandero, Sergio, E-mail: slavander@uchile.cl [Centro FONDAP Estudios Moleculares de la Celula, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas y Farmaceuticas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile); Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492 (Chile)

2009-10-09

Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) plays an important role in cardiovascular development and is a key transcription factor for cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we describe MEF2C regulation by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its role in IGF-1-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We found that IGF-1 addition to cultured rat cardiomyocytes activated MEF2C, as evidenced by its increased nuclear localization and DNA binding activity. IGF-1 stimulated MEF2 dependent-gene transcription in a time-dependent manner, as indicated by increased MEF2 promoter-driven reporter gene activity; IGF-1 also induced p38-MAPK phosphorylation, while an inhibitor of p38-MAPK decreased both effects. Additionally, inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and calcineurin prevented IGF-1-induced MEF2 transcriptional activity. Via MEF2C-dependent signaling, IGF-1 also stimulated transcription of atrial natriuretic factor and skeletal {alpha}-actin but not of fos-lux reporter genes. These novel data suggest that MEF2C activation by IGF-1 mediates the pro-hypertrophic effects of IGF-1 on cardiac gene expression.

The transcription factor MEF2C mediates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by IGF-1 signaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, Juan Pablo; Collao, Andres; Chiong, Mario; Maldonado, Carola; Adasme, Tatiana; Carrasco, Loreto; Ocaranza, Paula; Bravo, Roberto; Gonzalez, Leticia; Diaz-Araya, Guillermo; Hidalgo, Cecilia; Lavandero, Sergio

2009-01-01

Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) plays an important role in cardiovascular development and is a key transcription factor for cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we describe MEF2C regulation by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its role in IGF-1-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We found that IGF-1 addition to cultured rat cardiomyocytes activated MEF2C, as evidenced by its increased nuclear localization and DNA binding activity. IGF-1 stimulated MEF2 dependent-gene transcription in a time-dependent manner, as indicated by increased MEF2 promoter-driven reporter gene activity; IGF-1 also induced p38-MAPK phosphorylation, while an inhibitor of p38-MAPK decreased both effects. Additionally, inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and calcineurin prevented IGF-1-induced MEF2 transcriptional activity. Via MEF2C-dependent signaling, IGF-1 also stimulated transcription of atrial natriuretic factor and skeletal α-actin but not of fos-lux reporter genes. These novel data suggest that MEF2C activation by IGF-1 mediates the pro-hypertrophic effects of IGF-1 on cardiac gene expression.

Negative transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) by nuclear TFAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Eun Jin; Kang, Young Cheol; Park, Wook-Ha; Jeong, Jae Hoon; Pak, Youngmi Kim

2014-01-01

Highlights: • TFAM localizes in nuclei and mitochondria of neuronal cells. • Nuclear TFAM does not bind the Tfam promoter. • Nuclear TFAM reduced the Tfam promoter activity via suppressing NRF-1 activity. • A novel self-negative feedback regulation of Tfam gene expression is explored. • FAM may play different roles depending on its subcellular localizations. - Abstract: The nuclear DNA-encoded mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is synthesized in cytoplasm and transported into mitochondria. TFAM enhances both transcription and replication of mitochondrial DNA. It is unclear, however, whether TFAM plays a role in regulating nuclear gene expression. Here, we demonstrated that TFAM was localized to the nucleus and mitochondria by immunostaining, subcellular fractionation, and TFAM-green fluorescent protein hybrid protein studies. In HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells, human TFAM (hTFAM) overexpression suppressed human Tfam promoter-mediated luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner. The mitochondria targeting sequence-deficient hTFAM also repressed Tfam promoter activity to the same degree as hTFAM. It indicated that nuclear hTFAM suppressed Tfam expression without modulating mitochondrial activity. The repression required for nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), but hTFAM did not bind to the NRF-1 binding site of its promoter. TFAM was co-immunoprecipitated with NRF-1. Taken together, we suggest that nuclear TFAM down-regulate its own gene expression as a NRF-1 repressor, showing that TFAM may play different roles depending on its subcellular localizations

Human hematopoietic cell culture, transduction, and analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonde, Jesper; Wirthlin, Louisa; Kohn, Donald B

2008-01-01

This unit provides methods for introducing genes into human hematopoietic progenitor cells. The Basic Protocol describes isolation of CD34(+) cells, transduction of these cells with a retroviral vector on fibronectin-coated plates, assaying the efficiency of transduction, and establishing long-te...

Using network component analysis to dissect regulatory networks mediated by transcription factors in yeast.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Ye

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Understanding the relationship between genetic variation and gene expression is a central question in genetics. With the availability of data from high-throughput technologies such as ChIP-Chip, expression, and genotyping arrays, we can begin to not only identify associations but to understand how genetic variations perturb the underlying transcription regulatory networks to induce differential gene expression. In this study, we describe a simple model of transcription regulation where the expression of a gene is completely characterized by two properties: the concentrations and promoter affinities of active transcription factors. We devise a method that extends Network Component Analysis (NCA to determine how genetic variations in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs perturb these two properties. Applying our method to a segregating population of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we found statistically significant examples of trans-acting SNPs located in regulatory hotspots that perturb transcription factor concentrations and affinities for target promoters to cause global differential expression and cis-acting genetic variations that perturb the promoter affinities of transcription factors on a single gene to cause local differential expression. Although many genetic variations linked to gene expressions have been identified, it is not clear how they perturb the underlying regulatory networks that govern gene expression. Our work begins to fill this void by showing that many genetic variations affect the concentrations of active transcription factors in a cell and their affinities for target promoters. Understanding the effects of these perturbations can help us to paint a more complete picture of the complex landscape of transcription regulation. The software package implementing the algorithms discussed in this work is available as a MATLAB package upon request.

Analysis of functional redundancies within the Arabidopsis TCP transcription factor family

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Danisman, S.; Dijk, van A.D.J.; Bimbo, A.; Wal, van der F.; Hennig, L.; Folter, de S.; Angenent, G.C.; Immink, R.G.H.

2013-01-01

Analyses of the functions of TEOSINTE-LIKE1, CYCLOIDEA, and ROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR1 (TCP) transcription factors have been hampered by functional redundancy between its individual members. In general, putative functionally redundant genes are predicted based on sequence similarity and confirmed by

Protein intrinsic disorder in Arabidopsis NAC transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Shea, Charlotte; Jensen, Mikael Kryger; Stender, Emil G.P.

2015-01-01

of differences in binding mechanisms. Although substitution of both hydrophobic and acidic residues of the ANAC046 MoRF region abolished binding, substitution of other residues, even with α-helix-breaking proline, was less disruptive. Together, the biophysical analyses suggest that RCD1-ANAC046 complex formation......Protein ID (intrinsic disorder) plays a significant, yet relatively unexplored role in transcription factors (TFs). In the present paper, analysis of the transcription regulatory domains (TRDs) of six phylogenetically representative, plant-specific NAC [no apical meristem, ATAF (Arabidopsis...

The strategy of fusion genes construction determines efficient expression of introduced transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamus, Tomasz; Konieczny, Paweł; Sekuła, Małgorzata; Sułkowski, Maciej; Majka, Marcin

2014-01-01

The main goal in gene therapy and biomedical research is an efficient transcription factors (TFs) delivery system. SNAIL, a zinc finger transcription factor, is strongly involved in tumor, what makes its signaling pathways an interesting research subject. The necessity of tracking activation of intracellular pathways has prompted fluorescent proteins usage as localization markers. Advanced molecular cloning techniques allow to generate fusion proteins from fluorescent markers and transcription factors. Depending on fusion strategy, the protein expression levels and nuclear transport ability are significantly different. The P2A self-cleavage motif through its cleavage ability allows two single proteins to be simultaneously expressed. The aim of this study was to compare two strategies for introducing a pair of genes using expression vector system. We have examined GFP and SNAI1 gene fusions by comprising common nucleotide polylinker (multiple cloning site) or P2A motif in between them, resulting in one fusion or two independent protein expressions respectively. In each case transgene expression levels and translation efficiency as well as nuclear localization of expressed protein have been analyzed. Our data showed that usage of P2A motif provides more effective nuclear transport of SNAIL transcription factor than conventional genes linker. At the same time the fluorescent marker spreads evenly in subcellular space.

Transcriptional factor influence on OTA production and the quelling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study determined the influence of some transcriptional factors on ochratoxin A production as well as investigates the quelling attributes of some designed siRNA on the OTA producing Aspergillus section Nigri using standard recommended techniques. Results obtained following comparison of the pks gene promoter ...

Occupancy classification of position weight matrix-inferred transcription factor binding sites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hollis Wright

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Computational prediction of Transcription Factor Binding Sites (TFBS from sequence data alone is difficult and error-prone. Machine learning techniques utilizing additional environmental information about a predicted binding site (such as distances from the site to particular chromatin features to determine its occupancy/functionality class show promise as methods to achieve more accurate prediction of true TFBS in silico. We evaluate the Bayesian Network (BN and Support Vector Machine (SVM machine learning techniques on four distinct TFBS data sets and analyze their performance. We describe the features that are most useful for classification and contrast and compare these feature sets between the factors. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate good performance of classifiers both on TFBS for transcription factors used for initial training and for TFBS for other factors in cross-classification experiments. We find that distances to chromatin modifications (specifically, histone modification islands as well as distances between such modifications to be effective predictors of TFBS occupancy, though the impact of individual predictors is largely TF specific. In our experiments, Bayesian network classifiers outperform SVM classifiers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate good performance of machine learning techniques on the problem of occupancy classification, and demonstrate that effective classification can be achieved using distances to chromatin features. We additionally demonstrate that cross-classification of TFBS is possible, suggesting the possibility of constructing a generalizable occupancy classifier capable of handling TFBS for many different transcription factors.

Reconstitution of the yeast RNA polymerase III transcription system with all recombinant factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducrot, Cécile; Lefebvre, Olivier; Landrieux, Emilie; Guirouilh-Barbat, Josée; Sentenac, André; Acker, Joel

2006-04-28

Transcription factor TFIIIC is a multisubunit complex required for promoter recognition and transcriptional activation of class III genes. We describe here the reconstitution of complete recombinant yeast TFIIIC and the molecular characterization of its two DNA-binding domains, tauA and tauB, using the baculovirus expression system. The B block-binding module, rtauB, was reconstituted with rtau138, rtau91, and rtau60 subunits. rtau131, rtau95, and rtau55 formed also a stable complex, rtauA, that displayed nonspecific DNA binding activity. Recombinant rTFIIIC was functionally equivalent to purified yeast TFIIIC, suggesting that the six recombinant subunits are necessary and sufficient to reconstitute a transcriptionally active TFIIIC complex. The formation and the properties of rTFIIIC-DNA complexes were affected by dephosphorylation treatments. The combination of complete recombinant rTFIIIC and rTFIIIB directed a low level of basal transcription, much weaker than with the crude B'' fraction, suggesting the existence of auxiliary factors that could modulate the yeast RNA polymerase III transcription system.

Transcription elongation factor GreA has functional chaperone activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kun; Jiang, Tianyi; Yu, Bo; Wang, Limin; Gao, Chao; Ma, Cuiqing; Xu, Ping; Ma, Yanhe

2012-01-01

Bacterial GreA is an indispensable factor in the RNA polymerase elongation complex. It plays multiple roles in transcriptional elongation, and may be implicated in resistance to various stresses. In this study, we show that Escherichia coli GreA inhibits aggregation of several substrate proteins under heat shock condition. GreA can also effectively promote the refolding of denatured proteins. These facts reveal that GreA has chaperone activity. Distinct from many molecular chaperones, GreA does not form stable complexes with unfolded substrates. GreA overexpression confers the host cells with enhanced resistance to heat shock and oxidative stress. Moreover, GreA expression in the greA/greB double mutant could suppress the temperature-sensitive phenotype, and dramatically alleviate the in vivo protein aggregation. The results suggest that bacterial GreA may act as chaperone in vivo. These results suggest that GreA, in addition to its function as a transcription factor, is involved in protection of cellular proteins against aggregation.

Temporally Regulated Neural Crest Transcription Factors Distinguish Neuroectodermal Tumors of Varying Malignancy and Differentiation

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Timothy R. Gershon

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Neuroectodermal tumor cells, like neural crest (NC cells, are pluripotent, proliferative, and migratory. We tested the hypothesis that genetic programs essential to NC development are activated in neuroectodermal tumors. We examined the expression of transcription factors PAX3, PAX7, AP-2α, and SOX10 in human embryos and neuroectodermal tumors: neurofibroma, schwannoma, neuroblastoma, malignant nerve sheath tumor, melanoma, medulloblastoma, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, and Ewing's sarcoma. We also examined the expression of P0, ERBB3, and STX, targets of SOX10, AP-2α, and PAX3, respectively. PAX3, AP-2α, and SOX10 were expressed sequentially in human NC development, whereas PAX7 was restricted to mesoderm. Tumors expressed PAX3, AP-2α, SOX10, and PAX7 in specific combinations. SOX10 and AP-2α were expressed in relatively differentiated neoplasms. The early NC marker, PAX3, and its homologue, PAX7, were detected in poorly differentiated tumors and tumors with malignant potential. Expression of NC transcription factors and target genes correlated. Transcription factors essential to NC development are thus present in neuroectodermal tumors. Correlation of specific NC transcription factors with phenotype, and with expression of specific downstream genes, provides evidence that these transcription factors actively influence gene expression and tumor behavior. These findings suggest that PAX3, PAX7, AP-2α, and SOX10 are potential markers of prognosis and targets for therapeutic intervention.

Regulation of basophil and mast cell development by transcription factors

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Haruka Sasaki

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Basophils and mast cells play important roles in host defense against parasitic infections and allergic responses. Several progenitor populations, either shared or specific, for basophils and/or mast cells have been identified, thus elucidating the developmental pathways of these cells. Multiple transcription factors essential for their development and the relationships between them have been also revealed. For example, IRF8 induces GATA2 expression to promote the generation of both basophils and mast cells. The STAT5-GATA2 axis induces C/EBPα and MITF expression, facilitating the differentiation into basophils and mast cells, respectively. In addition, C/EBPα and MITF mutually suppress each other's expression. This review provides an overview of recent advances in our understanding of how transcription factors regulate the development of basophils and mast cells.

In vitro fluorescence studies of transcription factor IIB-DNA interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Górecki, Andrzej; Figiel, Małgorzata; Dziedzicka-Wasylewska, Marta

2015-01-01

General transcription factor TFIIB is one of the basal constituents of the preinitiation complex of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, acting as a bridge between the preinitiation complex and the polymerase, and binding promoter DNA in an asymmetric manner, thereby defining the direction of the transcription. Methods of fluorescence spectroscopy together with circular dichroism spectroscopy were used to observe conformational changes in the structure of recombinant human TFIIB after binding to specific DNA sequence. To facilitate the exploration of the structural changes, several site-directed mutations have been introduced altering the fluorescence properties of the protein. Our observations showed that binding of specific DNA sequences changed the protein structure and dynamics, and TFIIB may exist in two conformational states, which can be described by a different microenvironment of W52. Fluorescence studies using both intrinsic and exogenous fluorophores showed that these changes significantly depended on the recognition sequence and concerned various regions of the protein, including those interacting with other transcription factors and RNA polymerase II. DNA binding can cause rearrangements in regions of proteins interacting with the polymerase in a manner dependent on the recognized sequences, and therefore, influence the gene expression.

Effects of pergolide mesylate on transduction efficiency of PEP-1-catalase protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, Eun Jeong; Kim, Dae Won; Kim, Young Nam; Kim, So Mi; Lim, Soon Sung; Kang, Tae-Cheon; Kwon, Hyeok Yil; Kim, Duk-Soo; Cho, Sung-Woo; Han, Kyu Hyung; Park, Jinseu; Eum, Won Sik; Hwang, Hyun Sook; Choi, Soo Young

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → We studied effects of pergolide mesylate (PM) on in vitro and in vivo transduction of PEP-1-catalase. → PEP-1-catatase inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation. → PM enhanced the transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT cells and skin tissue. → PM increased anti-inflammatory activity of PEP-1-catalase. → PM stimulated therapeutic action of anti-oxidant enzyme catalase in oxidative-related diseases. -- Abstract: The low transduction efficiency of various proteins is an obstacle to their therapeutic application. However, protein transduction domains (PTDs) are well-known for a highly effective tool for exogenous protein delivery to cells. We examined the effects of pergolide mesylate (PM) on the transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT human keratinocytes and mice skin and on the anti-inflammatory activity of PEP-1-catatase against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation using Western blot and histological analysis. PM enhanced the time- and dose-dependent transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT cells without affecting the cellular toxicity. In a mouse edema model, PEP-1-catalase inhibited the increased expressions of inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6 and -1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α induced by TPA. On the other hand, PM alone failed to exert any significant anti-inflammatory effects. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of co-treatment with PEP-1-catalase and PM was more potent than that of PEP-1-catalase alone. Our results indicate that PM may enhance the delivery of PTDs fusion therapeutic proteins to target cells and tissues and has potential to increase their therapeutic effects of such drugs against various diseases.

Effects of pergolide mesylate on transduction efficiency of PEP-1-catalase protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohn, Eun Jeong; Kim, Dae Won; Kim, Young Nam; Kim, So Mi [Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Soon Sung [Department of Food Science and Nutrition and RIC Center, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Tae-Cheon [Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Hyeok Yil [Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Duk-Soo [Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan-Si 330-090 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Sung-Woo [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 138-736 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Kyu Hyung; Park, Jinseu; Eum, Won Sik [Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Hyun Sook, E-mail: wazzup@hallym.ac.kr [Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Soo Young, E-mail: sychoi@hallym.ac.kr [Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chunchon 200-702 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-03-18

Research highlights: {yields} We studied effects of pergolide mesylate (PM) on in vitro and in vivo transduction of PEP-1-catalase. {yields} PEP-1-catatase inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation. {yields} PM enhanced the transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT cells and skin tissue. {yields} PM increased anti-inflammatory activity of PEP-1-catalase. {yields} PM stimulated therapeutic action of anti-oxidant enzyme catalase in oxidative-related diseases. -- Abstract: The low transduction efficiency of various proteins is an obstacle to their therapeutic application. However, protein transduction domains (PTDs) are well-known for a highly effective tool for exogenous protein delivery to cells. We examined the effects of pergolide mesylate (PM) on the transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT human keratinocytes and mice skin and on the anti-inflammatory activity of PEP-1-catatase against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation using Western blot and histological analysis. PM enhanced the time- and dose-dependent transduction of PEP-1-catalase into HaCaT cells without affecting the cellular toxicity. In a mouse edema model, PEP-1-catalase inhibited the increased expressions of inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6 and -1{beta}, and tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} induced by TPA. On the other hand, PM alone failed to exert any significant anti-inflammatory effects. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of co-treatment with PEP-1-catalase and PM was more potent than that of PEP-1-catalase alone. Our results indicate that PM may enhance the delivery of PTDs fusion therapeutic proteins to target cells and tissues and has potential to increase their therapeutic effects of such drugs against various diseases.

A systems biology approach to transcription factor binding site prediction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Zhou

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The elucidation of mammalian transcriptional regulatory networks holds great promise for both basic and translational research and remains one the greatest challenges to systems biology. Recent reverse engineering methods deduce regulatory interactions from large-scale mRNA expression profiles and cross-species conserved regulatory regions in DNA. Technical challenges faced by these methods include distinguishing between direct and indirect interactions, associating transcription regulators with predicted transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs, identifying non-linearly conserved binding sites across species, and providing realistic accuracy estimates.We address these challenges by closely integrating proven methods for regulatory network reverse engineering from mRNA expression data, linearly and non-linearly conserved regulatory region discovery, and TFBS evaluation and discovery. Using an extensive test set of high-likelihood interactions, which we collected in order to provide realistic prediction-accuracy estimates, we show that a careful integration of these methods leads to significant improvements in prediction accuracy. To verify our methods, we biochemically validated TFBS predictions made for both transcription factors (TFs and co-factors; we validated binding site predictions made using a known E2F1 DNA-binding motif on E2F1 predicted promoter targets, known E2F1 and JUND motifs on JUND predicted promoter targets, and a de novo discovered motif for BCL6 on BCL6 predicted promoter targets. Finally, to demonstrate accuracy of prediction using an external dataset, we showed that sites matching predicted motifs for ZNF263 are significantly enriched in recent ZNF263 ChIP-seq data.Using an integrative framework, we were able to address technical challenges faced by state of the art network reverse engineering methods, leading to significant improvement in direct-interaction detection and TFBS-discovery accuracy. We estimated the accuracy

A human transcription factor in search mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Hauser, Kevin; Essuman, Bernard; He, Yiqing; Coutsias, Evangelos; Garcia-Diaz, Miguel; Simmerling, Carlos

2016-01-08

Transcription factors (TF) can change shape to bind and recognize DNA, shifting the energy landscape from a weak binding, rapid search mode to a higher affinity recognition mode. However, the mechanism(s) driving this conformational change remains unresolved and in most cases high-resolution structures of the non-specific complexes are unavailable. Here, we investigate the conformational switch of the human mitochondrial transcription termination factor MTERF1, which has a modular, superhelical topology complementary to DNA. Our goal was to characterize the details of the non-specific search mode to complement the crystal structure of the specific binding complex, providing a basis for understanding the recognition mechanism. In the specific complex, MTERF1 binds a significantly distorted and unwound DNA structure, exhibiting a protein conformation incompatible with binding to B-form DNA. In contrast, our simulations of apo MTERF1 revealed significant flexibility, sampling structures with superhelical pitch and radius complementary to the major groove of B-DNA. Docking these structures to B-DNA followed by unrestrained MD simulations led to a stable complex in which MTERF1 was observed to undergo spontaneous diffusion on the DNA. Overall, the data support an MTERF1-DNA binding and recognition mechanism driven by intrinsic dynamics of the MTERF1 superhelical topology. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Gli2a protein localization reveals a role for Iguana/DZIP1 in primary ciliogenesis and a dependence of Hedgehog signal transduction on primary cilia in the zebrafish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Eeden Freek

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In mammalian cells, the integrity of the primary cilium is critical for proper regulation of the Hedgehog (Hh signal transduction pathway. Whether or not this dependence on the primary cilium is a universal feature of vertebrate Hedgehog signalling has remained contentious due, in part, to the apparent divergence of the intracellular transduction pathway between mammals and teleost fish. Results Here, using a functional Gli2-GFP fusion protein, we show that, as in mammals, the Gli2 transcription factor localizes to the primary cilia of cells in the zebrafish embryo and that this localization is modulated by the activity of the Hh pathway. Moreover, we show that the Igu/DZIP1protein, previously implicated in the modulation of Gli activity in zebrafish, also localizes to the primary cilium and is required for its proper formation. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate a conserved role of the primary cilium in mediating Hedgehog signalling activity across the vertebrate phylum and validate the use of the zebrafish as a representative model for the in vivo analysis of vertebrate Hedgehog signalling.

A DNA-binding-site landscape and regulatory network analysis for NAC transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindemose, Søren; Jensen, Michael Krogh; de Velde, Jan Van

2014-01-01

regulatory networks of 12 NAC transcription factors. Our data offer specific single-base resolution fingerprints for most TFs studied and indicate that NAC DNA-binding specificities might be predicted from their DNA-binding domain's sequence. The developed methodology, including the application......Target gene identification for transcription factors is a prerequisite for the systems wide understanding of organismal behaviour. NAM-ATAF1/2-CUC2 (NAC) transcription factors are amongst the largest transcription factor families in plants, yet limited data exist from unbiased approaches to resolve...... the DNA-binding preferences of individual members. Here, we present a TF-target gene identification workflow based on the integration of novel protein binding microarray data with gene expression and multi-species promoter sequence conservation to identify the DNA-binding specificities and the gene...

Eto2/MTG16 and MTGR1 are heteromeric corepressors of the TAL1/SCL transcription factor in murine erythroid progenitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Ying; Xu, Zhixiong; Xie, Jingping [Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Ham, Amy-Joan L. [Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Koury, Mark J. [Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Tennessee Valley VA Healthcare System, Nashville, TN 37212 (United States); Hiebert, Scott W. [Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Brandt, Stephen J., E-mail: stephen.brandt@vanderbilt.edu [Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Tennessee Valley VA Healthcare System, Nashville, TN 37212 (United States)

2009-12-11

The TAL1 (or SCL) gene, originally discovered through its involvement by a chromosomal translocation in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, encodes a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor essential for hematopoietic and vascular development. To identify its interaction partners, we expressed a tandem epitope-tagged protein in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells and characterized affinity-purified Tal1-containing complexes by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. In addition to known interacting proteins, two proteins related to the Eight-Twenty-One (ETO) corepressor, Eto2/Mtg16 and Mtgr1, were identified from the peptide fragments analyzed. Tal1 interaction with Eto2 and Mtgr1 was verified by coimmunoprecipitation analysis in Tal1, Eto2-, and Mtgr1-transfected COS-7 cells, MEL cells expressing V5 epitope-tagged Tal1 protein, and non-transfected MEL cells. Mapping analysis with Gal4 fusion proteins demonstrated a requirement for the bHLH domain of Tal1 and TAF110 domain of Eto2 for their interaction, and transient transfection and glutathione S-transferase pull-down analysis showed that Mtgr1 and Eto2 enhanced the other's association with Tal1. Enforced expression of Eto2 in differentiating MEL cells inhibited the promoter of the Protein 4.2 (P4.2) gene, a direct target of TAL1 in erythroid progenitors, and transduction of Eto2 and Mtgr1 augmented Tal1-mediated gene repression. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Eto2 occupancy of the P4.2 promoter in MEL cells decreased with differentiation, in parallel with a decline in Eto2 protein abundance. These results identify Eto2 and Mtgr1 as authentic interaction partners of Tal1 and suggest they act as heteromeric corepressors of this bHLH transcription factor during erythroid differentiation.

Eto2/MTG16 and MTGR1 are heteromeric corepressors of the TAL1/SCL transcription factor in murine erythroid progenitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, Ying; Xu, Zhixiong; Xie, Jingping; Ham, Amy-Joan L.; Koury, Mark J.; Hiebert, Scott W.; Brandt, Stephen J.

2009-01-01

The TAL1 (or SCL) gene, originally discovered through its involvement by a chromosomal translocation in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, encodes a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor essential for hematopoietic and vascular development. To identify its interaction partners, we expressed a tandem epitope-tagged protein in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells and characterized affinity-purified Tal1-containing complexes by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. In addition to known interacting proteins, two proteins related to the Eight-Twenty-One (ETO) corepressor, Eto2/Mtg16 and Mtgr1, were identified from the peptide fragments analyzed. Tal1 interaction with Eto2 and Mtgr1 was verified by coimmunoprecipitation analysis in Tal1, Eto2-, and Mtgr1-transfected COS-7 cells, MEL cells expressing V5 epitope-tagged Tal1 protein, and non-transfected MEL cells. Mapping analysis with Gal4 fusion proteins demonstrated a requirement for the bHLH domain of Tal1 and TAF110 domain of Eto2 for their interaction, and transient transfection and glutathione S-transferase pull-down analysis showed that Mtgr1 and Eto2 enhanced the other's association with Tal1. Enforced expression of Eto2 in differentiating MEL cells inhibited the promoter of the Protein 4.2 (P4.2) gene, a direct target of TAL1 in erythroid progenitors, and transduction of Eto2 and Mtgr1 augmented Tal1-mediated gene repression. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Eto2 occupancy of the P4.2 promoter in MEL cells decreased with differentiation, in parallel with a decline in Eto2 protein abundance. These results identify Eto2 and Mtgr1 as authentic interaction partners of Tal1 and suggest they act as heteromeric corepressors of this bHLH transcription factor during erythroid differentiation.

Synchronization of developmental processes and defense signaling by growth regulating transcription factors.

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Jinyi Liu

Full Text Available Growth regulating factors (GRFs are a conserved class of transcription factor in seed plants. GRFs are involved in various aspects of tissue differentiation and organ development. The implication of GRFs in biotic stress response has also been recently reported, suggesting a role of these transcription factors in coordinating the interaction between developmental processes and defense dynamics. However, the molecular mechanisms by which GRFs mediate the overlaps between defense signaling and developmental pathways are elusive. Here, we report large scale identification of putative target candidates of Arabidopsis GRF1 and GRF3 by comparing mRNA profiles of the grf1/grf2/grf3 triple mutant and those of the transgenic plants overexpressing miR396-resistant version of GRF1 or GRF3. We identified 1,098 and 600 genes as putative targets of GRF1 and GRF3, respectively. Functional classification of the potential target candidates revealed that GRF1 and GRF3 contribute to the regulation of various biological processes associated with defense response and disease resistance. GRF1 and GRF3 participate specifically in the regulation of defense-related transcription factors, cell-wall modifications, cytokinin biosynthesis and signaling, and secondary metabolites accumulation. GRF1 and GRF3 seem to fine-tune the crosstalk between miRNA signaling networks by regulating the expression of several miRNA target genes. In addition, our data suggest that GRF1 and GRF3 may function as negative regulators of gene expression through their association with other transcription factors. Collectively, our data provide new insights into how GRF1 and GRF3 might coordinate the interactions between defense signaling and plant growth and developmental pathways.

Transcriptomic profiling-based mutant screen reveals three new transcription factors mediating menadione resistance in Neurospora crassa.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jufen; Yu, Xinxu; Xie, Baogui; Gu, Xiaokui; Zhang, Zhenying; Li, Shaojie

2013-06-01

To gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms of oxidative stress responses in filamentous fungi, the genome-wide transcriptional response of Neurospora crassa to menadione was analysed by digital gene expression (DGE) profiling, which identified 779 upregulated genes and 576 downregulated genes. Knockout mutants affecting 130 highly-upregulated genes were tested for menadione sensitivity, which revealed that loss of the transcription factor siderophore regulation (SRE) (a transcriptional repressor for siderophore biosynthesis), catatase-3, cytochrome c peroxidase or superoxide dismutase 1 copper chaperone causes hypersensitivity to menadione. Deletion of sre dramatically increased transcription of the siderophore biosynthesis gene ono and the siderophore iron transporter gene sit during menadione stress, suggesting that SRE is required for repression of iron uptake under oxidative stress conditions. Contrary to its phenotype, the sre deletion mutant showed higher transcriptional levels of genes encoding reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers than wild type during menadione stress, which implies that the mutant suffers a higher level of oxidative stress than wild type. Uncontrolled iron uptake in the sre mutant might exacerbate cellular oxidative stress. This is the first report of a negative regulator of iron assimilation participating in the fungal oxidative stress response. In addition to SRE, eight other transcription factor genes were also menadione-responsive but their single gene knockout mutants showed wild-type menadione sensitivity. Two of them, named as mit-2 (menadione induced transcription factor-2) and mit-4 (menadione induced transcription factor-4), were selected for double mutant analysis. The double mutant was hypersensitive to menadione. Similarly, the double mutation of mit-2 and sre also had additive effects on menadione sensitivity, suggesting multiple transcription factors mediate oxidative stress resistance in an additive manner

Step out of the groove : epigenetic gene control systems and engineered transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verschure, P.J.; Visser, A.E.; Rots, M.G.

2006-01-01

At the linear DNA level, gene activity is believed to be driven by binding of transcription factors, which subsequently recruit the RNA polymerase to the gene promoter region. However, it has become clear that transcriptional activation involves large complexes of many different proteins, which not

Effects of cytosine methylation on transcription factor binding sites

KAUST Repository

Medvedeva, Yulia A

2014-03-26

Background: DNA methylation in promoters is closely linked to downstream gene repression. However, whether DNA methylation is a cause or a consequence of gene repression remains an open question. If it is a cause, then DNA methylation may affect the affinity of transcription factors (TFs) for their binding sites (TFBSs). If it is a consequence, then gene repression caused by chromatin modification may be stabilized by DNA methylation. Until now, these two possibilities have been supported only by non-systematic evidence and they have not been tested on a wide range of TFs. An average promoter methylation is usually used in studies, whereas recent results suggested that methylation of individual cytosines can also be important.Results: We found that the methylation profiles of 16.6% of cytosines and the expression profiles of neighboring transcriptional start sites (TSSs) were significantly negatively correlated. We called the CpGs corresponding to such cytosines " traffic lights" We observed a strong selection against CpG " traffic lights" within TFBSs. The negative selection was stronger for transcriptional repressors as compared with transcriptional activators or multifunctional TFs as well as for core TFBS positions as compared with flanking TFBS positions.Conclusions: Our results indicate that direct and selective methylation of certain TFBS that prevents TF binding is restricted to special cases and cannot be considered as a general regulatory mechanism of transcription. 2013 Medvedeva et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

FY1995 transduction method and CAD database systems for integrated design; 1995 nendo transduction ho to CAD database togo sekkei shien system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Transduction method developed by the research coordinator and Prof. Muroga is one of the most popular methods to design large-scale integrated circuits, and thus used by major design tool companies in USA and Japan. The major objectives of the research is to improve capability and utilize its reusable property by combining with CAD databases. Major results of the project is as follows, (1) Improvement of Transduction method : Efficiency, capability and the maximum circuit size are improved. Error compensation method is also improved. (2) Applications to new logic elements : Transduction method is modified to cope with wired logic and FPGAs. (3) CAD databases : One of the major advantages of Transduction methods is 'reusability' of already designed circuits. It is suitable to combine with CAD databases. We design CAD databases suitable for cooperative design using Transduction method. (4) Program development : Programs for Windows95 and developed for distribution. (NEDO)

FY1995 transduction method and CAD database systems for integrated design; 1995 nendo transduction ho to CAD database togo sekkei shien system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Transduction method developed by the research coordinator and Prof. Muroga is one of the most popular methods to design large-scale integrated circuits, and thus used by major design tool companies in USA and Japan. The major objectives of the research is to improve capability and utilize its reusable property by combining with CAD databases. Major results of the project is as follows, (1) Improvement of Transduction method : Efficiency, capability and the maximum circuit size are improved. Error compensation method is also improved. (2) Applications to new logic elements : Transduction method is modified to cope with wired logic and FPGAs. (3) CAD databases : One of the major advantages of Transduction methods is 'reusability' of already designed circuits. It is suitable to combine with CAD databases. We design CAD databases suitable for cooperative design using Transduction method. (4) Program development : Programs for Windows95 and developed for distribution. (NEDO)

Theory and modeling of cylindrical thermo-acoustic transduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong, Lihong, E-mail: lhtong@ecjtu.edu.cn [School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang, Jiangxi (China); Lim, C.W. [Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR (China); Zhao, Xiushao; Geng, Daxing [School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang, Jiangxi (China)

2016-06-03

Models both for solid and thinfilm-solid cylindrical thermo-acoustic transductions are proposed and the corresponding acoustic pressure solutions are obtained. The acoustic pressure for an individual carbon nanotube (CNT) as a function of input power is investigated analytically and it is verified by comparing with the published experimental data. Further numerical analysis on the acoustic pressure response and characteristics for varying input frequency and distance are also examined both for solid and thinfilm-solid cylindrical thermo-acoustic transductions. Through detailed theoretical and numerical studies on the acoustic pressure solution for thinfilm-solid cylindrical transduction, it is concluded that a solid with smaller thermal conductivity favors to improve the acoustic performance. In general, the proposed models are applicable to a variety of cylindrical thermo-acoustic devices performing in different gaseous media. - Highlights: • Theory and modeling both for solid and thinfilm-solid cylindrical thermo-acoustic transductions are proposed. • The modeling is verified by comparing with the published experimental data. • Acoustic response characteristics of cylindrical thermo-acoustic transductions are predicted by the proposed model.

Identification of bovine leukemia virus tax function associated with host cell transcription, signaling, stress response and immune response pathway by microarray-based gene expression analysis

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Arainga Mariluz

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bovine leukemia virus (BLV is associated with enzootic bovine leukosis and is closely related to human T-cell leukemia virus type I. The Tax protein of BLV is a transcriptional activator of viral replication and a key contributor to oncogenic potential. We previously identified interesting mutant forms of Tax with elevated (TaxD247G or reduced (TaxS240P transactivation effects on BLV replication and propagation. However, the effects of these mutations on functions other than transcriptional activation are unknown. In this study, to identify genes that play a role in the cascade of signal events regulated by wild-type and mutant Tax proteins, we used a large-scale host cell gene-profiling approach. Results Using a microarray containing approximately 18,400 human mRNA transcripts, we found several alterations after the expression of Tax proteins in genes involved in many cellular functions such as transcription, signal transduction, cell growth, apoptosis, stress response, and immune response, indicating that Tax protein has multiple biological effects on various cellular environments. We also found that TaxD247G strongly regulated more genes involved in transcription, signal transduction, and cell growth functions, contrary to TaxS240P, which regulated fewer genes. In addition, the expression of genes related to stress response significantly increased in the presence of TaxS240P as compared to wild-type Tax and TaxD247G. By contrast, the largest group of downregulated genes was related to immune response, and the majority of these genes belonged to the interferon family. However, no significant difference in the expression level of downregulated genes was observed among the Tax proteins. Finally, the expression of important cellular factors obtained from the human microarray results were validated at the RNA and protein levels by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting

Host transcription factors in the immediate pro-inflammatory response to the parasitic mite Psoroptes ovis.

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Stewart T G Burgess

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sheep scab, caused by infestation with the ectoparasitic mite Psoroptes ovis, results in the rapid development of cutaneous inflammation and leads to the crusted skin lesions characteristic of the disease. We described previously the global host transcriptional response to infestation with P. ovis, elucidating elements of the inflammatory processes which lead to the development of a rapid and profound immune response. However, the mechanisms by which this response is instigated remain unclear. To identify novel methods of intervention a better understanding of the early events involved in triggering the immune response is essential. The objective of this study was to gain a clearer understanding of the mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the instigation of the immediate pro-inflammatory response. RESULTS: Through a combination of transcription factor binding site enrichment and pathway analysis we identified key roles for a number of transcription factors in the instigation of cutaneous inflammation. In particular, defined roles were elucidated for the transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1 in the orchestration of the early pro-inflammatory response, with these factors being implicated in the activation of a suite of inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSIONS: Interrogation of the host temporal response to P. ovis infestation has enabled the further identification of the mechanisms underlying the development of the immediate host pro-inflammatory response. This response involves key regulatory roles for the transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1. Pathway analysis demonstrated that the activation of these transcription factors may be triggered following a host LPS-type response, potentially involving TLR4-signalling and also lead to the intriguing possibility that this could be triggered by a P. ovis allergen.

Distinct patterns of epigenetic marks and transcription factor binding ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Distinct patterns of epigenetic marks and transcription factor binding sites across promoters of sense-intronic long noncoding RNAs. Sourav Ghosh, Satish Sati, Shantanu Sengupta and Vinod Scaria. J. Genet. 94, 17–25. Gencode V9 lncRNA gene : 11004. Known lncRNA : 1175. Novel lncRNA : 5898. Putative lncRNA :.

Genomewide analysis of TCP transcription factor gene family in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Genetics; Volume 93; Issue 3. Genomewide ... Teosinte branched1/cycloidea/proliferating cell factor1 (TCP) proteins are a large family of transcriptional regulators in angiosperms. They are ... To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a genomewide analysis of apple TCP gene family.

Evaluation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 and transcription factors in both primary breast cancer and axillary lymph node metastases as a prognostic factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Maiko; Shien, Tadahiko; Omori, Masako; Mizoo, Taeko; Iwamoto, Takayuki; Nogami, Tomohiro; Motoki, Takayuki; Taira, Naruto; Doihara, Hiroyoshi; Miyoshi, Shinichiro

2016-05-01

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) is a marker of breast cancer stem cells, and the expression of ALDH1 may be a prognostic factor of poor clinical outcome. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition may produce cells with stem-cell-like properties promoted by transcription factors. We investigated the expression of ALDH1 and transcription factors in both primary and metastatic lesions, and prognostic value of them in breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM). Forty-seven breast cancer patients with ALNM who underwent surgery at Okayama University Hospital from 2002 to 2008 were enrolled. We retrospectively evaluated the levels of ALDH1 and transcription factors, such as Snail, Slug and Twist, in both primary and metastatic lesions by immunohistochemistry. In primary lesions, the positive rate of ALDH1, Snail, Slug and Twist was 19, 49, 40 and 26%, respectively. In lymph nodes, that of ALDH1, Snail, Slug and Twist was 21, 32, 13 and 23%, respectively. The expression of ALDH1 or transcription factors alone was not significantly associated with a poor prognosis. However, co-expression of ALDH1 and Slug in primary lesions was associated with a shorter DFS (P = 0.009). The evaluation of the co-expression of ALDH1 and transcription factors in primary lesions may be useful in prognosis of node-positive breast cancers.

Insights into mRNP biogenesis provided by new genetic interactions among export and transcription factors

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Estruch Francisco

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The various steps of mRNP biogenesis (transcription, processing and export are interconnected. It has been shown that the transcription machinery plays a pivotal role in mRNP assembly, since several mRNA export factors are recruited during transcription and physically interact with components of the transcription machinery. Although the shuttling DEAD-box protein Dbp5p is concentrated on the cytoplasmic fibrils of the NPC, previous studies demonstrated that it interacts physically and genetically with factors involved in transcription initiation. Results We investigated the effect of mutations affecting various components of the transcription initiation apparatus on the phenotypes of mRNA export mutant strains. Our results show that growth and mRNA export defects of dbp5 and mex67 mutant strains can be suppressed by mutation of specific transcription initiation components, but suppression was not observed for mutants acting in the very first steps of the pre-initiation complex (PIC formation. Conclusions Our results indicate that mere reduction in the amount of mRNP produced is not sufficient to suppress the defects caused by a defective mRNA export factor. Suppression occurs only with mutants affecting events within a narrow window of the mRNP biogenesis process. We propose that reducing the speed with which transcription converts from initiation and promoter clearance to elongation may have a positive effect on mRNP formation by permitting more effective recruitment of partially-functional mRNP proteins to the nascent mRNP.

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 3 Is an Oxygen-Dependent Transcription Activator and Regulates a Distinct Transcriptional Response to Hypoxia

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Peng Zhang

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs play key roles in the cellular response to hypoxia. It is widely accepted that whereas HIF-1 and HIF-2 function as transcriptional activators, HIF-3 inhibits HIF-1/2α action. Contrary to this idea, we show that zebrafish Hif-3α has strong transactivation activity. Hif-3α is degraded under normoxia. Mutation of P393, P493, and L503 inhibits this oxygen-dependent degradation. Transcriptomics and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses identify genes that are regulated by Hif-3α, Hif-1α, or both. Under hypoxia or when overexpressed, Hif-3α binds to its target gene promoters and upregulates their expression. Dominant-negative inhibition and knockdown of Hif-3α abolish hypoxia-induced Hif-3α-promoter binding and gene expression. Hif-3α not only mediates hypoxia-induced growth and developmental retardation but also possesses hypoxia-independent activities. Importantly, transactivation activity is conserved and human HIF-3α upregulates similar genes in human cells. These findings suggest that Hif-3 is an oxygen-dependent transcription factor and activates a distinct transcriptional response to hypoxia.

Relaxed selection against accidental binding of transcription factors with conserved chromatin contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Babbitt, G A

2010-10-15

The spurious (or nonfunctional) binding of transcription factors (TF) to the wrong locations on DNA presents a formidable challenge to genomes given the relatively low ceiling for sequence complexity within the short lengths of most binding motifs. The high potential for the occurrence of random motifs and subsequent nonfunctional binding of many transcription factors should theoretically lead to natural selection against the occurrence of spurious motif throughout the genome. However, because of the active role that chromatin can influence over eukaryotic gene regulation, it may also be expected that many supposed spurious binding sites could escape purifying selection if (A) they simply occur in regions of high nucleosome occupancy or (B) their surrounding chromatin was dynamically involved in their identity and function. We compared nucleosome occupancy and the presence/absence of functionally conserved chromatin context to the strength of selection against spurious binding of various TF binding motifs in Saccharomyces yeast. While we find no direct relationship with nucleosome occupancy, we find strong evidence that transcription factors spatially associated with evolutionarily conserved chromatin states are under relaxed selection against accidental binding. Transcription factors (with/without) a conserved chromatin context were found to occur on average, (87.7%/49.3%) of their expected frequencies. Functional binding motifs with conserved chromatin contexts were also significantly shorter in length and more often clustered. These results indicate a role of chromatin context dependency in relaxing selection against spurious binding in nearly half of all TF binding motifs throughout the yeast genome. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Screening Driving Transcription Factors in the Processing of Gastric Cancer

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Guangzhong Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Construction of the transcriptional regulatory network can provide additional clues on the regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic applications in gastric cancer. Methods. Gene expression profiles of gastric cancer were downloaded from GEO database for integrated analysis. All of DEGs were analyzed by GO enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment. Transcription factors were further identified and then a global transcriptional regulatory network was constructed. Results. By integrated analysis of the six eligible datasets (340 cases and 43 controls, a bunch of 2327 DEGs were identified, including 2100 upregulated and 227 downregulated DEGs. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that digestion was a significantly enriched GO term for biological process. Moreover, there were two important enriched KEGG pathways: cell cycle and homologous recombination. Furthermore, a total of 70 differentially expressed TFs were identified and the transcriptional regulatory network was constructed, which consisted of 566 TF-target interactions. The top ten TFs regulating most downstream target genes were BRCA1, ARID3A, EHF, SOX10, ZNF263, FOXL1, FEV, GATA3, FOXC1, and FOXD1. Most of them were involved in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. Conclusion. The transcriptional regulatory network can help researchers to further clarify the underlying regulatory mechanisms of gastric cancer tumorigenesis.

Double-stranded RNA transcribed from vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide acts as transcription factor decoy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, Xiao; Gang, Yi; Wang, Honghong; Wang, Jiayin; Zhao, Lina; Xu, Li; Liu, Zhiguo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A shRNA vector based transcription factor decoy, VB-ODN, was designed. • VB-ODN for NF-κB inhibited cell viability in HEK293 cells. • VB-ODN inhibited expression of downstream genes of target transcription factors. • VB-ODN may enhance nuclear entry ratio for its feasibility of virus production. - Abstract: In this study, we designed a short hairpin RNA vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide (VB-ODN) carrying transcription factor (TF) consensus sequence which could function as a decoy to block TF activity. Specifically, VB-ODN for Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) could inhibit cell viability and decrease downstream gene expression in HEK293 cells without affecting expression of NF-κB itself. The specific binding between VB-ODN produced double-stranded RNA and NF-κB was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, similar VB-ODNs designed for three other TFs also inhibit their downstream gene expression but not that of themselves. Our study provides a new design of decoy for blocking TF activity

Double-stranded RNA transcribed from vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide acts as transcription factor decoy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Xiao [State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province (China); Gang, Yi [State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province (China); Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038, Shaanxi Province (China); Wang, Honghong [No. 518 Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Xi’an 710043, Shaanxi Province (China); Wang, Jiayin [The Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108 (United States); Zhao, Lina [Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province (China); Xu, Li, E-mail: lxuhelen@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province (China); Liu, Zhiguo, E-mail: liuzhiguo@fmmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province (China)

2015-02-06

Highlights: • A shRNA vector based transcription factor decoy, VB-ODN, was designed. • VB-ODN for NF-κB inhibited cell viability in HEK293 cells. • VB-ODN inhibited expression of downstream genes of target transcription factors. • VB-ODN may enhance nuclear entry ratio for its feasibility of virus production. - Abstract: In this study, we designed a short hairpin RNA vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide (VB-ODN) carrying transcription factor (TF) consensus sequence which could function as a decoy to block TF activity. Specifically, VB-ODN for Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) could inhibit cell viability and decrease downstream gene expression in HEK293 cells without affecting expression of NF-κB itself. The specific binding between VB-ODN produced double-stranded RNA and NF-κB was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, similar VB-ODNs designed for three other TFs also inhibit their downstream gene expression but not that of themselves. Our study provides a new design of decoy for blocking TF activity.

Transcription Factors Bind Thousands of Active and InactiveRegions in the Drosophila Blastoderm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiao-Yong; MacArthur, Stewart; Bourgon, Richard; Nix, David; Pollard, Daniel A.; Iyer, Venky N.; Hechmer, Aaron; Simirenko, Lisa; Stapleton, Mark; Luengo Hendriks, Cris L.; Chu, Hou Cheng; Ogawa, Nobuo; Inwood, William; Sementchenko, Victor; Beaton, Amy; Weiszmann, Richard; Celniker, Susan E.; Knowles, David W.; Gingeras, Tom; Speed, Terence P.; Eisen, Michael B.; Biggin, Mark D.

2008-01-10

Identifying the genomic regions bound by sequence-specific regulatory factors is central both to deciphering the complex DNA cis-regulatory code that controls transcription in metazoans and to determining the range of genes that shape animal morphogenesis. Here, we use whole-genome tiling arrays to map sequences bound in Drosophila melanogaster embryos by the six maternal and gap transcription factors that initiate anterior-posterior patterning. We find that these sequence-specific DNA binding proteins bind with quantitatively different specificities to highly overlapping sets of several thousand genomic regions in blastoderm embryos. Specific high- and moderate-affinity in vitro recognition sequences for each factor are enriched in bound regions. This enrichment, however, is not sufficient to explain the pattern of binding in vivo and varies in a context-dependent manner, demonstrating that higher-order rules must govern targeting of transcription factors. The more highly bound regions include all of the over forty well-characterized enhancers known to respond to these factors as well as several hundred putative new cis-regulatory modules clustered near developmental regulators and other genes with patterned expression at this stage of embryogenesis. The new targets include most of the microRNAs (miRNAs) transcribed in the blastoderm, as well as all major zygotically transcribed dorsal-ventral patterning genes, whose expression we show to be quantitatively modulated by anterior-posterior factors. In addition to these highly bound regions, there are several thousand regions that are reproducibly bound at lower levels. However, these poorly bound regions are, collectively, far more distant from genes transcribed in the blastoderm than highly bound regions; are preferentially found in protein-coding sequences; and are less conserved than highly bound regions. Together these observations suggest that many of these poorly-bound regions are not involved in early

Modulation of signal transduction by tea catechins and related phytochemicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Masahito; Weinstein, I. Bernard

2005-01-01

Epidemiologic studies in human populations and experimental studies in rodents provide evidence that green tea and its constituents can inhibit both the development and growth of tumors at a variety of tissue sites. In addition, EGCG, a major biologically active component of green tea, inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell lines. The purpose of this paper is to review evidence that these effects are mediated, at least in part, through inhibition of the activity of specific receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and related downstream pathways of signal transduction. We also review evidence indicating that the antitumor effects of the related polyphenolic phytochemicals resveratrol, genistein, curcumin, and capsaicin are exerted via similar mechanisms. Some of these agents (EGCG, genistein, and curcumin) appear to directly target specific RTKs, and all of these compounds cause inhibition of the activity of the transcription factors AP-1 and NF-κB, thus inhibiting cell proliferation and enhancing apoptosis. Critical areas of future investigation include: (1) identification of the direct molecular target(s) of EGCG and related polyphenolic compounds in cells; (2) the in vivo metabolism and bioavailability of these compounds; (3) the ancillary effects of these compounds on tumor-stromal interactions; (4) the development of synergistic combinations with other antitumor agents to enhance efficacy in cancer prevention and therapy, and also minimize potential toxicities

Transcription factor Oct1 is a somatic and cancer stem cell determinant.

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Jessica Maddox

Full Text Available Defining master transcription factors governing somatic and cancer stem cell identity is an important goal. Here we show that the Oct4 paralog Oct1, a transcription factor implicated in stress responses, metabolic control, and poised transcription states, regulates normal and pathologic stem cell function. Oct1(HI cells in the colon and small intestine co-express known stem cell markers. In primary malignant tissue, high Oct1 protein but not mRNA levels strongly correlate with the frequency of CD24(LOCD44(HI cancer-initiating cells. Reducing Oct1 expression via RNAi reduces the proportion of ALDH(HI and dye efflux(HI cells, and increasing Oct1 increases the proportion of ALDH(HI cells. Normal ALDH(HI cells harbor elevated Oct1 protein but not mRNA levels. Functionally, we show that Oct1 promotes tumor engraftment frequency and promotes hematopoietic stem cell engraftment potential in competitive and serial transplants. In addition to previously described Oct1 transcriptional targets, we identify four Oct1 targets associated with the stem cell phenotype. Cumulatively, the data indicate that Oct1 regulates normal and cancer stem cell function.

Synthetic Promoters and Transcription Factors for Heterologous Protein Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Fabian Machens

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Orthogonal systems for heterologous protein expression as well as for the engineering of synthetic gene regulatory circuits in hosts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae depend on synthetic transcription factors (synTFs and corresponding cis-regulatory binding sites. We have constructed and characterized a set of synTFs based on either transcription activator-like effectors or CRISPR/Cas9, and corresponding small synthetic promoters (synPs with minimal sequence identity to the host’s endogenous promoters. The resulting collection of functional synTF/synP pairs confers very low background expression under uninduced conditions, while expression output upon induction of the various synTFs covers a wide range and reaches induction factors of up to 400. The broad spectrum of expression strengths that is achieved will be useful for various experimental setups, e.g., the transcriptional balancing of expression levels within heterologous pathways or the construction of artificial regulatory networks. Furthermore, our analyses reveal simple rules that enable the tuning of synTF expression output, thereby allowing easy modification of a given synTF/synP pair. This will make it easier for researchers to construct tailored transcriptional control systems.

Expression Patterns of OsPIL11, a Phytochrome-Interacting Factor in Rice, and Preliminary Analysis of Its Roles in Light Signal Transduction

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Li LI

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The expression patterns of OsPIL11, one of six putative phytochrome-interacting factors, were analyzed in different organs of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum. The expression of OsPIL11 was organ-specific and was regulated by leaf development, abscisic acid (ABA, jasmonic acid (JA and salicylic acid (SA. To further explore the role of OsPIL11 in plant light signal transduction, a plant expression vector of OsPIL11 was constructed and introduced into tobacco. When grown under continuous red light, OsPIL11-overexpressed transgenic tobacco exhibited shorter hypocotyls and larger cotyledons and leaves compared to wild-type seedlings. When grown under continuous far-red light, however, transgenic and wild-type seedlings showed similar phenotypes. These results indicate that OsPIL11 is involved in red light induced de-etiolation, but not in far-red light induced de-etiolation in transgenic tobacco, which lays the foundation for dissecting the function of OsPIL11 in phytochrome-mediated light signal transduction in rice.

Utrophin up-regulation by an artificial transcription factor in transgenic mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabetta Mattei

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD is a severe muscle degenerative disease, due to absence of dystrophin. There is currently no effective treatment for DMD. Our aim is to up-regulate the expression level of the dystrophin related gene utrophin in DMD, complementing in this way the lack of dystrophin functions. To this end we designed and engineered several synthetic zinc finger based transcription factors. In particular, we have previously shown that the artificial three zinc finger protein named Jazz, fused with the appropriate effector domain, is able to drive the transcription of a test gene from the utrophin promoter "A". Here we report on the characterization of Vp16-Jazz-transgenic mice that specifically over-express the utrophin gene at the muscular level. A Chromatin Immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP demonstrated the effective access/binding of the Jazz protein to active chromatin in mouse muscle and Vp16-Jazz was shown to be able to up-regulate endogenous utrophin gene expression by immunohistochemistry, western blot analyses and real-time PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a transgenic mouse expressing an artificial gene coding for a zinc finger based transcription factor. The achievement of Vp16-Jazz transgenic mice validates the strategy of transcriptional targeting of endogenous genes and could represent an exclusive animal model for use in drug discovery and therapeutics.

Mechanical transduction via a single soft polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Ruizheng; Wang, Nan; Bao, Weizhu; Wang, Zhisong

2018-04-01

Molecular machines from biology and nanotechnology often depend on soft structures to perform mechanical functions, but the underlying mechanisms and advantages or disadvantages over rigid structures are not fully understood. We report here a rigorous study of mechanical transduction along a single soft polymer based on exact solutions to the realistic three-dimensional wormlike-chain model and augmented with analytical relations derived from simpler polymer models. The results reveal surprisingly that a soft polymer with vanishingly small persistence length below a single chemical bond still transduces biased displacement and mechanical work up to practically significant amounts. This "soft" approach possesses unique advantages over the conventional wisdom of rigidity-based transduction, and potentially leads to a unified mechanism for effective allosterylike transduction and relay of mechanical actions, information, control, and molecules from one position to another in molecular devices and motors. This study also identifies an entropy limit unique to the soft transduction, and thereby suggests a possibility of detecting higher efficiency for kinesin motor and mutants in future experiments.

Molecular phylogenetic and expression analysis of the complete WRKY transcription factor family in maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Kai-Fa; Chen, Juan; Chen, Yan-Feng; Wu, Ling-Juan; Xie, Dao-Xin

2012-04-01

The WRKY transcription factors function in plant growth and development, and response to the biotic and abiotic stresses. Although many studies have focused on the functional identification of the WRKY transcription factors, much less is known about molecular phylogenetic and global expression analysis of the complete WRKY family in maize. In this study, we identified 136 WRKY proteins coded by 119 genes in the B73 inbred line from the complete genome and named them in an orderly manner. Then, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of five species was performed to explore the origin and evolutionary patterns of these WRKY genes, and the result showed that gene duplication is the major driving force for the origin of new groups and subgroups and functional divergence during evolution. Chromosomal location analysis of maize WRKY genes indicated that 20 gene clusters are distributed unevenly in the genome. Microarray-based expression analysis has revealed that 131 WRKY transcripts encoded by 116 genes may participate in the regulation of maize growth and development. Among them, 102 transcripts are stably expressed with a coefficient of variation (CV) value of WRKY genes with the CV value of >15% are further analysed to discover new organ- or tissue-specific genes. In addition, microarray analyses of transcriptional responses to drought stress and fungal infection showed that maize WRKY proteins are involved in stress responses. All these results contribute to a deep probing into the roles of WRKY transcription factors in maize growth and development and stress tolerance.

Transcription factor activating protein 2 beta (TFAP2B) mediates noradrenergic neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikram, Fakhera; Ackermann, Sandra; Kahlert, Yvonne; Volland, Ruth; Roels, Frederik; Engesser, Anne; Hertwig, Falk; Kocak, Hayriye; Hero, Barbara; Dreidax, Daniel; Henrich, Kai-Oliver; Berthold, Frank; Nürnberg, Peter; Westermann, Frank; Fischer, Matthias

2016-02-01

Neuroblastoma is an embryonal pediatric tumor that originates from the developing sympathetic nervous system and shows a broad range of clinical behavior, ranging from fatal progression to differentiation into benign ganglioneuroma. In experimental neuroblastoma systems, retinoic acid (RA) effectively induces neuronal differentiation, and RA treatment has been therefore integrated in current therapies. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation are still poorly understood. We here investigated the role of transcription factor activating protein 2 beta (TFAP2B), a key factor in sympathetic nervous system development, in neuroblastoma pathogenesis and differentiation. Microarray analyses of primary neuroblastomas (n = 649) demonstrated that low TFAP2B expression was significantly associated with unfavorable prognostic markers as well as adverse patient outcome. We also found that low TFAP2B expression was strongly associated with CpG methylation of the TFAP2B locus in primary neuroblastomas (n = 105) and demethylation with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine resulted in induction of TFAP2B expression in vitro, suggesting that TFAP2B is silenced by genomic methylation. Tetracycline inducible re-expression of TFAP2B in IMR-32 and SH-EP neuroblastoma cells significantly impaired proliferation and cell cycle progression. In IMR-32 cells, TFAP2B induced neuronal differentiation, which was accompanied by up-regulation of the catecholamine biosynthesizing enzyme genes DBH and TH, and down-regulation of MYCN and REST, a master repressor of neuronal genes. By contrast, knockdown of TFAP2B by lentiviral transduction of shRNAs abrogated RA-induced neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE(2)c neuroblastoma cells almost completely. Taken together, our results suggest that TFAP2B is playing a vital role in retaining RA responsiveness and mediating noradrenergic neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma. Copyright © 2015 Federation of European Biochemical Societies

Specific cellular signal-transduction responses to in vivo combination therapy with ATRA, valproic acid and theophylline in acute myeloid leukemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skavland, J; Jørgensen, K M [Hematology Section, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Hadziavdic, K [Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Hovland, R [Center for Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway); Jonassen, I [Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Computational Biology Unit, Bergen Centre for Computational Science, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Bruserud, Ø; Gjertsen, B T, E-mail: bjorn.gjertsen@med.uib.no [Hematology Section, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen (Norway); Hematology Section, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen (Norway)

2011-02-01

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) frequently comprises mutations in genes that cause perturbation in intracellular signaling pathways, thereby altering normal responses to growth factors and cytokines. Such oncogenic cellular signal transduction may be therapeutic if targeted directly or through epigenetic regulation. We treated 24 selected elderly AML patients with all-trans retinoic acid for 2 days before adding theophylline and the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00175812; EudraCT no. 2004-001663-22), and sampled 11 patients for peripheral blood at day 0, 2 and 7 for single-cell analysis of basal level and signal-transduction responses to relevant myeloid growth factors (granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-3, Flt3L, stem cell factor, erythropoietin, CXCL-12) on 10 signaling molecules (CREB, STAT1/3/5, p38, Erk1/2, Akt, c-Cbl, ZAP70/Syk and rpS6). Pretreatment analysis by unsupervised clustering and principal component analysis divided the patients into three distinguishable signaling clusters (non-potentiated, potentiated basal and potentiated signaling). Signal-transduction pathways were modulated during therapy and patients moved between the clusters. Patients with multiple leukemic clones demonstrated distinct stimulation responses and therapy-induced modulation. Individual signaling profiles together with clinical and hematological information may be used to early identify AML patients in whom epigenetic and signal-transduction targeted therapy is beneficial.

Direct conversion of human fibroblasts into functional osteoblasts by defined factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Kenta; Kishida, Tsunao; Sato, Yoshiki; Nishioka, Keisuke; Ejima, Akika; Fujiwara, Hiroyoshi; Kubo, Toshikazu; Yamamoto, Toshiro; Kanamura, Narisato; Mazda, Osam

2015-05-12

Osteoblasts produce calcified bone matrix and contribute to bone formation and remodeling. In this study, we established a procedure to directly convert human fibroblasts into osteoblasts by transducing some defined factors and culturing in osteogenic medium. Osteoblast-specific transcription factors, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and Osterix, in combination with Octamer-binding transcription factor 3/4 (Oct4) and L-Myc (RXOL) transduction, converted ∼ 80% of the fibroblasts into osteocalcin-producing cells. The directly converted osteoblasts (dOBs) induced by RXOL displayed a similar gene expression profile as normal human osteoblasts and contributed to bone repair after transplantation into immunodeficient mice at artificial bone defect lesions. The dOBs expressed endogenous Runx2 and Osterix, and did not require continuous expression of the exogenous genes to maintain their phenotype. Another combination, Oct4 plus L-Myc (OL), also induced fibroblasts to produce bone matrix, but the OL-transduced cells did not express Osterix and exhibited a more distant gene expression profile to osteoblasts compared with RXOL-transduced cells. These findings strongly suggest successful direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into functional osteoblasts by RXOL, a technology that may provide bone regeneration therapy against bone disorders.

Identification of transcription factors linked to cell cycle regulation in Arabidopsis

OpenAIRE

Dehghan Nayeri, Fatemeh

2014-01-01

Cell cycle is an essential process in growth and development of living organisms consists of the replication and mitotic phases separated by 2 gap phases; G1 and G2. It is tightly controlled at the molecular level and especially at the level of transcription. Precise regulation of the cell cycle is of central significance for plant growth and development and transcription factors are global regulators of gene expression playing essential roles in cell cycle regulation. This study has uncovere...

DOT/FAA Human Factors Workshop on Aviation (6th). Transcript.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-05-01

This document is a verbatim transcript of the proceedings of the DOT/FAA Sixth Human Factors Workshop on Aviation held at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on July 7-8, 1981. The subject of the workshop was aviation maint...

Regulation of archicortical arealization by the transcription factor Zbtb20

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenthal, Eva Helga; Tonchev, Anton B; Stoykova, Anastassia

2012-01-01

The molecular mechanisms of regionalization of the medial pallium (MP), the anlage of the hippocampus, and transitional (cingulate and retrosplenial) cortices are largely unknown. Previous analyses have outlined an important role of the transcription factor (TF) Zbtb20 for hippocampal CA1 field...

Genome-wide identification of the regulatory targets of a transcription factor using biochemical characterization and computational genomic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolly Emmitt R

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A major challenge in computational genomics is the development of methodologies that allow accurate genome-wide prediction of the regulatory targets of a transcription factor. We present a method for target identification that combines experimental characterization of binding requirements with computational genomic analysis. Results Our method identified potential target genes of the transcription factor Ndt80, a key transcriptional regulator involved in yeast sporulation, using the combined information of binding affinity, positional distribution, and conservation of the binding sites across multiple species. We have also developed a mathematical approach to compute the false positive rate and the total number of targets in the genome based on the multiple selection criteria. Conclusion We have shown that combining biochemical characterization and computational genomic analysis leads to accurate identification of the genome-wide targets of a transcription factor. The method can be extended to other transcription factors and can complement other genomic approaches to transcriptional regulation.

Role and regulation of 90 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) in signal transduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frödin, M; Gammeltoft, S

1999-01-01

), which were among the first substrates of ERK to be discovered and which has proven to be a ubiquitous and versatile mediator of ERK signal transduction. RSK is composed of two functional kinase domains that are activated in a sequential manner by a series of phosphorylations. Recently, a family of RSK......-related kinases that are activated by ERK as well as p38 MAPK were discovered and named mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases (MSK). A number of cellular functions of RSK have been proposed. (1) Regulation of gene expression via association and phosphorylation of transcriptional regulators including c...

Transcription Factors Encoded on Core and Accessory Chromosomes of Fusarium oxysporum Induce Expression of Effector Genes

Science.gov (United States)

van der Does, H. Charlotte; Schmidt, Sarah M.; Langereis, Léon; Hughes, Timothy R.

2016-01-01

Proteins secreted by pathogens during host colonization largely determine the outcome of pathogen-host interactions and are commonly called ‘effectors’. In fungal plant pathogens, coordinated transcriptional up-regulation of effector genes is a key feature of pathogenesis and effectors are often encoded in genomic regions with distinct repeat content, histone code and rate of evolution. In the tomato pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol), effector genes reside on one of four accessory chromosomes, known as the ‘pathogenicity’ chromosome, which can be exchanged between strains through horizontal transfer. The three other accessory chromosomes in the Fol reference strain may also be important for virulence towards tomato. Expression of effector genes in Fol is highly up-regulated upon infection and requires Sge1, a transcription factor encoded on the core genome. Interestingly, the pathogenicity chromosome itself contains 13 predicted transcription factor genes and for all except one, there is a homolog on the core genome. We determined DNA binding specificity for nine transcription factors using oligonucleotide arrays. The binding sites for homologous transcription factors were highly similar, suggesting that extensive neofunctionalization of DNA binding specificity has not occurred. Several DNA binding sites are enriched on accessory chromosomes, and expression of FTF1, its core homolog FTF2 and SGE1 from a constitutive promoter can induce expression of effector genes. The DNA binding sites of only these three transcription factors are enriched among genes up-regulated during infection. We further show that Ftf1, Ftf2 and Sge1 can activate transcription from their binding sites in yeast. RNAseq analysis revealed that in strains with constitutive expression of FTF1, FTF2 or SGE1, expression of a similar set of plant-responsive genes on the pathogenicity chromosome is induced, including most effector genes. We conclude that the Fol

A combinatorial approach to synthetic transcription factor-promoter combinations for yeast strain engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dossani, Zain Y.; Apel, Amanda Reider; Szmidt-Middleton, Heather

2018-01-01

regions, we have built a library of hybrid promoters that are regulated by a synthetic transcription factor. The hybrid promoters consist of native S. cerevisiae promoters, in which the operator regions have been replaced with sequences that are recognized by the bacterial LexA DNA binding protein....... Correspondingly, the synthetic transcription factor (TF) consists of the DNA binding domain of the LexA protein, fused with the human estrogen binding domain and the viral activator domain, VP16. The resulting system with a bacterial DNA binding domain avoids the transcription of native S. cerevisiae genes...... levels, using the same synthetic TF and a given estradiol. This set of promoters, in combination with our synthetic TF, has the potential to regulate numerous genes or pathways simultaneously, to multiple desired levels, in a single strain....

ETS transcription factors control transcription of EZH2 and epigenetic silencing of the tumor suppressor gene Nkx3.1 in prostate cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Kunderfranco

2010-05-01

Full Text Available ETS transcription factors regulate important signaling pathways involved in cell differentiation and development in many tissues and have emerged as important players in prostate cancer. However, the biological impact of ETS factors in prostate tumorigenesis is still debated.We performed an analysis of the ETS gene family using microarray data and real-time PCR in normal and tumor tissues along with functional studies in normal and cancer cell lines to understand the impact in prostate tumorigenesis and identify key targets of these transcription factors. We found frequent dysregulation of ETS genes with oncogenic (i.e., ERG and ESE1 and tumor suppressor (i.e., ESE3 properties in prostate tumors compared to normal prostate. Tumor subgroups (i.e., ERG(high, ESE1(high, ESE3(low and NoETS tumors were identified on the basis of their ETS expression status and showed distinct transcriptional and biological features. ERG(high and ESE3(low tumors had the most robust gene signatures with both distinct and overlapping features. Integrating genomic data with functional studies in multiple cell lines, we demonstrated that ERG and ESE3 controlled in opposite direction transcription of the Polycomb Group protein EZH2, a key gene in development, differentiation, stem cell biology and tumorigenesis. We further demonstrated that the prostate-specific tumor suppressor gene Nkx3.1 was controlled by ERG and ESE3 both directly and through induction of EZH2.These findings provide new insights into the role of the ETS transcriptional network in prostate tumorigenesis and uncover previously unrecognized links between aberrant expression of ETS factors, deregulation of epigenetic effectors and silencing of tumor suppressor genes. The link between aberrant ETS activity and epigenetic gene silencing may be relevant for the clinical management of prostate cancer and design of new therapeutic strategies.

Synergistic nuclear import of NeuroD1 and its partner transcription factor, E47, via heterodimerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehmood, Rashid; Yasuhara, Noriko; Oe, Souichi; Nagai, Masahiro; Yoneda, Yoshihiro

2009-01-01

The transition from undifferentiated pluripotent cells to terminally differentiated neurons is coordinated by a repertoire of transcription factors. NeuroD1 is a type II basic helix loop helix (bHLH) transcription factor that plays critical roles in neuronal differentiation and maintenance in the central nervous system. Its dimerization with E47, a type I bHLH transcription factor, leads to the transcriptional regulation of target genes. Mounting evidence suggests that regulating the localization of transcription factors contributes to the regulation of their activity during development as defects in their localization underlie a variety of developmental disorders. In this study, we attempted to understand the nuclear import mannerisms of NeuroD1 and E47. We found that the nuclear import of NeuroD1 and E47 is energy-dependent and involves the Ran-mediated pathway. Herein, we demonstrate that NeuroD1 and E47 can dimerize inside the cytoplasm before their nuclear import. Moreover, this dimerization promotes nuclear import as the nuclear accumulation of NeuroD1 was enhanced in the presence of E47 in an in vitro nuclear import assay, and NLS-deficient NeuroD1 was successfully imported into the nucleus upon E47 overexpression. NeuroD1 also had a similar effect on the nuclear accumulation of NLS-deficient E47. These findings suggest a novel role for dimerization that may promote, at least partially, the nuclear import of transcription factors allowing them to function efficiently in the nucleus.

Genome-wide strategies identify downstream target genes of chick connective tissue-associated transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Orgeur, Mickael; Martens, Marvin; Leonte, Georgeta; Nassari, Sonya; Bonnin, Marie-Ange; Börno, Stefan T; Timmermann, Bernd; Hecht, Jochen; Duprez, Delphine; Stricker, Sigmar

2018-03-29

Connective tissues support organs and play crucial roles in development, homeostasis and fibrosis, yet our understanding of their formation is still limited. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of connective tissue specification, we selected five zinc-finger transcription factors - OSR1, OSR2, EGR1, KLF2 and KLF4 - based on their expression patterns and/or known involvement in connective tissue subtype differentiation. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq profiling of chick limb micromass cultures revealed a set of common genes regulated by all five transcription factors, which we describe as a connective tissue core expression set. This common core was enriched with genes associated with axon guidance and myofibroblast signature, including fibrosis-related genes. In addition, each transcription factor regulated a specific set of signalling molecules and extracellular matrix components. This suggests a concept whereby local molecular niches can be created by the expression of specific transcription factors impinging on the specification of local microenvironments. The regulatory network established here identifies common and distinct molecular signatures of limb connective tissue subtypes, provides novel insight into the signalling pathways governing connective tissue specification, and serves as a resource for connective tissue development. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Distinct mechanisms of nuclear accumulation regulate the functional consequence of E2F transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Allen, K.E.; Luna, S. de la; Kerkhoven, R.M.; Bernards, R.A.; Thangue, N.B. La

1997-01-01

Transcription factor E2F plays an important role in coordinating and integrating early cell cycle progression with the transcription apparatus. It is known that physiological E2F arises when a member of two families of proteins, E2F and DP, interact as E2F/DP heterodimers and that transcriptional

Cdk phosphorylation of the Ste11 transcription factor constrains differentiation-specific transcription to G1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjaerulff, Søren; Andersen, Nicoline Resen; Borup, Mia Trolle

2007-01-01

Eukaryotic cells normally differentiate from G(1); here we investigate the mechanism preventing expression of differentiation-specific genes outside G(1). In fission yeast, induction of the transcription factor Ste11 triggers sexual differentiation. We find that Ste11 is only active in G(1) when...... Cdk activity is low. In the remaining part of the cell cycle, Ste11 becomes Cdk-phosphorylated at Thr 82 (T82), which inhibits its DNA-binding activity. Since the ste11 gene is autoregulated and the Ste11 protein is highly unstable, this Cdk switch rapidly extinguishes Ste11 activity when cells enter...... S phase. When we mutated T82 to aspartic acid, mimicking constant phosphorylation, cells no longer underwent differentiation. Conversely, changing T82 to alanine rendered Ste11-controlled transcription constitutive through the cell cycle, and allowed mating from S phase with increased frequency...

A Role for the NF-kb/Rel Transcription Factors in Human Breast Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Baldwin, Albert

1998-01-01

Human breast cancer is characterized by the inappropriate expression of growth factors, kinases and possibly certain transcription factors Our project has focused on the regulation of the NF-kB family...

A Genome-Scale Resource for the Functional Characterization of Arabidopsis Transcription Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose L. Pruneda-Paz

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Extensive transcriptional networks play major roles in cellular and organismal functions. Transcript levels are in part determined by the combinatorial and overlapping functions of multiple transcription factors (TFs bound to gene promoters. Thus, TF-promoter interactions provide the basic molecular wiring of transcriptional regulatory networks. In plants, discovery of the functional roles of TFs is limited by an increased complexity of network circuitry due to a significant expansion of TF families. Here, we present the construction of a comprehensive collection of Arabidopsis TFs clones created to provide a versatile resource for uncovering TF biological functions. We leveraged this collection by implementing a high-throughput DNA binding assay and identified direct regulators of a key clock gene (CCA1 that provide molecular links between different signaling modules and the circadian clock. The resources introduced in this work will significantly contribute to a better understanding of the transcriptional regulatory landscape of plant genomes.

Enhanced somatic embryogenesis in Theobroma cacao using the homologous BABY BOOM transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Florez, Sergio L; Erwin, Rachel L; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J; Curtis, Wayne R

2015-05-16

Theobroma cacao, the chocolate tree, is an important economic crop in East Africa, South East Asia, and South and Central America. Propagation of elite varieties has been achieved through somatic embryogenesis (SE) but low efficiencies and genotype dependence still presents a significant limitation for its propagation at commercial scales. Manipulation of transcription factors has been used to enhance the formation of SEs in several other plant species. This work describes the use of the transcription factor Baby Boom (BBM) to promote the transition of somatic cacao cells from the vegetative to embryonic state. An ortholog of the Arabidopsis thaliana BBM gene (AtBBM) was characterized in T. cacao (TcBBM). TcBBM expression was observed throughout embryo development and was expressed at higher levels during SE as compared to zygotic embryogenesis (ZE). TcBBM overexpression in A. thaliana and T. cacao led to phenotypes associated with SE that did not require exogenous hormones. While transient ectopic expression of TcBBM provided only moderate enhancements in embryogenic potential, constitutive overexpression dramatically increased SE proliferation but also appeared to inhibit subsequent development. Our work provides validation that TcBBM is an ortholog to AtBBM and has a specific role in both somatic and zygotic embryogenesis. Furthermore, our studies revealed that TcBBM transcript levels could serve as a biomarker for embryogenesis in cacao tissue. Results from transient expression of TcBBM provide confirmation that transcription factors can be used to enhance SE without compromising plant development and avoiding GMO plant production. This strategy could compliment a hormone-based method of reprogramming somatic cells and lead to more precise manipulation of SE at the regulatory level of transcription factors. The technology would benefit the propagation of elite varieties with low regeneration potential as well as the production of transgenic plants, which

Natural variation in monoterpene synthesis in kiwifruit: transcriptional regulation of terpene synthases by NAC and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieuwenhuizen, Niels J; Chen, Xiuyin; Wang, Mindy Y; Matich, Adam J; Perez, Ramon Lopez; Allan, Andrew C; Green, Sol A; Atkinson, Ross G

2015-04-01

Two kiwifruit (Actinidia) species with contrasting terpene profiles were compared to understand the regulation of fruit monoterpene production. High rates of terpinolene production in ripe Actinidia arguta fruit were correlated with increasing gene and protein expression of A. arguta terpene synthase1 (AaTPS1) and correlated with an increase in transcript levels of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway enzyme 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS). Actinidia chinensis terpene synthase1 (AcTPS1) was identified as part of an array of eight tandemly duplicated genes, and AcTPS1 expression and terpene production were observed only at low levels in developing fruit. Transient overexpression of DXS in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves elevated monoterpene synthesis by AaTPS1 more than 100-fold, indicating that DXS is likely to be the key step in regulating 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate substrate flux in kiwifruit. Comparative promoter analysis identified potential NAC (for no apical meristem [NAM], Arabidopsis transcription activation factor [ATAF], and cup-shaped cotyledon [CUC])-domain transcription factor) and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like transcription factor (TF) binding sites in the AaTPS1 promoter, and cloned members of both TF classes were able to activate the AaTPS1 promoter in transient assays. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that AaNAC2, AaNAC3, and AaNAC4 bind a 28-bp fragment of the proximal NAC binding site in the AaTPS1 promoter but not the A. chinensis AcTPS1 promoter, where the NAC binding site was mutated. Activation could be restored by reintroducing multiple repeats of the 12-bp NAC core-binding motif. The absence of NAC transcriptional activation in ripe A. chinensis fruit can account for the low accumulation of AcTPS1 transcript, protein, and monoterpene volatiles in this species. These results indicate the importance of NAC TFs in controlling monoterpene production and other traits in ripening fruits. © 2015 American

Triptolide inhibits transcription of hTERT through down-regulation of transcription factor specificity protein 1 in primary effusion lymphoma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, Cong; Wang, Jingchao [Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); Guo, Wei [Department of Pathology and Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); Wang, Huan; Wang, Chao; Liu, Yu [Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); Sun, Xiaoping, E-mail: xsun6@whu.edu.cn [Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 (China); State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072 (China)

2016-01-01

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), a key component responsible for the regulation of telomerase activity, plays important roles in cellular immortalization and cancer development. Triptolide purified from Tripterygium extracts displays a broad-spectrum bioactivity profile, including immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor. In this study, it is investigated whether triptolide reduces hTERT expression and suppresses its activity in PEL cells. The mRNA and protein levels of hTERT were examined by real time-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The activity of hTERT promoter was determined by Dual luciferase reporter assay. Our results demonstrated that triptolide decreased expression of hTERT at both mRNA and protein levels. Further gene sequence analysis indicated that the activity of hTERT promoter was suppressed by triptolide. Triptolide also reduced the half-time of hTERT. Additionally, triptolide inhibited the expression of transcription factor specificity protein 1(Sp1) in PEL cells. Furthermore, knock-down of Sp1 by using specific shRNAs resulted in down-regulation of hTERT transcription and protein expression levels. Inhibition of Sp1 by specific shRNAs enhanced triptolide-induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of triptolide on hTERT transcription is possibly mediated by inhibition of transcription factor Sp1 in PEL cells. - Highlights: • Triptolide reduces expression of hTERT by decreasing its transcription level. • Triptolide reduces promoter activity and stability of hTERT. • Triptolide down-regulates expression of Sp1. • Special Sp1 shRNAs inhibit transcription and protein expression of hTERT. • Triptolide and Sp1 shRNA2 induce cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis.

Selective activation of human heat shock gene transcription by nitrosourea antitumor drugs mediated by isocyanate-induced damage and activation of heat shock transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kroes, R A; Abravaya, K; Seidenfeld, J; Morimoto, R I

1991-01-01

Treatment of cultured human tumor cells with the chloroethylnitrosourea antitumor drug 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) selectively induces transcription and protein synthesis of a subset of the human heat shock or stress-induced genes (HSP90 and HSP70) with little effect on other stress genes or on expression of the c-fos, c-myc, or beta-actin genes. The active component of BCNU and related compounds appears to be the isocyanate moiety that causes carbamoylation of proteins and nucleic acids. Transcriptional activation of the human HSP70 gene by BCNU is dependent on the heat shock element and correlates with the level of heat shock transcription factor and its binding to the heat shock element in vivo. Unlike activation by heat or heavy metals, BCNU-mediated activation is strongly dependent upon new protein synthesis. This suggests that BCNU-induced, isocyanate-mediated damage to newly synthesized protein(s) may be responsible for activation of the heat shock transcription factor and increased transcription of the HSP90 and HSP70 genes. Images PMID:2052560

Genome-wide profiling of H3K56 acetylation and transcription factor binding sites in human adipocytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kinyui Alice Lo

Full Text Available The growing epidemic of obesity and metabolic diseases calls for a better understanding of adipocyte biology. The regulation of transcription in adipocytes is particularly important, as it is a target for several therapeutic approaches. Transcriptional outcomes are influenced by both histone modifications and transcription factor binding. Although the epigenetic states and binding sites of several important transcription factors have been profiled in the mouse 3T3-L1 cell line, such data are lacking in human adipocytes. In this study, we identified H3K56 acetylation sites in human adipocytes derived from mesenchymal stem cells. H3K56 is acetylated by CBP and p300, and deacetylated by SIRT1, all are proteins with important roles in diabetes and insulin signaling. We found that while almost half of the genome shows signs of H3K56 acetylation, the highest level of H3K56 acetylation is associated with transcription factors and proteins in the adipokine signaling and Type II Diabetes pathways. In order to discover the transcription factors that recruit acetyltransferases and deacetylases to sites of H3K56 acetylation, we analyzed DNA sequences near H3K56 acetylated regions and found that the E2F recognition sequence was enriched. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing, we confirmed that genes bound by E2F4, as well as those by HSF-1 and C/EBPα, have higher than expected levels of H3K56 acetylation, and that the transcription factor binding sites and acetylation sites are often adjacent but rarely overlap. We also discovered a significant difference between bound targets of C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 and human adipocytes, highlighting the need to construct species-specific epigenetic and transcription factor binding site maps. This is the first genome-wide profile of H3K56 acetylation, E2F4, C/EBPα and HSF-1 binding in human adipocytes, and will serve as an important resource for better understanding adipocyte

The transcription factor Th-POK negatively regulates Th17 differentiation in Vα14i NKT cells

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Isaac; Zhao, Meng; Kappes, Dietmar; Taniuchi, Ichiro

2012-01-01

The majority of mouse Vα14 invariant natural killer T (Vα14i NKT) cells produce several cytokines, including IFNγ and IL-4, very rapidly after activation. A subset of these cells, known as NKT17 cells, however, differentiates in the thymus to preferentially produce IL-17. Here, we show that the transcription factor—known as T helper, Poxviruses, and Zinc-finger and Krüppel family, (Th-POK)—represses the formation of NKT17 cells. Vα14i NKT cells from Th-POK–mutant helper deficient (hd/hd) mice have increased transcripts of genes normally expressed by Th17 and NKT17 cells, and even heterozygosity for this mutation leads to dramatically increased numbers of Vα14i NKT cells that are poised to express IL-17, especially in the thymus and lymph nodes. In addition, using gene reporter mice, we demonstrate that NKT17 cells from wild-type mice express lower amounts of Th-POK than the majority population of Vα14i NKT cells. We also show that retroviral transduction of Th-POK represses the expression of the Th17 master regulator RORγT in Vα14i NKT-cell lines. Our data suggest that NKT17-cell differentiation is intrinsically regulated by Th-POK activity, with only low levels of Th-POK permissive for the differentiation of NKT17 cells. PMID:23034280

The transcription factor c-Maf controls touch receptor development and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Wende, Hagen; Lechner, Stefan G; Cheret, Cyril; Bourane, Steeve; Kolanczyk, Maria E; Pattyn, Alexandre; Reuter, Katja; Munier, Francis L; Carroll, Patrick; Lewin, Gary R; Birchmeier, Carmen

2012-03-16

The sense of touch relies on detection of mechanical stimuli by specialized mechanosensory neurons. The scarcity of molecular data has made it difficult to analyze development of mechanoreceptors and to define the basis of their diversity and function. We show that the transcription factor c-Maf/c-MAF is crucial for mechanosensory function in mice and humans. The development and function of several rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor types are disrupted in c-Maf mutant mice. In particular, Pacinian corpuscles, a type of mechanoreceptor specialized to detect high-frequency vibrations, are severely atrophied. In line with this, sensitivity to high-frequency vibration is reduced in humans carrying a dominant mutation in the c-MAF gene. Thus, our work identifies a key transcription factor specifying development and function of mechanoreceptors and their end organs.

Reconstruction of the core and extended regulons of global transcription factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yann S Dufour

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The processes underlying the evolution of regulatory networks are unclear. To address this question, we used a comparative genomics approach that takes advantage of the large number of sequenced bacterial genomes to predict conserved and variable members of transcriptional regulatory networks across phylogenetically related organisms. Specifically, we developed a computational method to predict the conserved regulons of transcription factors across alpha-proteobacteria. We focused on the CRP/FNR super-family of transcription factors because it contains several well-characterized members, such as FNR, FixK, and DNR. While FNR, FixK, and DNR are each proposed to regulate different aspects of anaerobic metabolism, they are predicted to recognize very similar DNA target sequences, and they occur in various combinations among individual alpha-proteobacterial species. In this study, the composition of the respective FNR, FixK, or DNR conserved regulons across 87 alpha-proteobacterial species was predicted by comparing the phylogenetic profiles of the regulators with the profiles of putative target genes. The utility of our predictions was evaluated by experimentally characterizing the FnrL regulon (a FNR-type regulator in the alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Our results show that this approach correctly predicted many regulon members, provided new insights into the biological functions of the respective regulons for these regulators, and suggested models for the evolution of the corresponding transcriptional networks. Our findings also predict that, at least for the FNR-type regulators, there is a core set of target genes conserved across many species. In addition, the members of the so-called extended regulons for the FNR-type regulators vary even among closely related species, possibly reflecting species-specific adaptation to environmental and other factors. The comparative genomics approach we developed is readily applicable to other

Three WRKY transcription factors additively repress abscisic acid and gibberellin signaling in aleurone cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liyuan; Gu, Lingkun; Ringler, Patricia; Smith, Stanley; Rushton, Paul J; Shen, Qingxi J

2015-07-01

Members of the WRKY transcription factor superfamily are essential for the regulation of many plant pathways. Functional redundancy due to duplications of WRKY transcription factors, however, complicates genetic analysis by allowing single-mutant plants to maintain wild-type phenotypes. Our analyses indicate that three group I WRKY genes, OsWRKY24, -53, and -70, act in a partially redundant manner. All three showed characteristics of typical WRKY transcription factors: each localized to nuclei and yeast one-hybrid assays indicated that they all bind to W-boxes, including those present in their own promoters. Quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses indicated that the expression levels of the three WRKY genes varied in the different tissues tested. Particle bombardment-mediated transient expression analyses indicated that all three genes repress the GA and ABA signaling in a dosage-dependent manner. Combination of all three WRKY genes showed additive antagonism of ABA and GA signaling. These results suggest that these WRKY proteins function as negative transcriptional regulators of GA and ABA signaling. However, different combinations of these WRKY genes can lead to varied strengths in suppression of their targets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Embryonic maturation of epidermal Merkel cells is controlled by a redundant transcription factor network.

Science.gov (United States)

Perdigoto, Carolina N; Bardot, Evan S; Valdes, Victor J; Santoriello, Francis J; Ezhkova, Elena

2014-12-01

Merkel cell-neurite complexes are located in touch-sensitive areas of the mammalian skin and are involved in recognition of the texture and shape of objects. Merkel cells are essential for these tactile discriminations, as they generate action potentials in response to touch stimuli and induce the firing of innervating afferent nerves. It has been shown that Merkel cells originate from epidermal stem cells, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms of their development are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed Merkel cell differentiation during development and found that it is a temporally regulated maturation process characterized by a sequential activation of Merkel cell-specific genes. We uncovered key transcription factors controlling this process and showed that the transcription factor Atoh1 is required for initial Merkel cell specification. The subsequent maturation steps of Merkel cell differentiation are controlled by cooperative function of the transcription factors Sox2 and Isl1, which physically interact and work to sustain Atoh1 expression. These findings reveal the presence of a robust transcriptional network required to produce functional Merkel cells that are required for tactile discrimination. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Genetic Analysis of Gravity Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis Roots

Science.gov (United States)

Masson, Patrick; Strohm, Allison; Barker, Richard; Su, Shih-Heng

that the protein-import function of the complex, not the presence of a large acidic domain of TOC132 within the cytoplasm, is needed for gravity signal transduction. Furthermore, mutations in several genes encoding distinct members of the TOC complex also enhanced the gravitropic defect of arg1. Together, these data suggest that the TOC complex works indirectly in gravity signal transduction through its ability to target specific cytoplasmically synthesized proteins, possibly gravity signal transducers, into the plastid. We have used a proteomic strategy to identify root-tip proteins that are differentially expressed between wild type and mar2 mutant plants. The corresponding list of differentially expressed proteins, which includes a surprisingly small number of plastid-targeted molecules, mainly contains proteins that are predicted to be associated with distinct cellular compartments. Several of the corresponding genes were found to also be differentially expressed between wild type and mar2 mutant root tips at the transcriptional level, suggesting cross-talk between amyloplasts and nucleus in these cells. Some of the differentially represented proteins are encoded by genes that are differentially expressed in the root tip in response to gravistimulation, further suggesting their contribution to gravity signal transduction. Work in underway to elucidate their function and potential contribution to this pathway. This work was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation.

Transcription factors: normal and malignant development of blood cells

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ravid, Katya; Licht, Jonathan

2001-01-01

... and the Development of the Erythroid Lineage James J. Bieker 71 II TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS AND THE MYELOID LINEAGE 85 6 RUNX1(AML1) and CBFB: Genes Required for the Development of All Definitive Hematopoietic Lineages 87 Nancy A. Speck and Elaine Dzierzak 7 PU.1 and the Development of the Myeloid Lineage Daniel G. Tenen 103 vvi CONTENTS 8 CCAAT/Enhancer-...

The forkhead transcription factor FoxY regulates Nanos.

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Song, Jia L; Wessel, Gary M

2012-10-01

FoxY is a member of the forkhead transcription factor family that appeared enriched in the presumptive germ line of sea urchins (Ransick et al. Dev Biol 2002;246:132). Here, we test the hypothesis that FoxY is involved in germ line determination in this animal. We found two splice forms of FoxY that share the same DNA-binding domain, but vary in the carboxy-terminal trans-activation/repression domain. Both forms of the FoxY protein are present in the egg and in the early embryo, and their mRNAs accumulate to their highest levels in the small micromeres and adjacent non-skeletogenic mesoderm. Knockdown of FoxY resulted in a dramatic decrease in Nanos mRNA and protein levels as well as a loss of coelomic pouches in 2-week-old larvae. Our results indicate that FoxY positively regulates Nanos at the transcriptional level and is essential for reproductive potential in this organism. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transcriptome-wide identification of Camellia sinensis WRKY transcription factors in response to temperature stress.

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Wu, Zhi-Jun; Li, Xing-Hui; Liu, Zhi-Wei; Li, Hui; Wang, Yong-Xin; Zhuang, Jing

2016-02-01

Tea plant [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is a leaf-type healthy non-alcoholic beverage crop, which has been widely introduced worldwide. Tea is rich in various secondary metabolites, which are important for human health. However, varied climate and complex geography have posed challenges for tea plant survival. The WRKY gene family in plants is a large transcription factor family that is involved in biological processes related to stress defenses, development, and metabolite synthesis. Therefore, identification and analysis of WRKY family transcription factors in tea plant have a profound significance. In the present study, 50 putative C. sinensis WRKY proteins (CsWRKYs) with complete WRKY domain were identified and divided into three Groups (Group I-III) on the basis of phylogenetic analysis results. The distribution of WRKY family transcription factors among plantae, fungi, and protozoa showed that the number of WRKY genes increased in higher plant, whereas the number of these genes did not correspond to the evolutionary relationships of different species. Structural feature and annotation analysis results showed that CsWRKY proteins contained WRKYGQK/WRKYGKK domains and C2H2/C2HC-type zinc-finger structure: D-X18-R-X1-Y-X2-C-X4-7-C-X23-H motif; CsWRKY proteins may be associated with the biological processes of abiotic and biotic stresses, tissue development, and hormone and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Temperature stresses suggested that the candidate CsWRKY genes were involved in responses to extreme temperatures. The current study established an extensive overview of the WRKY family transcription factors in tea plant. This study also provided a global survey of CsWRKY transcription factors and a foundation of future functional identification and molecular breeding.

Manipulation of flowering time and branching by overexpression of the tomato transcription factor SlZFP2.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Lin; Bai, Xiaodong; Zhao, Fangfang; Li, Rong; Xiao, Han

2016-12-01

Flowering of higher plants is orchestrated by complex regulatory networks through integration of various environmental signals such as photoperiod, temperature, light quality and developmental cues. In Arabidopsis, transcription of the flowering integrator gene FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) that several flowering pathways converge to is directly regulated by more than ten transcription factors. However, very little is known about the transcriptional regulation of the FT homolog SINGLE FLOWER TRUESS (SFT) in the day-neutral plant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Previously, we showed that the zinc finger transcription factor SlZFP2 plays important roles in regulation of seed germination and fruit ripening in tomato and also found that overexpression of SlZFP2 impacted flowering and branching. Here, we characterized in detail the early flowering and high branching phenotypes by overexpression of this transcription factor. Our data showed that overexpression of SlZFP2 accelerated flowering in an SFT-dependent manner as demonstrated by elevated SFT expression in the leaves and the transcription factor's binding ability to SFT promoter in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, overexpression of the SlZFP2 gene in the sft plants failed to rescue the mutant's late flowering. Through analysis of grafting phenotype, growth response of branches to auxin application and transcriptome profiling by RNA sequencing, we also showed that overexpression of SlZFP2 affected shoot apical dominance through multiple regulatory pathways. Our results suggest that the transcription factor SlZFP2 has potential applications in genetic modification of plant architecture and flowering time for tomato production and other crops as well. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identification of novel transcription factors regulating secondary cell wall formation in Arabidopsis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua eCassan-Wang

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The presence of lignin in secondary cell walls (SCW is a major factor preventing hydrolytic enzymes from gaining access to cellulose, thereby limiting the saccharification potential of plant biomass. To understand how lignification is regulated is a prerequisite for selecting plant biomass better adapted to bioethanol production. Because transcriptional regulation is a major mechanism controlling the expression of genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, our aim was to identify novel transcription factors dictating lignin profiles in the model plant Arabidopsis. To this end, we have developed a post-genomic approach by combining four independent in-house SCW-related transcriptome datasets obtained from (i the fiber cell wall-deficient wat1 Arabidopsis mutant, (ii Arabidopsis lines over-expressing either the master regulatory activator EgMYB2 or (iii the repressor EgMYB1 and finally (iv Arabidopsis orthologs of Eucalyptus xylem-expressed genes. This allowed us to identify 502 up- or down-regulated transcription factors. We preferentially selected those present in more than one dataset and further analyzed their in silico expression patterns as an additional selection criteria. This selection process led to 80 candidates. Notably, 16 of them were already proven to regulate SCW formation, thereby validating the overall strategy. Then, we phenotyped 43 corresponding mutant lines focusing on histological observations of xylem and interfascicular fibers. This phenotypic screen revealed six mutant lines exhibiting altered lignification patterns. Two of them (blh6 and a zinc finger transcription factor presented hypolignified SCW. Three others (myb52, myb-like TF, hb5 showed hyperlignified SCW whereas the last one (hb15 showed ectopic lignification. In addition, our meta-analyses highlighted a reservoir of new potential regulators adding to the gene network regulating SCW but also opening new avenues to ultimately improve SCW composition for biofuel

Basic aspects of tumor cell fatty acid-regulated signaling and transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Comba, Andrea; Lin, Yi-Hui; Eynard, Aldo Renato; Valentich, Mirta Ana; Fernandez-Zapico, Martín Ernesto; Pasqualini, Marìa Eugenia

2011-12-01

This article reviews the current knowledge and experimental research about the mechanisms by which fatty acids and their derivatives control specific gene expression involved during carcinogenesis. Changes in dietary fatty acids, specifically the polyunsaturated fatty acids of the ω-3 and ω-6 families and some derived eicosanoids from lipoxygenases, cyclooxygenases, and cytochrome P-450, seem to control the activity of transcription factor families involved in cancer cell proliferation or cell death. Their regulation may be carried out either through direct binding to DNA as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors or via modulation in an indirect manner of signaling pathway molecules (e.g., protein kinase C) and other transcription factors (nuclear factor kappa B and sterol regulatory element binding protein). Knowledge of the mechanisms by which fatty acids control specific gene expression may identify important risk factors for cancer and provide insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies for a better management of whole body lipid metabolism.

Multi-Omics and Integrated Network Analyses Reveal New Insights into the Systems Relationships between Metabolites, Structural Genes, and Transcriptional Regulators in Developing Grape Berries (Vitis vinifera L. Exposed to Water Deficit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Savoi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Grapes are one of the major fruit crops and they are cultivated in many dry environments. This study comprehensively characterizes the metabolic response of grape berries exposed to water deficit at different developmental stages. Increases of proline, branched-chain amino acids, phenylpropanoids, anthocyanins, and free volatile organic compounds have been previously observed in grape berries exposed to water deficit. Integrating RNA-sequencing analysis of the transcriptome with large-scale analysis of central and specialized metabolites, we reveal that these increases occur via a coordinated regulation of key structural pathway genes. Water deficit-induced up-regulation of flavonoid genes is also coordinated with the down-regulation of many stilbene synthases and a consistent decrease in stilbenoid concentration. Water deficit activated both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signal transduction pathways by modulating the expression of several transcription factors. Gene-gene and gene-metabolite network analyses showed that water deficit-responsive transcription factors such as bZIPs, AP2/ERFs, MYBs, and NACs are implicated in the regulation of stress-responsive metabolites. Enrichment of known and novel cis-regulatory elements in the promoters of several ripening-specific/water deficit-induced modules further affirms the involvement of a transcription factor cross-talk in the berry response to water deficit. Together, our integrated approaches show that water deficit-regulated gene modules are strongly linked to key fruit-quality metabolites and multiple signal transduction pathways may be critical to achieve a balance between the regulation of the stress-response and the berry ripening program. This study constitutes an invaluable resource for future discoveries and comparative studies, in grapes and other fruits, centered on reproductive tissue metabolism under abiotic stress.

Multi-Omics and Integrated Network Analyses Reveal New Insights into the Systems Relationships between Metabolites, Structural Genes, and Transcriptional Regulators in Developing Grape Berries (Vitis vinifera L.) Exposed to Water Deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Savoi, Stefania; Wong, Darren C J; Degu, Asfaw; Herrera, Jose C; Bucchetti, Barbara; Peterlunger, Enrico; Fait, Aaron; Mattivi, Fulvio; Castellarin, Simone D

2017-01-01

Grapes are one of the major fruit crops and they are cultivated in many dry environments. This study comprehensively characterizes the metabolic response of grape berries exposed to water deficit at different developmental stages. Increases of proline, branched-chain amino acids, phenylpropanoids, anthocyanins, and free volatile organic compounds have been previously observed in grape berries exposed to water deficit. Integrating RNA-sequencing analysis of the transcriptome with large-scale analysis of central and specialized metabolites, we reveal that these increases occur via a coordinated regulation of key structural pathway genes. Water deficit-induced up-regulation of flavonoid genes is also coordinated with the down-regulation of many stilbene synthases and a consistent decrease in stilbenoid concentration. Water deficit activated both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signal transduction pathways by modulating the expression of several transcription factors. Gene-gene and gene-metabolite network analyses showed that water deficit-responsive transcription factors such as bZIPs, AP2/ERFs, MYBs, and NACs are implicated in the regulation of stress-responsive metabolites. Enrichment of known and novel cis -regulatory elements in the promoters of several ripening-specific/water deficit-induced modules further affirms the involvement of a transcription factor cross-talk in the berry response to water deficit. Together, our integrated approaches show that water deficit-regulated gene modules are strongly linked to key fruit-quality metabolites and multiple signal transduction pathways may be critical to achieve a balance between the regulation of the stress-response and the berry ripening program. This study constitutes an invaluable resource for future discoveries and comparative studies, in grapes and other fruits, centered on reproductive tissue metabolism under abiotic stress.

Chloroplast His-to-Asp signal transduction: a potential mechanism for plastid gene regulation in Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae

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Jacobs Michael A

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maintenance of homeostasis requires that an organism perceive selected physical and chemical signals within an informationally dense environment. Functionally, an organism uses a variety of signal transduction arrays to amplify and convert these perceived signals into appropriate gene transcriptional responses. These changes in gene expression serve to modify selective metabolic processes and thus optimize reproductive success. Here we analyze a chloroplast-encoded His-to-Asp signal transduction circuit in the stramenopile Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada Hada ex Y. Hara et Chihara [syn. H. carterae (Hulburt F.J.R. Taylor]. The presence, structure and putative function of this protein pair are discussed in the context of their evolutionary homologues. Results Bioinformatic analysis of the Heterosigma akashiwo chloroplast genome sequence revealed the presence of a single two-component His-to-Asp (designated Tsg1/Trg1 pair in this stramenopile (golden-brown alga. These data represent the first documentation of a His-to-Asp array in stramenopiles and counter previous reports suggesting that such regulatory proteins are lacking in this taxonomic cluster. Comparison of the 43 kDa H. akashiwo Tsg1 with bacterial sensor kinases showed that the algal protein exhibits a moderately maintained PAS motif in the sensor kinase domain as well as highly conserved H, N, G1 and F motifs within the histidine kinase ATP binding site. Molecular modelling of the 27 kDa H. akashiwo Trg1 regulator protein was consistent with a winged helix-turn-helix identity – a class of proteins that is known to impact gene expression at the level of transcription. The occurrence of Trg1 protein in actively growing H. akashiwo cells was verified by Western analysis. The presence of a PhoB-like RNA polymerase loop in Trg1 and its homologues in the red-algal lineage support the hypothesis that Trg1 and its homologues interact with a sigma 70 (σ70 subunit (encoded by

Control of cellulose biosynthesis by overexpression of a transcription factor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Kyung-Hwan; Ko, Jae-Heung; Kim, Won-Chan; Kim; , Joo-Yeol

2017-05-16

The invention relates to the over-expression of a transcription factor selected from the group consisting of MYB46, HAM1, HAM2, MYB112, WRKY11, ERF6, and any combination thereof in a plant, which can modulate and thereby modulating the cellulose content of the plant.

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth [Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (United States); Sethupathy, Praveen [Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Fry, Rebecca C., E-mail: rfry@unc.edu [Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (United States); Curriculum in Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

2016-12-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database, genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression.

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth; Sethupathy, Praveen; Fry, Rebecca C.

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database, genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression

Functional interaction of the DNA-binding transcription factor Sp1 through its DNA-binding domain with the histone chaperone TAF-I.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Toru; Muto, Shinsuke; Miyamoto, Saku; Aizawa, Kenichi; Horikoshi, Masami; Nagai, Ryozo

2003-08-01

Transcription involves molecular interactions between general and regulatory transcription factors with further regulation by protein-protein interactions (e.g. transcriptional cofactors). Here we describe functional interaction between DNA-binding transcription factor and histone chaperone. Affinity purification of factors interacting with the DNA-binding domain of the transcription factor Sp1 showed Sp1 to interact with the histone chaperone TAF-I, both alpha and beta isoforms. This interaction was specific as Sp1 did not interact with another histone chaperone CIA nor did other tested DNA-binding regulatory factors (MyoD, NFkappaB, p53) interact with TAF-I. Interaction of Sp1 and TAF-I occurs both in vitro and in vivo. Interaction with TAF-I results in inhibition of DNA-binding, and also likely as a result of such, inhibition of promoter activation by Sp1. Collectively, we describe interaction between DNA-binding transcription factor and histone chaperone which results in negative regulation of the former. This novel regulatory interaction advances our understanding of the mechanisms of eukaryotic transcription through DNA-binding regulatory transcription factors by protein-protein interactions, and also shows the DNA-binding domain to mediate important regulatory interactions.

A compendium of transcription factor and Transcriptionally active protein coding gene families in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Vikram A; Wang, Yu; Timko, Michael P

2017-11-22

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is the most important food and forage legume in the semi-arid tropics of sub-Saharan Africa where approximately 80% of worldwide production takes place primarily on low-input, subsistence farm sites. Among the major goals of cowpea breeding and improvement programs are the rapid manipulation of agronomic traits for seed size and quality and improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses to enhance productivity. Knowing the suite of transcription factors (TFs) and transcriptionally active proteins (TAPs) that control various critical plant cellular processes would contribute tremendously to these improvement aims. We used a computational approach that employed three different predictive pipelines to data mine the cowpea genome and identified over 4400 genes representing 136 different TF and TAP families. We compare the information content of cowpea to two evolutionarily close species common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and soybean (Glycine max) to gauge the relative informational content. Our data indicate that correcting for genome size cowpea has fewer TF and TAP genes than common bean (4408 / 5291) and soybean (4408/ 11,065). Members of the GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) and Auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene families appear to be over-represented in the genome relative to common bean and soybean, whereas members of the MADS (Minichromosome maintenance deficient 1 (MCM1), AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS, and serum response factor (SRF)) and C2C2-YABBY appear to be under-represented. Analysis of the AP2-EREBP APETALA2-Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Protein (AP2-EREBP), NAC (NAM (no apical meristem), ATAF1, 2 (Arabidopsis transcription activation factor), CUC (cup-shaped cotyledon)), and WRKY families, known to be important in defense signaling, revealed changes and phylogenetic rearrangements relative to common bean and soybean that suggest these groups may have evolved different functions. The availability of detailed

Towards the systematic discovery of signal transduction networks using phosphorylation dynamics data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yachie Nozomu

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Phosphorylation is a ubiquitous and fundamental regulatory mechanism that controls signal transduction in living cells. The number of identified phosphoproteins and their phosphosites is rapidly increasing as a result of recent mass spectrometry-based approaches. Results We analyzed time-course phosphoproteome data obtained previously by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with the stable isotope labeling using amino acids in cell culture (SILAC method. This provides the relative phosphorylation activities of digested peptides at each of five time points after stimulating HeLa cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF. We initially calculated the correlations between the phosphorylation dynamics patterns of every pair of peptides and connected the strongly correlated pairs to construct a network. We found that peptides extracted from the same intracellular fraction (nucleus vs. cytoplasm tended to be close together within this phosphorylation dynamics-based network. The network was then analyzed using graph theory and compared with five known signal-transduction pathways. The dynamics-based network was correlated with known signaling pathways in the NetPath and Phospho.ELM databases, and especially with the EGF receptor (EGFR signaling pathway. Although the phosphorylation patterns of many proteins were drastically changed by the EGF stimulation, our results suggest that only EGFR signaling transduction was both strongly activated and precisely controlled. Conclusions The construction of a phosphorylation dynamics-based network provides a useful overview of condition-specific intracellular signal transduction using quantitative time-course phosphoproteome data under specific experimental conditions. Detailed prediction of signal transduction based on phosphoproteome dynamics remains challenging. However, since the phosphorylation profiles of kinase-substrate pairs on the specific pathway were localized in the dynamics

Targeting HOX and PBX transcription factors in ovarian cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, Richard; Plowright, Lynn; Harrington, Kevin J; Michael, Agnieszka; Pandha, Hardev S

2010-01-01

Ovarian cancer still has a relatively poor prognosis due to the frequent occurrence of drug resistance, making the identification of new therapeutic targets an important goal. We have studied the role of HOX genes in the survival and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. These are a family of homeodomain-containing transcription factors that determine cell and tissue identity in the early embryo, and have an anti-apoptotic role in a number of malignancies including lung and renal cancer. We used QPCR to determine HOX gene expression in normal ovary and in the ovarian cancer cell lines SK-OV3 and OV-90. We used a short peptide, HXR9, to disrupt the formation of HOX/PBX dimers and alter transcriptional regulation by HOX proteins. In this study we show that the ovarian cancer derived line SK-OV3, but not OV-90, exhibits highly dysregulated expression of members of the HOX gene family. Disrupting the interaction between HOX proteins and their co-factor PBX induces apoptosis in SK-OV3 cells and retards tumour growth in vivo. HOX/PBX binding is a potential target in ovarian cancer

DAF-16/FOXO Transcription Factor in Aging and Longevity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaojuan; Chen, Wei-Dong; Wang, Yan-Dong

2017-01-01

Aging is associated with age-related diseases and an increase susceptibility of cancer. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms that underlie aging and longevity would contribute to implications for preventing and treating the age-dependent diseases or cancers. Multiple signaling pathways such as the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway, TOR signaling, AMPK pathway, JNK pathway and germline signaling have been found to be involved in aging and longevity. And DAF-16/FOXO, as a key transcription factor, could integrate different signals from these pathways to modulate aging, and longevity via shuttling from cytoplasm to nucleus. Hence, understanding how DAF-16/FOXO functions will be pivotal to illustrate the processes of aging and longevity. Here, we summarized how DAF-16/FOXO receives signals from these pathways to affect aging and longevity. We also briefly discussed the transcriptional regulation and posttranslational modifications of DAF-16/FOXO, its co-factors as well as its potential downstream targets participating in lifespan according to the published data in C. elegans and in mammals, and in most cases, we may focus on the studies in C. elegans which has been considered to be a very good animal model for longevity research.

Genome wide analysis of stress responsive WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Shaiq Sultan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available WRKY transcription factors are a class of DNA-binding proteins that bind with a specific sequence C/TTGACT/C known as W-Box found in promoters of genes which are regulated by these WRKYs. From previous studies, 43 different stress responsive WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana, identified and then categorized in three groups viz., abiotic, biotic and both of these stresses. A comprehensive genome wide analysis including chromosomal localization, gene structure analysis, multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis and promoter analysis of these WRKY genes was carried out in this study to determine the functional homology in Arabidopsis. This analysis led to the classification of these WRKY family members into 3 major groups and subgroups and showed evolutionary relationship among these groups on the base of their functional WRKY domain, chromosomal localization and intron/exon structure. The proposed groups of these stress responsive WRKY genes and annotation based on their position on chromosomes can also be explored to determine their functional homology in other plant species in relation to different stresses. The result of the present study provides indispensable genomic information for the stress responsive WRKY transcription factors in Arabidopsis and will pave the way to explain the precise role of various AtWRKYs in plant growth and development under stressed conditions.

Genome-wide conserved consensus transcription factor binding motifs are hyper-methylated

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Down Thomas A

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA methylation can regulate gene expression by modulating the interaction between DNA and proteins or protein complexes. Conserved consensus motifs exist across the human genome ("predicted transcription factor binding sites": "predicted TFBS" but the large majority of these are proven by chromatin immunoprecipitation and high throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq not to be biological transcription factor binding sites ("empirical TFBS". We hypothesize that DNA methylation at conserved consensus motifs prevents promiscuous or disorderly transcription factor binding. Results Using genome-wide methylation maps of the human heart and sperm, we found that all conserved consensus motifs as well as the subset of those that reside outside CpG islands have an aggregate profile of hyper-methylation. In contrast, empirical TFBS with conserved consensus motifs have a profile of hypo-methylation. 40% of empirical TFBS with conserved consensus motifs resided in CpG islands whereas only 7% of all conserved consensus motifs were in CpG islands. Finally we further identified a minority subset of TF whose profiles are either hypo-methylated or neutral at their respective conserved consensus motifs implicating that these TF may be responsible for establishing or maintaining an un-methylated DNA state, or whose binding is not regulated by DNA methylation. Conclusions Our analysis supports the hypothesis that at least for a subset of TF, empirical binding to conserved consensus motifs genome-wide may be controlled by DNA methylation.

Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4H Is under Transcriptional Control of p65/NF-κB

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Fiume, Giuseppe; Rossi, Annalisa; de Laurentiis, Annamaria; Falcone, Cristina; Pisano, Antonio; Vecchio, Eleonora; Pontoriero, Marilena; Scala, Iris; Scialdone, Annarita; Masci, Francesca Fasanella; Mimmi, Selena; Palmieri, Camillo; Scala, Giuseppe; Quinto, Ileana

2013-01-01

Protein synthesis is mainly regulated at the initiation step, allowing the fast, reversible and spatial control of gene expression. Initiation of protein synthesis requires at least 13 translation initiation factors to assemble the 80S ribosomal initiation complex. Loss of translation control may result in cell malignant transformation. Here, we asked whether translational initiation factors could be regulated by NF-κB transcription factor, a major regulator of genes involved in cell proliferation, survival, and inflammatory response. We show that the p65 subunit of NF-κB activates the transcription of eIF4H gene, which is the regulatory subunit of eIF4A, the most relevant RNA helicase in translation initiation. The p65-dependent transcriptional activation of eIF4H increased the eIF4H protein content augmenting the rate of global protein synthesis. In this context, our results provide novel insights into protein synthesis regulation in response to NF-κB activation signalling, suggesting a transcription-translation coupled mechanism of control. PMID:23776612

Transcriptional profiling of Medicago truncatula under salt stress identified a novel CBF transcription factor MtCBF4 that plays an important role in abiotic stress responses

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Su Zhen

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Salt stress hinders the growth of plants and reduces crop production worldwide. However, different plant species might possess different adaptive mechanisms to mitigate salt stress. We conducted a detailed pathway analysis of transcriptional dynamics in the roots of Medicago truncatula seedlings under salt stress and selected a transcription factor gene, MtCBF4, for experimental validation. Results A microarray experiment was conducted using root samples collected 6, 24, and 48 h after application of 180 mM NaCl. Analysis of 11 statistically significant expression profiles revealed different behaviors between primary and secondary metabolism pathways in response to external stress. Secondary metabolism that helps to maintain osmotic balance was induced. One of the highly induced transcription factor genes was successfully cloned, and was named MtCBF4. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MtCBF4, which belongs to the AP2-EREBP transcription factor family, is a novel member of the CBF transcription factor in M. truncatula. MtCBF4 is shown to be a nuclear-localized protein. Expression of MtCBF4 in M. truncatula was induced by most of the abiotic stresses, including salt, drought, cold, and abscisic acid, suggesting crosstalk between these abiotic stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis over-expressing MtCBF4 enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stress, and activated expression of downstream genes that contain DRE elements. Over-expression of MtCBF4 in M. truncatula also enhanced salt tolerance and induced expression level of corresponding downstream genes. Conclusion Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis revealed complex mechanisms exist in plants in response to salt stress. The novel transcription factor gene MtCBF4 identified here played an important role in response to abiotic stresses, indicating that it might be a good candidate gene for genetic improvement to produce stress-tolerant plants.

Transcriptional profiling of Medicago truncatula under salt stress identified a novel CBF transcription factor MtCBF4 that plays an important role in abiotic stress responses

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Salt stress hinders the growth of plants and reduces crop production worldwide. However, different plant species might possess different adaptive mechanisms to mitigate salt stress. We conducted a detailed pathway analysis of transcriptional dynamics in the roots of Medicago truncatula seedlings under salt stress and selected a transcription factor gene, MtCBF4, for experimental validation. Results A microarray experiment was conducted using root samples collected 6, 24, and 48 h after application of 180 mM NaCl. Analysis of 11 statistically significant expression profiles revealed different behaviors between primary and secondary metabolism pathways in response to external stress. Secondary metabolism that helps to maintain osmotic balance was induced. One of the highly induced transcription factor genes was successfully cloned, and was named MtCBF4. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MtCBF4, which belongs to the AP2-EREBP transcription factor family, is a novel member of the CBF transcription factor in M. truncatula. MtCBF4 is shown to be a nuclear-localized protein. Expression of MtCBF4 in M. truncatula was induced by most of the abiotic stresses, including salt, drought, cold, and abscisic acid, suggesting crosstalk between these abiotic stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis over-expressing MtCBF4 enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stress, and activated expression of downstream genes that contain DRE elements. Over-expression of MtCBF4 in M. truncatula also enhanced salt tolerance and induced expression level of corresponding downstream genes. Conclusion Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis revealed complex mechanisms exist in plants in response to salt stress. The novel transcription factor gene MtCBF4 identified here played an important role in response to abiotic stresses, indicating that it might be a good candidate gene for genetic improvement to produce stress-tolerant plants. PMID:21718548

Functional analysis of jasmonate-responsive transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zarei, Adel

2007-01-01

The aim of the studies described in this thesis was the functional analysis of JA-responsive transcription factors in Arabidopsis with an emphasis on the interaction with the promoters of their target genes. In short, the following new results were obtained. The promoter of the PDF1.2 gene contains

Hyperosmotic stress regulates the distribution and stability of myocardin-related transcription factor, a key modulator of the cytoskeleton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ly, Donald L.; Waheed, Faiza; Lodyga, Monika

2013-01-01

Hyperosmotic stress initiates several adaptive responses, including the remodeling of the cytoskeleton. Besides maintaining structural integrity, the cytoskeleton has emerged as an important regulator of gene transcription. Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF), an actin-regulated coactiv......Hyperosmotic stress initiates several adaptive responses, including the remodeling of the cytoskeleton. Besides maintaining structural integrity, the cytoskeleton has emerged as an important regulator of gene transcription. Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF), an actin......-regulated coactivator of serum response factor, is a major link between the actin skeleton and transcriptional control. We therefore investigated whether MRTF is regulated by hyperosmotic stress. Here we show that hypertonicity induces robust, rapid, and transient translocation of MRTF from the cytosol to the nucleus...... in kidney tubular cells. We found that the hyperosmolarity-triggered MRTF translocation is mediated by the RhoA/Rho kinase (ROK) pathway. Moreover, the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor GEF-H1 is activated by hyperosmotic stress, and it is a key contributor to the ensuing RhoA activation and MRTF...

Novel splice mutation in microthalmia-associated transcription factor in Waardenburg Syndrome.

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Brenner, Laura; Burke, Kelly; Leduc, Charles A; Guha, Saurav; Guo, Jiancheng; Chung, Wendy K

2011-01-01

Waardenburg Syndrome (WS) is a syndromic form of hearing loss associated with mutations in six different genes. We identified a large family with WS that had previously undergone clinical testing, with no reported pathogenic mutation. Using linkage analysis, a region on 3p14.1 with an LOD score of 6.6 was identified. Microthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor, a gene known to cause WS, is located within this region of linkage. Sequencing of Microthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor demonstrated a c.1212 G>A synonymous variant that segregated with the WS in the family and was predicted to cause a novel splicing site that was confirmed with expression analysis of the mRNA. This case illustrates the need to computationally analyze novel synonymous sequence variants for possible effects on splicing to maximize the clinical sensitivity of sequence-based genetic testing.

The WRKY Transcription Factor Genes in Lotus japonicus

OpenAIRE

Song, Hui; Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Zhibiao; Wang, Xingjun

2014-01-01

WRKY transcription factor genes play critical roles in plant growth and development, as well as stress responses. WRKY genes have been examined in various higher plants, but they have not been characterized in Lotus japonicus. The recent release of the L. japonicus whole genome sequence provides an opportunity for a genome wide analysis of WRKY genes in this species. In this study, we identified 61 WRKY genes in the L. japonicus genome. Based on the WRKY protein structure, L. japonicus WRKY (...

Identification of basic/helix-loop-helix transcription factors reveals candidate genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis from the strawberry white-flesh mutant

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Fengli; Li, Gang; Hu, Panpan; Zhao, Xia; Li, Liangjie; Wei, Wei; Feng, Jiayue; Zhou, Houcheng

2018-01-01

As the second largest transcription factor family in plant, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family, characterized by the conserved bHLH domain, plays a central regulatory role in many biological process. However, the bHLH transcription factor family of strawberry has not been systematically identified, especially for the anthocyanin biosynthesis. Here, we identified a total of 113 bHLH transcription factors and described their chromosomal distribution and bioinformatics...

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-responsive transcription factor ATF6α directs recruitment of the Mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription and multiple histone acetyltransferase complexes.

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Sela, Dotan; Chen, Lu; Martin-Brown, Skylar; Washburn, Michael P; Florens, Laurence; Conaway, Joan Weliky; Conaway, Ronald C

2012-06-29

The basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF6α functions as a master regulator of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response genes. Previous studies have established that, in response to ER stress, ATF6α translocates to the nucleus and activates transcription of ER stress response genes upon binding sequence specifically to ER stress response enhancer elements in their promoters. In this study, we investigate the biochemical mechanism by which ATF6α activates transcription. By exploiting a combination of biochemical and multidimensional protein identification technology-based mass spectrometry approaches, we have obtained evidence that ATF6α functions at least in part by recruiting to the ER stress response enhancer elements of ER stress response genes a collection of RNA polymerase II coregulatory complexes, including the Mediator and multiple histone acetyltransferase complexes, among which are the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA) and Ada-Two-A-containing (ATAC) complexes. Our findings shed new light on the mechanism of action of ATF6α, and they outline a straightforward strategy for applying multidimensional protein identification technology mass spectrometry to determine which RNA polymerase II transcription factors and coregulators are recruited to promoters and other regulatory elements to control transcription.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF – from Waardenburg syndrome genetics to melanoma therapy

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Ivan Šamija

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF was first discovered as protein coded by gene whose mutations are associated with Waardenburg syndrome. Later, MITF was shown to be key transcription factor regulating melanogenesis. Further studies have shown that in addition to regulating melanogenesis MITF also plays central role in regulation of melanocyte development and survival. MITF gene is amplified in a proportion of melanomas and ectopic MITF expression can transform melanocytes so MITF can function as melanoma “lineage survival” oncogene. Different studies have further revealed MITF’s important but complex role in tumorigenesis and progression of melanoma. As expected from its important role in melanocytes and melanoma MITF is intricately regulated on all the levels from transcription to post-translational modifications. Although complex mechanisms of MITF functioning are still being revealed, MITF already has a valuable role in managing melanoma patients. Immunohistochemical analysis of MITF has shown both diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with melanoma. MITF is also a valuable specific marker for detection of circulating melanoma cells by reverse-transcription – polymerase chain reaction. MITF has recently been investigated as a potential target for melanoma therapy.

Natural Variation in Monoterpene Synthesis in Kiwifruit: Transcriptional Regulation of Terpene Synthases by NAC and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-Like Transcription Factors1

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Nieuwenhuizen, Niels J.; Chen, Xiuyin; Wang, Mindy Y.; Matich, Adam J.; Perez, Ramon Lopez; Allan, Andrew C.; Green, Sol A.; Atkinson, Ross G.

2015-01-01

Two kiwifruit (Actinidia) species with contrasting terpene profiles were compared to understand the regulation of fruit monoterpene production. High rates of terpinolene production in ripe Actinidia arguta fruit were correlated with increasing gene and protein expression of A. arguta terpene synthase1 (AaTPS1) and correlated with an increase in transcript levels of the 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway enzyme 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS). Actinidia chinensis terpene synthase1 (AcTPS1) was identified as part of an array of eight tandemly duplicated genes, and AcTPS1 expression and terpene production were observed only at low levels in developing fruit. Transient overexpression of DXS in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves elevated monoterpene synthesis by AaTPS1 more than 100-fold, indicating that DXS is likely to be the key step in regulating 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate substrate flux in kiwifruit. Comparative promoter analysis identified potential NAC (for no apical meristem [NAM], Arabidopsis transcription activation factor [ATAF], and cup-shaped cotyledon [CUC])-domain transcription factor) and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like transcription factor (TF) binding sites in the AaTPS1 promoter, and cloned members of both TF classes were able to activate the AaTPS1 promoter in transient assays. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that AaNAC2, AaNAC3, and AaNAC4 bind a 28-bp fragment of the proximal NAC binding site in the AaTPS1 promoter but not the A. chinensis AcTPS1 promoter, where the NAC binding site was mutated. Activation could be restored by reintroducing multiple repeats of the 12-bp NAC core-binding motif. The absence of NAC transcriptional activation in ripe A. chinensis fruit can account for the low accumulation of AcTPS1 transcript, protein, and monoterpene volatiles in this species. These results indicate the importance of NAC TFs in controlling monoterpene production and other traits in ripening fruits. PMID:25649633

Inter- and intra-combinatorial regulation by transcription factors and microRNAs

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Chang Joseph T

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs are a novel class of non-coding small RNAs. In mammalian cells, miRNAs repress the translation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs or degrade mRNAs. miRNAs play important roles in development and differentiation, and they are also implicated in aging, and oncogenesis. Predictions of targets of miRNAs suggest that they may regulate more than one-third of all genes. The overall functions of mammalian miRNAs remain unclear. Combinatorial regulation by transcription factors alone or miRNAs alone offers a wide range of regulatory programs. However, joining transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms enables higher complexity regulatory programs that in turn could give cells evolutionary advantages. Investigating coordinated regulation of genes by miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs from a statistical standpoint is a first step that may elucidate some of their roles in various biological processes. Results Here, we studied the nature and scope of coordination among regulators from the transcriptional and miRNA regulatory layers in the human genome. Our findings are based on genome wide statistical assessment of regulatory associations ("interactions" among the sets of predicted targets of miRNAs and sets of putative targets of transcription factors. We found that combinatorial regulation by transcription factor pairs and miRNA pairs is much more abundant than the combinatorial regulation by TF-miRNA pairs. In addition, many of the strongly interacting TF-miRNA pairs involve a subset of master TF regulators that co-regulate genes in coordination with almost any miRNA. Application of standard measures for evaluating the degree of interaction between pairs of regulators show that strongly interacting TF-miRNA, TF-TF or miRNA-miRNA pairs tend to include TFs or miRNAs that regulate very large numbers of genes. To correct for this potential bias we introduced an additional Bayesian measure that incorporates

The dynamic changes of DNA methylation and histone modifications of salt responsive transcription factor genes in soybean.

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Yuguang Song

Full Text Available Epigenetic modification contributes to the regulation of gene expression and plant development under salinity stress. Here we describe the identification of 49 soybean transcription factors by microarray analysis as being inducible by salinity stress. A semi-quantitative RT-PCR-based expression assay confirmed the salinity stress inducibility of 45 of these 49 transcription factors, and showed that ten of them were up-regulated when seedlings were exposed to the demethylation agent 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Salinity stress was shown to affect the methylation status of four of these ten transcription factors (one MYB, one b-ZIP and two AP2/DREB family members using a combination of bisulfite sequencing and DNA methylation-sensitive DNA gel blot analysis. ChIP analysis indicated that the activation of three of the four DNA methylated transcription factors was correlated with an increased level of histone H3K4 trimethylation and H3K9 acetylation, and/or a reduced level of H3K9 demethylation in various parts of the promoter or coding regions. Our results suggest a critical role for some transcription factors' activation/repression by DNA methylation and/or histone modifications in soybean tolerance to salinity stress.

Theory on the mechanism of distal action of transcription factors: looping of DNA versus tracking along DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murugan, R

2010-01-01

In this paper, we develop a theory on the mechanism of distal action of the transcription factors, which are bound at their respective cis-regulatory enhancer modules on the promoter-RNA polymerase II (PR) complexes to initiate the transcription event in eukaryotes. We consider both the looping and tracking modes of their distal communication and calculate the mean first passage time that is required for the distal interactions of the complex of enhancer and transcription factor with the PR via both these modes. We further investigate how this mean first passage time is dependent on the length of the DNA segment (L, base-pairs) that connects the cis-regulatory binding site and the respective promoter. When the radius of curvature of this connecting segment of DNA is R that was induced upon binding of the transcription factor at the cis-acting element and RNAPII at the promoter in cis-positions, our calculations indicate that the looping mode of distal action will dominate when L is such that L > 2πR and the tracking mode of distal action will be favored when L 2 bps. It seems that the free energy associated with the binding of the transcription factor with its cis-acting element and the distance of this cis-acting element from the corresponding promoter of the gene of interest is negatively correlated. Our results suggest that the looping and tracking modes of distal action are concurrently operating on the transcription activation and the physics that determines the timescales associated with the looping/tracking in the mechanism of action of these transcription factors on the initiation of the transcription event must put a selection pressure on the distribution of the distances of cis-regulatory modules from their respective promoters of the genes. The computational analysis of the upstream sequences of promoters of various genes in the human and mouse genomes for the presence of putative cis-regulatory elements for a set of known transcription factors using

The regulation of mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) expression during skeletal muscle cell differentiation.

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Collu-Marchese, Melania; Shuen, Michael; Pauly, Marion; Saleem, Ayesha; Hood, David A

2015-05-19

The ATP demand required for muscle development is accommodated by elevations in mitochondrial biogenesis, through the co-ordinated activities of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The most important transcriptional activator of the mitochondrial genome is mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam); however, the regulation of Tfam expression during muscle differentiation is not known. Thus, we measured Tfam mRNA levels, mRNA stability, protein expression and localization and Tfam transcription during the progression of muscle differentiation. Parallel 2-fold increases in Tfam protein and mRNA were observed, corresponding with 2-3-fold increases in mitochondrial content. Transcriptional activity of a 2051 bp promoter increased during this differentiation period and this was accompanied by a 3-fold greater Tfam mRNA stabilization. Interestingly, truncations of the promoter at 1706 bp, 978 bp and 393 bp promoter all exhibited 2-3-fold higher transcriptional activity than the 2051 bp construct, indicating the presence of negative regulatory elements within the distal 350 bp of the promoter. Activation of AMP kinase augmented Tfam transcription within the proximal promoter, suggesting the presence of binding sites for transcription factors that are responsive to cellular energy state. During differentiation, the accumulating Tfam protein was progressively distributed to the mitochondrial matrix where it augmented the expression of mtDNA and COX (cytochrome c oxidase) subunit I, an mtDNA gene product. Our data suggest that, during muscle differentiation, Tfam protein levels are regulated by the availability of Tfam mRNA, which is controlled by both transcription and mRNA stability. Changes in energy state and Tfam localization also affect Tfam expression and action in differentiating myotubes. © 2015 Authors.

A Systematic Analysis of Factors Localized to Damaged Chromatin Reveals PARP-Dependent Recruitment of Transcription Factors.

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Izhar, Lior; Adamson, Britt; Ciccia, Alberto; Lewis, Jedd; Pontano-Vaites, Laura; Leng, Yumei; Liang, Anthony C; Westbrook, Thomas F; Harper, J Wade; Elledge, Stephen J

2015-06-09

Localization to sites of DNA damage is a hallmark of DNA damage response (DDR) proteins. To identify DDR factors, we screened epitope-tagged proteins for localization to sites of chromatin damaged by UV laser microirradiation and found >120 proteins that localize to damaged chromatin. These include the BAF tumor suppressor complex and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) candidate protein TAF15. TAF15 contains multiple domains that bind damaged chromatin in a poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-dependent manner, suggesting a possible role as glue that tethers multiple PAR chains together. Many positives were transcription factors; > 70% of randomly tested transcription factors localized to sites of DNA damage, and of these, ∼90% were PARP dependent for localization. Mutational analyses showed that localization to damaged chromatin is DNA-binding-domain dependent. By examining Hoechst staining patterns at damage sites, we see evidence of chromatin decompaction that is PARP dependent. We propose that PARP-regulated chromatin remodeling at sites of damage allows transient accessibility of DNA-binding proteins. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Systematic Analysis of Factors Localized to Damaged Chromatin Reveals PARP-Dependent Recruitment of Transcription Factors

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Lior Izhar

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Localization to sites of DNA damage is a hallmark of DNA damage response (DDR proteins. To identify DDR factors, we screened epitope-tagged proteins for localization to sites of chromatin damaged by UV laser microirradiation and found >120 proteins that localize to damaged chromatin. These include the BAF tumor suppressor complex and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS candidate protein TAF15. TAF15 contains multiple domains that bind damaged chromatin in a poly-(ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP-dependent manner, suggesting a possible role as glue that tethers multiple PAR chains together. Many positives were transcription factors; > 70% of randomly tested transcription factors localized to sites of DNA damage, and of these, ∼90% were PARP dependent for localization. Mutational analyses showed that localization to damaged chromatin is DNA-binding-domain dependent. By examining Hoechst staining patterns at damage sites, we see evidence of chromatin decompaction that is PARP dependent. We propose that PARP-regulated chromatin remodeling at sites of damage allows transient accessibility of DNA-binding proteins.

RNF11 is a multifunctional modulator of growth factor receptor signalling and transcriptional regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Azmi, Peter; Seth, Arun

2005-11-01

Our laboratory has found that the 154aa RING finger protein 11 (RNF11), has modular domains and motifs including a RING-H2 finger domain, a PY motif, an ubiquitin interacting motif (UIM), a 14-3-3 binding sequence and an AKT phosphorylation site. RNF11 represents a unique protein with no other known immediate family members yet described. Comparative genetic analysis has shown that RNF11 is highly conserved throughout evolution. This may indicate a conserved and non-redundant role for the RNF11 protein. Molecular binding assays using RNF11 have shown that RNF11 has important roles in growth factor signalling, ubiquitination and transcriptional regulation. RNF11 has been shown to interact with HECT-type E3 ubiquitin ligases Nedd4, AIP4, Smurf1 and Smurf2, as well as with Cullin1, the core protein in the multi-subunit SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Work done in our laboratory has shown that RNF11 is capable of antagonizing Smurf2-mediated inhibition of TGFbeta signalling. Furthermore, RNF11 is capable of degrading AMSH, a positive regulator of both TGFbeta and EGFR signalling pathways. Recently, we have found that RNF11 can directly enhance TGFbeta signalling through a direct association with Smad4, the common signal transducer and transcription factor in the TGFbeta, BMP, and Activin pathways. Through its association with Smad4 and other transcription factors, RNF11 may have a role in direct transcriptional regulation. Our laboratory and others have found nearly 80 protein interactions for RNF11, placing RNF11 at the cross-roads of cell signalling and transcriptional regulation. RNF11 is highly expressed in breast tumours. Deregulation of RNF11 function may prove to be harmful to patient therapeutic outcomes. RNF11 may therefore provide a novel target for cancer therapeutics. The purpose of this review is to discuss the role of RNF11 in cell signalling and transcription factor modulation with special attention given to the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway, TGFbeta

Simplified Method for Predicting a Functional Class of Proteins in Transcription Factor Complexes

KAUST Repository

Piatek, Marek J.

2013-07-12

Background:Initiation of transcription is essential for most of the cellular responses to environmental conditions and for cell and tissue specificity. This process is regulated through numerous proteins, their ligands and mutual interactions, as well as interactions with DNA. The key such regulatory proteins are transcription factors (TFs) and transcription co-factors (TcoFs). TcoFs are important since they modulate the transcription initiation process through interaction with TFs. In eukaryotes, transcription requires that TFs form different protein complexes with various nuclear proteins. To better understand transcription regulation, it is important to know the functional class of proteins interacting with TFs during transcription initiation. Such information is not fully available, since not all proteins that act as TFs or TcoFs are yet annotated as such, due to generally partial functional annotation of proteins. In this study we have developed a method to predict, using only sequence composition of the interacting proteins, the functional class of human TF binding partners to be (i) TF, (ii) TcoF, or (iii) other nuclear protein. This allows for complementing the annotation of the currently known pool of nuclear proteins. Since only the knowledge of protein sequences is required in addition to protein interaction, the method should be easily applicable to many species.Results:Based on experimentally validated interactions between human TFs with different TFs, TcoFs and other nuclear proteins, our two classification systems (implemented as a web-based application) achieve high accuracies in distinguishing TFs and TcoFs from other nuclear proteins, and TFs from TcoFs respectively.Conclusion:As demonstrated, given the fact that two proteins are capable of forming direct physical interactions and using only information about their sequence composition, we have developed a completely new method for predicting a functional class of TF interacting protein partners

Capsella rubella TGA4, a bZIP transcription factor, causes delayed flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Li Maofu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Flowering time is usually regulated by many environmental factors and endogenous signals. TGA family members are bZIP transcription factors that bind to the octopine synthase element, which has been closely linked to defense/stress responses. Most TGA factors interact with non-expressor of PR1 (NPR1 and plant defense responses are strengthened by this interaction. TGA1and TGA4factors bind to NPR1 only in salicylic acid (SA-induced leaves, suggesting that TGA4 has another function during plant development. Here, we isolated a bZIP transcription factor gene, TGA4, from Capsella rubella. TGA4transcripts were detected in most tissues, with high expression in leaves, low expression in stems and flowering buds, and undetectable in siliques. CruTGA4was over expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana wild typeCol-0 plants. Flowering time and total leaf number in the transgenic plants showed that overexpression of CruTGA4could delay flowering in A. thaliana. Our findings suggest that TGA4 may act as flowering regulator that controls plant flowering.

Logical network of genotoxic stress-induced NF-kappaB signal transduction predicts putative target structures for therapeutic intervention strategies

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Rainer Poltz

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Rainer Poltz1, Raimo Franke1,#, Katrin Schweitzer1, Steffen Klamt2, Ernst-Dieter Gilles2, Michael Naumann11Institute of Experimental Internal Medicine, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; 2Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany; #Present address: Department of Chemical Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, GermanyAbstract: Genotoxic stress is induced by a broad range of DNA-damaging agents and could lead to a variety of human diseases including cancer. DNA damage is also therapeutically induced for cancer treatment with the aim to eliminate tumor cells. However, the effectiveness of radio- and chemotherapy is strongly hampered by tumor cell resistance. A major reason for radio- and chemotherapeutic resistances is the simultaneous activation of cell survival pathways resulting in the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB. Here, we present a Boolean network model of the NF-κB signal transduction induced by genotoxic stress in epithelial cells. For the representation and analysis of the model, we used the formalism of logical interaction hypergraphs. Model reconstruction was based on a careful meta-analysis of published data. By calculating minimal intervention sets, we identified p53-induced protein with a death domain (PIDD, receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1, and protein inhibitor of activated STAT y (PIASy as putative therapeutic targets to abrogate NF-κB activation resulting in apoptosis. Targeting these structures therapeutically may potentiate the effectiveness of radio- and chemotherapy. Thus, the presented model allows a better understanding of the signal transduction in tumor cells and provides candidates as new therapeutic target structures.Keywords: apoptosis, Boolean network, cancer therapy, DNA-damage response, NF-κB

Estrogen-induced transcription factor EGR1 regulates c-Kit transcription in the mouse uterus to maintain uterine receptivity for embryo implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Mira; Kim, Hye-Ryun; Kim, Yeon Sun; Yang, Seung Chel; Yoon, Jung Ah; Lyu, Sang Woo; Lim, Hyunjung Jade; Hong, Seok-Ho; Song, Haengseok

2018-07-15

Early growth response 1 (Egr1) is a key transcription factor that mediates the action of estrogen (E 2 ) to establish uterine receptivity for embryo implantation. However, few direct target genes of EGR1 have been identified in the uterus. Here, we demonstrated that E 2 induced EGR1-regulated transcription of c-Kit, which plays a crucial role in cell fate decisions. Spatiotemporal expression of c-Kit followed that of EGR1 in uteri of ovariectomized mice at various time points after E 2 treatment. E 2 activated ERK1/2 and p38 to induce EGR1, which then activated c-Kit expression in the uterus. EGR1 transfection produced rapid and transient induction of c-KIT in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, luciferase assays to measure c-Kit promoter activity confirmed that a functional EGR1 binding site(s) (EBS) was located within -1 kb of the c-Kit promoter. Site-directed mutagenesis and chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR for three putative EBS within -1 kb demonstrated that the EBS at -818/-805 was critical for EGR1-dependent c-Kit transcription. c-Kit expression was significantly increased in the uterus on day 4 and administration of Masitinib, a c-Kit inhibitor, effectively interfered with embryo implantation. Collectively, our results showed that estrogen induces transcription factor EGR1 to regulate c-Kit transcription for uterine receptivity for embryo implantation in the mouse uterus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Signal transduction in the footsteps of goethe and schiller.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Karlheinz; Lindquist, Jonathan A; Entschladen, Frank; Serfling, Edgar; Thiel, Gerald; Kieser, Arnd; Giehl, Klaudia; Ehrhardt, Christina; Feller, Stephan M; Ullrich, Oliver; Schaper, Fred; Janssen, Ottmar; Hass, Ralf

2009-02-04

The historical town of Weimar in Thuringia, the "green heart of Germany" was the sphere of Goethe and Schiller, the two most famous representatives of German literature's classic era. Not yet entirely as influential as those two cultural icons, the Signal Transduction Society (STS) has nevertheless in the last decade established within the walls of Weimar an annual interdisciplinary Meeting on "Signal Transduction - Receptors, Mediators and Genes", which is well recognized as a most attractive opportunity to exchange results and ideas in the field.The 12th STS Meeting was held from October 28 to 31 and provided a state-of-the-art overview of various areas of signal transduction research in which progress is fast and discussion lively. This report is intended to share with the readers of CCS some highlights of the Meeting Workshops devoted to specific aspects of signal transduction.

Integrative Analysis of Transcription Factor Combinatorial Interactions Using a Bayesian Tensor Factorization Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yusen; Gao, Lin; Zhang, Shihua

2017-01-01

Transcription factors play a key role in transcriptional regulation of genes and determination of cellular identity through combinatorial interactions. However, current studies about combinatorial regulation is deficient due to lack of experimental data in the same cellular environment and extensive existence of data noise. Here, we adopt a Bayesian CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) factorization approach (BCPF) to integrate multiple datasets in a network paradigm for determining precise TF interaction landscapes. In our first application, we apply BCPF to integrate three networks built based on diverse datasets of multiple cell lines from ENCODE respectively to predict a global and precise TF interaction network. This network gives 38 novel TF interactions with distinct biological functions. In our second application, we apply BCPF to seven types of cell type TF regulatory networks and predict seven cell lineage TF interaction networks, respectively. By further exploring the dynamics and modularity of them, we find cell lineage-specific hub TFs participate in cell type or lineage-specific regulation by interacting with non-specific TFs. Furthermore, we illustrate the biological function of hub TFs by taking those of cancer lineage and blood lineage as examples. Taken together, our integrative analysis can reveal more precise and extensive description about human TF combinatorial interactions. PMID:29033978

Factor C*, the specific initiation component of the mouse RNA polymerase I holoenzyme, is inactivated early in the transcription process.

OpenAIRE

Brun, R P; Ryan, K; Sollner-Webb, B

1994-01-01

Factor C* is the component of the RNA polymerase I holoenzyme (factor C) that allows specific transcriptional initiation on a factor D (SL1)- and UBF-activated rRNA gene promoter. The in vitro transcriptional capacity of a preincubated rDNA promoter complex becomes exhausted very rapidly upon initiation of transcription. This is due to the rapid depletion of C* activity. In contrast, C* activity is not unstable in the absence of transcription, even in the presence of nucleoside triphosphates ...

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of PnbHLH1 Transcription Factor in Panax notoginseng

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiang Zhang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Panax notoginseng has been extensively used as a traditional Chinese medicine. In the current study, molecular cloning and characterization of PnbHLH1 transcription factor were explored in Panax notoginseng. The full length of the PnbHLH1 gene obtained by splicing was 1430 bp, encoding 321 amino acids. Prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a-PnbHLH1 was constructed and transferred into the BL21 prokaryotic expression strain. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay of PnbHLH1 protein binding to E-box cis-acting elements verified that PnbHLH1 belonged to the bHLH class transcription factor which could interact with the promoter region of the E-box core sequence. The expression levels of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of triterpenoid saponins in PnbHLH1 transgenic cells were higher than those in the wild cells. Similarly, the total saponin contents were increased in the PnbHLH1 transgenic cell lines compared with the wild cell lines. Such results suggest that the PnbHLH1 transcription factor is a positive regulator in the biosynthesis of triterpenoid saponins in Panax notoginseng.

NAC transcription factor JUNGBRUNNEN1 enhances drought tolerance in tomato

KAUST Repository

Thirumalaikumar, Venkatesh P.

2017-06-22

Water deficit (drought stress) massively restricts plant growth and the yield of crops; reducing the deleterious effects of drought is therefore of high agricultural relevance. Drought triggers diverse cellular processes including the inhibition of photosynthesis, the accumulation of cell-damaging reactive oxygen species, and gene expression reprogramming, besides others. Transcription factors (TF) are central regulators of transcriptional reprogramming and expression of many TF genes is affected by drought, including members of the NAC family. Here, we identify the NAC factor JUNGBRUNNEN1 (JUB1) as a regulator of drought tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Expression of tomato JUB1 (SlJUB1) is enhanced by various abiotic stresses, including drought. Inhibiting SlJUB1 by virus-induced gene silencing drastically lowers drought tolerance concomitant with an increase in ion leakage, an elevation of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) levels, and a decrease of the expression of various drought-responsive genes. In contrast, overexpression of AtJUB1 from Arabidopsis thaliana increases drought tolerance in tomato, alongside with a higher relative leaf water content during drought and reduced H2 O2 levels. AtJUB1 was previously shown to stimulate expression of DREB2A, a TF involved in drought responses, and of the DELLA genes GAI and RGL1. We show here that SlJUB1 similarly controls the expression of the tomato orthologs SlDREB1, SlDREB2, and SlDELLA. Furthermore, AtJUB1 directly binds to the promoters of SlDREB1, SlDREB2 and SlDELLA in tomato. Our study highlights JUB1 as a transcriptional regulator of drought tolerance and suggests considerable conservation of the abiotic stress-related gene regulatory networks controlled by this NAC factor between Arabidopsis and tomato. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

WRKY Transcription Factors: Key Components in Abscisic Acid Signaling

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

networks that take inputs from numerous stimuli and that they are involved in mediating responses to numerous phytohormones including salicylic acid ... jasmonic acid , ABA and GA. These roles in multiple signalling pathways may in turn partly explain the pleiotropic effects commonly seen when TF genes are...Review article WRKY transcription factors: key components in abscisic acid signalling Deena L. Rushton1, Prateek Tripathi1, Roel C. Rabara1, Jun Lin1

Phosphorylation of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Twist in development and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Gongda; Hemmings, Brian A

2012-02-01

The transcription factor Twist plays vital roles during embryonic development through regulating/controlling cell migration. However, postnatally, in normal physiological settings, Twist is either not expressed or inactivated. Increasing evidence shows a strong correlation between Twist reactivation and both cancer progression and malignancy, where the transcriptional activities of Twist support cancer cells to disseminate from primary tumours and subsequently establish a secondary tumour growth in distant organs. However, it is largely unclear how this signalling programme is reactivated or what signalling pathways regulate its activity. The present review discusses recent advances in Twist regulation and activity, with a focus on phosphorylation-dependent Twist activity, potential upstream kinases and the contribution of these factors in transducing biological signals from upstream signalling complexes. The recent advances in these areas have shed new light on how phosphorylation-dependent regulation of the Twist proteins promotes or suppresses Twist activity, leading to differential regulation of Twist transcriptional targets and thereby influencing cell fate.

Integration and diversity of the regulatory network composed of Maf and CNC families of transcription factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Motohashi, Hozumi; O'Connor, Tania; Katsuoka, Fumiki; Engel, James Douglas; Yamamoto, Masayuki

2002-07-10

Recent progress in the analysis of transcriptional regulation has revealed the presence of an exquisite functional network comprising the Maf and Cap 'n' collar (CNC) families of regulatory proteins, many of which have been isolated. Among Maf factors, large Maf proteins are important in the regulation of embryonic development and cell differentiation, whereas small Maf proteins serve as obligatory heterodimeric partner molecules for members of the CNC family. Both Maf homodimers and CNC-small Maf heterodimers bind to the Maf recognition element (MARE). Since the MARE contains a consensus TRE sequence recognized by AP-1, Jun and Fos family members may act to compete or interfere with the function of CNC-small Maf heterodimers. Overall then, the quantitative balance of transcription factors interacting with the MARE determines its transcriptional activity. Many putative MARE-dependent target genes such as those induced by antioxidants and oxidative stress are under concerted regulation by the CNC family member Nrf2, as clearly proven by mouse germline mutagenesis. Since these genes represent a vital aspect of the cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress, Nrf2-null mutant mice are highly sensitive to xenobiotic and oxidative insults. Deciphering the molecular basis of the regulatory network composed of Maf and CNC families of transcription factors will undoubtedly lead to a new paradigm for the cooperative function of transcription factors.

Regulation of the human ADAMTS-4 promoter by transcription factors and cytokines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thirunavukkarasu, Kannan; Pei, Yong; Moore, Terry L.; Wang, He; Yu, Xiao-peng; Geiser, Andrew G.; Chandrasekhar, Srinivasan

2006-01-01

ADAMTS-4 (aggrecanase-1) is a metalloprotease that plays a role in aggrecan degradation in the cartilage extracellular matrix. In order to understand the regulation of ADAMTS-4 gene expression we have cloned and characterized a functional 4.5 kb human ADAMTS-4 promoter. Sequence analysis of the promoter revealed the presence of putative binding sites for nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and Runx family of transcription factors that are known to regulate chondrocyte maturation and differentiation. Using promoter-reporter assays and mRNA analysis we have analyzed the role of chondrocyte-expressed transcription factors NFATp and Runx2 and have shown that ADAMTS-4 is a potential downstream target of these two factors. Our results suggest that inhibition of the expression/function of NFATp and/or Runx2 may enable us to modulate aggrecan degradation in normal physiology and/or in degenerative joint diseases. The ADAMTS-4 promoter would serve as a valuable mechanistic tool to better understand the regulation of ADAMTS-4 expression by signaling pathways that modulate cartilage matrix breakdown

Transcription factor levels enable metabolic diversification of single cells of environmental bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Guantes, Raúl; Benedetti, Ilaria; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; de Lorenzo, Víctor

2016-05-01

Transcriptional noise is a necessary consequence of the molecular events that drive gene expression in prokaryotes. However, some environmental microorganisms that inhabit polluted sites, for example, the m-xylene degrading soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida mt-2 seem to have co-opted evolutionarily such a noise for deploying a metabolic diversification strategy that allows a cautious exploration of new chemical landscapes. We have examined this phenomenon under the light of deterministic and stochastic models for activation of the main promoter of the master m-xylene responsive promoter of the system (Pu) by its cognate transcriptional factor (XylR). These analyses consider the role of co-factors for Pu activation and determinants of xylR mRNA translation. The model traces the onset and eventual disappearance of the bimodal distribution of Pu activity along time to the growth-phase dependent abundance of XylR itself, that is, very low in exponentially growing cells and high in stationary. This tenet was validated by examining the behaviour of a Pu-GFP fusion in a P. putida strain in which xylR expression was engineered under the control of an IPTG-inducible system. This work shows how a relatively simple regulatory scenario (for example, growth-phase dependent expression of a limiting transcription factor) originates a regime of phenotypic diversity likely to be advantageous in competitive environmental settings.

pH Modulates the Binding of EGR1 Transcription Factor to DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Mikles, David C.; Bhat, Vikas; Schuchardt, Brett J.; Deegan, Brian J.; Seldeen, Kenneth L.; McDonald, Caleb B.; Farooq, Amjad

2013-01-01

EGR1 transcription factor orchestrates a plethora of signaling cascades involved in cellular homeostasis and its down-regulation has been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Herein, using a battery of biophysical tools, we show that the binding of EGR1 to DNA is tightly regulated by solution pH. Importantly, the binding affinity undergoes an enhancement of more than an order of magnitude with increasing pH from 5 to 8, implying that the deprotonation of an ionizable residue accounts for such behavior. This ionizable residue is identified as H382 by virtue of the fact that its substitution to non-ionizable residues abolishes pH-dependence of the binding of EGR1 to DNA. Notably, H382 inserts into the major groove of DNA and stabilizes the EGR1-DNA interaction via both hydrogen bonding and van der Waals contacts. Remarkably, H382 is predominantly conserved across other members of EGR1 family, implying that histidine protonation-deprotonation may serve as a molecular switch for modulating protein-DNA interactions central to this family of transcription factors. Collectively, our findings uncover an unexpected but a key step in the molecular recognition of EGR1 family of transcription factors and suggest that they may act as sensors of pH within the intracellular environment. PMID:23718776

PEA3/ETV4-related transcription factors coupled with active ERK signalling are associated with poor prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Keld, R

2011-06-28

Background: Transcription factors often play important roles in tumourigenesis. Members of the PEA3 subfamily of ETS-domain transcription factors fulfil such a role and have been associated with tumour metastasis in several different cancers. Moreover, the activity of the PEA3 subfamily transcription factors is potentiated by Ras-ERK pathway signalling, which is itself often deregulated in tumour cells.\\r\

Ethylene Control of Fruit Ripening: Revisiting the Complex Network of Transcriptional Regulation1

Science.gov (United States)

Chervin, Christian; Bouzayen, Mondher

2015-01-01

The plant hormone ethylene plays a key role in climacteric fruit ripening. Studies on components of ethylene signaling have revealed a linear transduction pathway leading to the activation of ethylene response factors. However, the means by which ethylene selects the ripening-related genes and interacts with other signaling pathways to regulate the ripening process are still to be elucidated. Using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as a reference species, the present review aims to revisit the mechanisms by which ethylene regulates fruit ripening by taking advantage of new tools available to perform in silico studies at the genome-wide scale, leading to a global view on the expression pattern of ethylene biosynthesis and response genes throughout ripening. Overall, it provides new insights on the transcriptional network by which this hormone coordinates the ripening process and emphasizes the interplay between ethylene and ripening-associated developmental factors and the link between epigenetic regulation and ethylene during fruit ripening. PMID:26511917

The Transcription Factor Nrf2 Protects Angiogenic Capacity of Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells in High-Oxygen Radical Stress Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hendrik Gremmels

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs have shown a promise in tissue engineering of vascular constructs, where they act as endothelial progenitor cells. After implantation, ECFCs are likely to be subjected to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS. The transcription factor Nrf2 regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes in response to ROS. Methods. Stable knockdown of Nrf2 and Keap1 was achieved by transduction with lentiviral shRNAs; activation of Nrf2 was induced by incubation with sulforaphane (SFN. Expression of Nrf2 target genes was assessed by qPCR, oxidative stress was assessed using CM-DCFDA, and angiogenesis was quantified by scratch-wound and tubule-formation assays. Results. Nrf2 knockdown led to a reduction of antioxidant gene expression and increased ROS. Angiogenesis was disturbed after Nrf2 knockdown even in the absence of ROS. Conversely, angiogenesis was preserved in high ROS conditions after knockdown of Keap1. Preincubation of ECFCs with SFN reduced intracellular ROS in the presence of H2O2 and preserved scratch-wound closure and tubule-formation. Conclusion. The results of this study indicate that Nrf2 plays an important role in the angiogenic capacity of ECFCs, particularly under conditions of increased oxidative stress. Pretreatment of ECFCs with SFN prior to implantation may be a protective strategy for tissue-engineered constructs or cell therapies.

Mutations and binding sites of human transcription factors

KAUST Repository

Kamanu, Frederick Kinyua

2012-06-01

Mutations in any genome may lead to phenotype characteristics that determine ability of an individual to cope with adaptation to environmental challenges. In studies of human biology, among the most interesting ones are phenotype characteristics that determine responses to drug treatments, response to infections, or predisposition to specific inherited diseases. Most of the research in this field has been focused on the studies of mutation effects on the final gene products, peptides, and their alterations. Considerably less attention was given to the mutations that may affect regulatory mechanism(s) of gene expression, although these may also affect the phenotype characteristics. In this study we make a pilot analysis of mutations observed in the regulatory regions of 24,667 human RefSeq genes. Our study reveals that out of eight studied mutation types, insertions are the only one that in a statistically significant manner alters predicted transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We also find that 25 families of TFBSs have been altered by mutations in a statistically significant manner in the promoter regions we considered. Moreover, we find that the related transcription factors are, for example, prominent in processes related to intracellular signaling; cell fate; morphogenesis of organs and epithelium; development of urogenital system, epithelium, and tube; neuron fate commitment. Our study highlights the significance of studying mutations within the genes regulatory regions and opens way for further detailed investigations on this topic, particularly on the downstream affected pathways. 2012 Kamanu, Medvedeva, Schaefer, Jankovic, Archer and Bajic.

Relating genes to function: identifying enriched transcription factors using the ENCODE ChIP-Seq significance tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Raymond K; Chen, Bin; Butte, Atul J

2013-08-01

Biological analysis has shifted from identifying genes and transcripts to mapping these genes and transcripts to biological functions. The ENCODE Project has generated hundreds of ChIP-Seq experiments spanning multiple transcription factors and cell lines for public use, but tools for a biomedical scientist to analyze these data are either non-existent or tailored to narrow biological questions. We present the ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool, a flexible web application leveraging public ENCODE data to identify enriched transcription factors in a gene or transcript list for comparative analyses. The ENCODE ChIP-Seq Significance Tool is written in JavaScript on the client side and has been tested on Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Server-side scripts are written in PHP and leverage R and a MySQL database. The tool is available at http://encodeqt.stanford.edu. abutte@stanford.edu Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.

MiT/TFE transcription factors are activated during mitophagy downstream of Parkin and Atg5.

Science.gov (United States)

Nezich, Catherine L; Wang, Chunxin; Fogel, Adam I; Youle, Richard J

2015-08-03

The kinase PINK1 and ubiquitin ligase Parkin can regulate the selective elimination of damaged mitochondria through autophagy (mitophagy). Because of the demand on lysosomal function by mitophagy, we investigated a role for the transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis, in this process. We show that during mitophagy TFEB translocates to the nucleus and displays transcriptional activity in a PINK1- and Parkin-dependent manner. MITF and TFE3, homologues of TFEB belonging to the same microphthalmia/transcription factor E (MiT/TFE) family, are similarly regulated during mitophagy. Unlike TFEB translocation after starvation-induced mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 inhibition, Parkin-mediated TFEB relocalization required Atg9A and Atg5 activity. However, constitutively active Rag guanosine triphosphatases prevented TFEB translocation during mitophagy, suggesting cross talk between these two MiT/TFE activation pathways. Analysis of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-generated TFEB/MITF/TFE3/TFEC single, double, and triple knockout cell lines revealed that these proteins partly facilitate Parkin-mediated mitochondrial clearance. These results illuminate a pathway leading to MiT/TFE transcription factor activation, distinct from starvation-induced autophagy, which occurs during mitophagy.

Efficient myogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells by the transduction of engineered MyoD protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sung, Min Sun [Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Biosystems and Bioengineering Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Mun, Ji-Young [Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Ohsuk [Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Biosystems and Bioengineering Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Ki-Sun [Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Doo-Byoung, E-mail: dboh@kribb.re.kr [Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Biosystems and Bioengineering Program, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-19

Highlights: •MyoD was engineered to contain protein transduction domain and endosome-disruptive INF7 peptide. •The engineered MyoD-IT showed efficient nuclear targeting through an endosomal escape by INF7 peptide. •By applying MyoD-IT, human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were differentiated into myogenic cells. •hASCs differentiated by applying MyoD-IT fused to myotubes through co-culturing with mouse myoblasts. •Myogenic differentiation using MyoD-IT is a safe method without the concern of altering the genome. -- Abstract: Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have great potential as cell sources for the treatment of muscle disorders. To provide a safe method for the myogenic differentiation of hASCs, we engineered the MyoD protein, a key transcription factor for myogenesis. The engineered MyoD (MyoD-IT) was designed to contain the TAT protein transduction domain for cell penetration and the membrane-disrupting INF7 peptide, which is an improved version of the HA2 peptide derived from influenza. MyoD-IT showed greatly improved nuclear targeting ability through an efficient endosomal escape induced by the pH-sensitive membrane disruption of the INF7 peptide. By applying MyoD-IT to a culture, hASCs were efficiently differentiated into long spindle-shaped myogenic cells expressing myosin heavy chains. Moreover, these cells differentiated by an application of MyoD-IT fused to myotubes with high efficiency through co-culturing with mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Because internalized proteins can be degraded in cells without altering the genome, the myogenic differentiation of hASCs using MyoD-IT would be a safe and clinically applicable method.

Efficient myogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells by the transduction of engineered MyoD protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sung, Min Sun; Mun, Ji-Young; Kwon, Ohsuk; Kwon, Ki-Sun; Oh, Doo-Byoung

2013-01-01

Highlights: •MyoD was engineered to contain protein transduction domain and endosome-disruptive INF7 peptide. •The engineered MyoD-IT showed efficient nuclear targeting through an endosomal escape by INF7 peptide. •By applying MyoD-IT, human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were differentiated into myogenic cells. •hASCs differentiated by applying MyoD-IT fused to myotubes through co-culturing with mouse myoblasts. •Myogenic differentiation using MyoD-IT is a safe method without the concern of altering the genome. -- Abstract: Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have great potential as cell sources for the treatment of muscle disorders. To provide a safe method for the myogenic differentiation of hASCs, we engineered the MyoD protein, a key transcription factor for myogenesis. The engineered MyoD (MyoD-IT) was designed to contain the TAT protein transduction domain for cell penetration and the membrane-disrupting INF7 peptide, which is an improved version of the HA2 peptide derived from influenza. MyoD-IT showed greatly improved nuclear targeting ability through an efficient endosomal escape induced by the pH-sensitive membrane disruption of the INF7 peptide. By applying MyoD-IT to a culture, hASCs were efficiently differentiated into long spindle-shaped myogenic cells expressing myosin heavy chains. Moreover, these cells differentiated by an application of MyoD-IT fused to myotubes with high efficiency through co-culturing with mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Because internalized proteins can be degraded in cells without altering the genome, the myogenic differentiation of hASCs using MyoD-IT would be a safe and clinically applicable method

Heat shock transcription factors regulate heat induced cell death in a ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2007-03-29

Mar 29, 2007 ... Heat shock transcription factors regulate heat induced cell death in a rat ... the synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps) which is strictly regulated by ... The lack of Hsp synthesis in these cells was due to a failure in HSF1 DNA ...

Identification of a Transcription Factor Controlling pH-Dependent Organic Acid Response in Aspergillus niger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Lars; Andersen, Mikael Rørdam; Lantz, Anna Eliasson

2012-01-01

exhibiting an oxalate overproducing phenotype were identified. The yield of oxalate was increased up to 158% compared to the wild type and the corresponding transcription factor was therefore entitled Oxalic Acid repression Factor, OafA. Detailed physiological characterization of one of the ΔoafA mutants......, compared to the wild type, showed that both strains produced substantial amounts of gluconic acid, but the mutant strain was more efficient in re-uptake of gluconic acid and converting it to oxalic acid, particularly at high pH (pH 5.0). Transcriptional profiles showed that 241 genes were differentially......Acid formation in Aspergillus niger is known to be subjected to tight regulation, and the acid production profiles are fine-tuned to respond to the ambient pH. Based on transcriptome data, putative trans-acting pH responding transcription factors were listed and through knock out studies, mutants...

Transcriptional regulators of legume-rhizobia symbiosis: nuclear factors Ys and GRAS are two for tango.

Science.gov (United States)

Rípodas, Carolina; Clúa, Joaquín; Battaglia, Marina; Baudin, Maël; Niebel, Andreas; Zanetti, María Eugenia; Blanco, Flavio

2014-01-01

Transcription factors are DNA binding proteins that regulate gene expression. The nitrogen fixing symbiosis established between legume plants and soil bacteria is a complex interaction, in which plants need to integrate signals derived from the symbiont and the surrounding environment to initiate the developmental program of nodule organogenesis and the infection process. Several transcription factors that play critical roles in these processes have been reported in the past decade, including proteins of the GRAS and NF-Y families. Recently, we reported the characterization of a new GRAS domain containing-protein that interacts with a member of the C subunit of the NF-Y family, which plays an important role in nodule development and the progression of bacterial infection during the symbiotic interaction. The connection between transcription factors of these families highlights the significance of multimeric complexes in the fabulous capacity of plants to integrate and respond to multiple environmental stimuli.

Polyploidization without mitosis improves in vivo liver transduction with lentiviral vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pichard, Virginie; Couton, Dominique; Desdouets, Chantal; Ferry, Nicolas

2013-02-01

Lentiviral vectors are efficient gene delivery vehicles for therapeutic and research applications. In contrast to oncoretroviral vectors, they are able to infect most nonproliferating cells. In the liver, induction of cell proliferation dramatically improved hepatocyte transduction using all types of retroviral vectors. However, the precise relationship between hepatocyte division and transduction efficiency has not been determined yet. Here we compared gene transfer efficiency in the liver after in vivo injection of recombinant lentiviral or Moloney murine leukemia viral (MoMuLV) vectors in hepatectomized rats treated or not with retrorsine, an alkaloid that blocks hepatocyte division and induces megalocytosis. Partial hepatectomy alone resulted in a similar increase in hepatocyte transduction using either vector. In retrorsine-treated and partially hepatectomized rats, transduction with MoMuLV vectors dropped dramatically. In contrast, we observed that retrorsine treatment combined with partial hepatectomy increased lentiviral transduction to higher levels than hepatectomy alone. Analysis of nuclear ploidy in single cells showed that a high level of transduction was associated with polyploidization. In conclusion, endoreplication could be exploited to improve the efficiency of liver-directed lentiviral gene therapy.

A new FACS approach isolates hESC derived endoderm using transcription factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuqiong Pan

2011-03-01

Full Text Available We show that high quality microarray gene expression profiles can be obtained following FACS sorting of cells using combinations of transcription factors. We use this transcription factor FACS (tfFACS methodology to perform a genomic analysis of hESC-derived endodermal lineages marked by combinations of SOX17, GATA4, and CXCR4, and find that triple positive cells have a much stronger definitive endoderm signature than other combinations of these markers. Additionally, SOX17(+ GATA4(+ cells can be obtained at a much earlier stage of differentiation, prior to expression of CXCR4(+ cells, providing an important new tool to isolate this earlier definitive endoderm subtype. Overall, tfFACS represents an advancement in FACS technology which broadly crosses multiple disciplines, most notably in regenerative medicine to redefine cellular populations.

Expression of the Transcription Factor E4BP4 in Human Basophils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Bettina Margrethe; Gohr, Maria; Poulsen, Lars Kærgaard

2014-01-01

Rationale The cytokine IL-3 plays an important role for human basophil development, function and survival. IL-3 is also reported to induce the expression of the transcription factor E4BP4, but it is not known whether E4BP4 is expressed in basophils and influences basophil responsiveness. The aim...... by Alcian blue. RNA was extracted (0.005-0.02 µg RNA from 0.5 - 1 x 106 cells), and the corresponding cDNA analyzed by real-time PCR where E4BP4 expression was calculated as 2-(CT(E4BP4) - CT(β-actin)). E4BP4 protein expression was visualized in basophil lysates (107 cells/ml) by Western blot followed...... the transcription factor E4BP4 which might have an impact on basophil histamine release....

Low nucleosome occupancy is encoded around functional human transcription factor binding sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daenen Floris

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Transcriptional regulation of genes in eukaryotes is achieved by the interactions of multiple transcription factors with arrays of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs on DNA and with each other. Identification of these TFBSs is an essential step in our understanding of gene regulatory networks, but computational prediction of TFBSs with either consensus or commonly used stochastic models such as Position-Specific Scoring Matrices (PSSMs results in an unacceptably high number of hits consisting of a few true functional binding sites and numerous false non-functional binding sites. This is due to the inability of the models to incorporate higher order properties of sequences including sequences surrounding TFBSs and influencing the positioning of nucleosomes and/or the interactions that might occur between transcription factors. Results Significant improvement can be expected through the development of a new framework for the modeling and prediction of TFBSs that considers explicitly these higher order sequence properties. It would be particularly interesting to include in the new modeling framework the information present in the nucleosome positioning sequences (NPSs surrounding TFBSs, as it can be hypothesized that genomes use this information to encode the formation of stable nucleosomes over non-functional sites, while functional sites have a more open chromatin configuration. In this report we evaluate the usefulness of the latter feature by comparing the nucleosome occupancy probabilities around experimentally verified human TFBSs with the nucleosome occupancy probabilities around false positive TFBSs and in random sequences. Conclusion We present evidence that nucleosome occupancy is remarkably lower around true functional human TFBSs as compared to non-functional human TFBSs, which supports the use of this feature to improve current TFBS prediction approaches in higher eukaryotes.

Regulation of TCF ETS-domain transcription factors by helix-loop-helix motifs.

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Stinson, Julie; Inoue, Toshiaki; Yates, Paula; Clancy, Anne; Norton, John D; Sharrocks, Andrew D

2003-08-15

DNA binding by the ternary complex factor (TCF) subfamily of ETS-domain transcription factors is tightly regulated by intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. The helix-loop-helix (HLH)-containing Id proteins are trans-acting negative regulators of DNA binding by the TCFs. In the TCF, SAP-2/Net/ERP, intramolecular inhibition of DNA binding is promoted by the cis-acting NID region that also contains an HLH-like motif. The NID also acts as a transcriptional repression domain. Here, we have studied the role of HLH motifs in regulating DNA binding and transcription by the TCF protein SAP-1 and how Cdk-mediated phosphorylation affects the inhibitory activity of the Id proteins towards the TCFs. We demonstrate that the NID region of SAP-1 is an autoinhibitory motif that acts to inhibit DNA binding and also functions as a transcription repression domain. This region can be functionally replaced by fusion of Id proteins to SAP-1, whereby the Id moiety then acts to repress DNA binding in cis. Phosphorylation of the Ids by cyclin-Cdk complexes results in reduction in protein-protein interactions between the Ids and TCFs and relief of their DNA-binding inhibitory activity. In revealing distinct mechanisms through which HLH motifs modulate the activity of TCFs, our results therefore provide further insight into the role of HLH motifs in regulating TCF function and how the inhibitory properties of the trans-acting Id HLH proteins are themselves regulated by phosphorylation.

Theory on the mechanism of distal action of transcription factors: looping of DNA versus tracking along DNA

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Murugan, R, E-mail: rmurugan@gmail.co [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India)

2010-10-15

In this paper, we develop a theory on the mechanism of distal action of the transcription factors, which are bound at their respective cis-regulatory enhancer modules on the promoter-RNA polymerase II (PR) complexes to initiate the transcription event in eukaryotes. We consider both the looping and tracking modes of their distal communication and calculate the mean first passage time that is required for the distal interactions of the complex of enhancer and transcription factor with the PR via both these modes. We further investigate how this mean first passage time is dependent on the length of the DNA segment (L, base-pairs) that connects the cis-regulatory binding site and the respective promoter. When the radius of curvature of this connecting segment of DNA is R that was induced upon binding of the transcription factor at the cis-acting element and RNAPII at the promoter in cis-positions, our calculations indicate that the looping mode of distal action will dominate when L is such that L > 2{pi}R and the tracking mode of distal action will be favored when L < 2{pi}R. The time required for the distal action will be minimum when L = 2{pi}R where the typical value of R for the binding of histones will be R {approx} 16 bps and L {approx} 10{sup 2} bps. It seems that the free energy associated with the binding of the transcription factor with its cis-acting element and the distance of this cis-acting element from the corresponding promoter of the gene of interest is negatively correlated. Our results suggest that the looping and tracking modes of distal action are concurrently operating on the transcription activation and the physics that determines the timescales associated with the looping/tracking in the mechanism of action of these transcription factors on the initiation of the transcription event must put a selection pressure on the distribution of the distances of cis-regulatory modules from their respective promoters of the genes. The computational analysis

The oncoprotein HBXIP upregulates PDGFB via activating transcription factor Sp1 to promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yingyi; Zhao, Yu; Li, Leilei; Shen, Yu; Cai, Xiaoli; Zhang, Xiaodong; Ye, Lihong

2013-01-01

Highlights: •HBXIP is able to upregulate the expression of PDGFB in breast cancer cells. •HBXIP serves as a coactivator of activating transcription factor Sp1. •HBXIP stimulates the PDGFB promoter via activating transcription factor Sp1. •HBXIP promotes the proliferation of breast cancer cell via upregulating PDGFB. -- Abstract: We have reported that the oncoprotein hepatitis B virus X-interacting protein (HBXIP) acts as a novel transcriptional coactivator to promote proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Previously, we showed that HBXIP was able to activate nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in breast cancer cells. As an oncogene, the platelet-derived growth factor beta polypeptide (PDGFB) plays crucial roles in carcinogenesis. In the present study, we found that both HBXIP and PDGFB were highly expressed in breast cancer cell lines. Interestingly, HBXIP was able to increase transcriptional activity of NF-κB through PDGFB, suggesting that HBXIP is associated with PDGFB in the cells. Moreover, HBXIP was able to upregulate PDGFB at the levels of mRNA, protein and promoter in the cells. Then, we identified that HBXIP stimulated the promoter of PDGFB through activating transcription factor Sp1. In function, HBXIP enhanced the proliferation of breast cancer cells through PDGFB in vitro. Thus, we conclude that HBXIP upregulates PDGFB via activating transcription factor Sp1 to promote proliferation of breast cancer cells

The oncoprotein HBXIP upregulates PDGFB via activating transcription factor Sp1 to promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yingyi; Zhao, Yu; Li, Leilei; Shen, Yu; Cai, Xiaoli [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Zhang, Xiaodong, E-mail: zhangxd@nankai.edu.cn [Department of Cancer Research, Institute for Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Ye, Lihong, E-mail: yelihong@nankai.edu.cn [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)

2013-05-03

Highlights: •HBXIP is able to upregulate the expression of PDGFB in breast cancer cells. •HBXIP serves as a coactivator of activating transcription factor Sp1. •HBXIP stimulates the PDGFB promoter via activating transcription factor Sp1. •HBXIP promotes the proliferation of breast cancer cell via upregulating PDGFB. -- Abstract: We have reported that the oncoprotein hepatitis B virus X-interacting protein (HBXIP) acts as a novel transcriptional coactivator to promote proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Previously, we showed that HBXIP was able to activate nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in breast cancer cells. As an oncogene, the platelet-derived growth factor beta polypeptide (PDGFB) plays crucial roles in carcinogenesis. In the present study, we found that both HBXIP and PDGFB were highly expressed in breast cancer cell lines. Interestingly, HBXIP was able to increase transcriptional activity of NF-κB through PDGFB, suggesting that HBXIP is associated with PDGFB in the cells. Moreover, HBXIP was able to upregulate PDGFB at the levels of mRNA, protein and promoter in the cells. Then, we identified that HBXIP stimulated the promoter of PDGFB through activating transcription factor Sp1. In function, HBXIP enhanced the proliferation of breast cancer cells through PDGFB in vitro. Thus, we conclude that HBXIP upregulates PDGFB via activating transcription factor Sp1 to promote proliferation of breast cancer cells.

Development of DNA affinity techniques for the functional characterization of purified RNA polymerase II transcription factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garfinkel, S.; Thompson, J.A.; Cohen, R.B.; Brendler, T.; Safer, B.

1987-01-01

Affinity adsorption, precipitation, and partitioning techniques have been developed to purify and characterize RNA Pol II transcription components from whole cell extracts (WCE) (HeLa) and nuclear extracts (K562). The titration of these extracts with multicopy constructs of the Ad2 MLP but not pUC8, inhibits transcriptional activity. DNA-binding factors precipitated by this technique are greatly enriched by centrifugation. Using this approach, factors binding to the upstream promoter sequence (UPS) of the Ad2 MLP have been rapidly isolated by Mono Q, Mono S, and DNA affinity chromatography. By U.V. crosslinking to nucleotides containing specific 32 P-phosphodiester bonds within the recognition sequence, this factor is identified as a M/sub r/ = 45,000 polypeptide. To generate an assay system for the functional evaluation of single transcription components, a similar approach using synthetic oligonucleotide sequences spanning single promoter binding sites has been developed. The addition of a synthetic 63-mer containing the UPS element of the Ad2 MLP to HeLa WCE inhibited transcription by 60%. The addition of partially purified UPS binding protein, but not RNA Pol II, restored transcriptional activity. The addition of synthetic oligonucleotides containing other regulatory sequences not present in the Ad2 MLP was without effect

Microfluidic Transduction Harnesses Mass Transport Principles to Enhance Gene Transfer Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Reginald; Myers, David R; Denning, Gabriela; Shields, Jordan E; Lytle, Allison M; Alrowais, Hommood; Qiu, Yongzhi; Sakurai, Yumiko; Li, William C; Brand, Oliver; Le Doux, Joseph M; Spencer, H Trent; Doering, Christopher B; Lam, Wilbur A

2017-10-04

Ex vivo gene therapy using lentiviral vectors (LVs) is a proven approach to treat and potentially cure many hematologic disorders and malignancies but remains stymied by cumbersome, cost-prohibitive, and scale-limited production processes that cannot meet the demands of current clinical protocols for widespread clinical utilization. However, limitations in LV manufacture coupled with inefficient transduction protocols requiring significant excess amounts of vector currently limit widespread implementation. Herein, we describe a microfluidic, mass transport-based approach that overcomes the diffusion limitations of current transduction platforms to enhance LV gene transfer kinetics and efficiency. This novel ex vivo LV transduction platform is flexible in design, easy to use, scalable, and compatible with standard cell transduction reagents and LV preparations. Using hematopoietic cell lines, primary human T cells, primary hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) of both murine (Sca-1 + ) and human (CD34 + ) origin, microfluidic transduction using clinically processed LVs occurs up to 5-fold faster and requires as little as one-twentieth of LV. As an in vivo validation of the microfluidic-based transduction technology, HSPC gene therapy was performed in hemophilia A mice using limiting amounts of LV. Compared to the standard static well-based transduction protocols, only animals transplanted with microfluidic-transduced cells displayed clotting levels restored to normal. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purinergic mechanosensory transduction and visceral pain

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Burnstock Geoffrey

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this review, evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that mechanosensory transduction occurs in tubes and sacs and can initiate visceral pain. Experimental evidence for this mechanism in urinary bladder, ureter, gut, lung, uterus, tooth-pulp and tongue is reviewed. Potential therapeutic strategies are considered for the treatment of visceral pain in such conditions as renal colic, interstitial cystitis and inflammatory bowel disease by agents that interfere with mechanosensory transduction in the organs considered, including P2X3 and P2X2/3 receptor antagonists that are orally bioavailable and stable in vivo and agents that inhibit or enhance ATP release and breakdown.

Genome-Wide Identification of the Target Genes of AP2-O, a Plasmodium AP2-Family Transcription Factor.

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Izumi Kaneko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Stage-specific transcription is a fundamental biological process in the life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite. Proteins containing the AP2 DNA-binding domain are responsible for stage-specific transcriptional regulation and belong to the only known family of transcription factors in Plasmodium parasites. Comprehensive identification of their target genes will advance our understanding of the molecular basis of stage-specific transcriptional regulation and stage-specific parasite development. AP2-O is an AP2 family transcription factor that is expressed in the mosquito midgut-invading stage, called the ookinete, and is essential for normal morphogenesis of this stage. In this study, we identified the genome-wide target genes of AP2-O by chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and elucidate how this AP2 family transcription factor contributes to the formation of this motile stage. The analysis revealed that AP2-O binds specifically to the upstream genomic regions of more than 500 genes, suggesting that approximately 10% of the parasite genome is directly regulated by AP2-O. These genes are involved in distinct biological processes such as morphogenesis, locomotion, midgut penetration, protection against mosquito immunity and preparation for subsequent oocyst development. This direct and global regulation by AP2-O provides a model for gene regulation in Plasmodium parasites and may explain how these parasites manage to control their complex life cycle using a small number of sequence-specific AP2 transcription factors.

The cellular transcription factor CREB corresponds to activating transcription factor 47 (ATF-47) and forms complexes with a group of polypeptides related to ATF-43.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, H C; Masson, N; Jones, N C; Lee, K A

1990-12-01

Promoter elements containing the sequence motif CGTCA are important for a variety of inducible responses at the transcriptional level. Multiple cellular factors specifically bind to these elements and are encoded by a multigene family. Among these factors, polypeptides termed activating transcription factor 43 (ATF-43) and ATF-47 have been purified from HeLa cells and a factor referred to as cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) has been isolated from PC12 cells and rat brain. We demonstrated that CREB and ATF-47 are identical and that CREB and ATF-43 form protein-protein complexes. We also found that the cis requirements for stable DNA binding by ATF-43 and CREB are different. Using antibodies to ATF-43 we have identified a group of polypeptides (ATF-43) in the size range from 40 to 43 kDa. ATF-43 polypeptides are related by their reactivity with anti-ATF-43, DNA-binding specificity, complex formation with CREB, heat stability, and phosphorylation by protein kinase A. Certain cell types vary in their ATF-43 complement, suggesting that CREB activity is modulated in a cell-type-specific manner through interaction with ATF-43. ATF-43 polypeptides do not appear simply to correspond to the gene products of the ATF multigene family, suggesting that the size of the ATF family at the protein level is even larger than predicted from cDNA-cloning studies.

Identification of a transcription factor controlling pH-dependent organic acid response in Aspergillus niger.

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Lars Poulsen

Full Text Available Acid formation in Aspergillus niger is known to be subjected to tight regulation, and the acid production profiles are fine-tuned to respond to the ambient pH. Based on transcriptome data, putative trans-acting pH responding transcription factors were listed and through knock out studies, mutants exhibiting an oxalate overproducing phenotype were identified. The yield of oxalate was increased up to 158% compared to the wild type and the corresponding transcription factor was therefore entitled Oxalic Acid repression Factor, OafA. Detailed physiological characterization of one of the ΔoafA mutants, compared to the wild type, showed that both strains produced substantial amounts of gluconic acid, but the mutant strain was more efficient in re-uptake of gluconic acid and converting it to oxalic acid, particularly at high pH (pH 5.0. Transcriptional profiles showed that 241 genes were differentially expressed due to the deletion of oafA and this supported the argument of OafA being a trans-acting transcription factor. Furthermore, expression of two phosphoketolases was down-regulated in the ΔoafA mutant, one of which has not previously been described in fungi. It was argued that the observed oxalate overproducing phenotype was a consequence of the efficient re-uptake of gluconic acid and thereby a higher flux through glycolysis. This results in a lower flux through the pentose phosphate pathway, demonstrated by the down-regulation of the phosphoketolases. Finally, the physiological data, in terms of the specific oxygen consumption, indicated a connection between the oxidative phosphorylation and oxalate production and this was further substantiated through transcription analysis.

Sequence motifs in MADS transcription factors responsible for specificity and diversification of protein-protein interaction.

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Aalt D J van Dijk

Full Text Available Protein sequences encompass tertiary structures and contain information about specific molecular interactions, which in turn determine biological functions of proteins. Knowledge about how protein sequences define interaction specificity is largely missing, in particular for paralogous protein families with high sequence similarity, such as the plant MADS domain transcription factor family. In comparison to the situation in mammalian species, this important family of transcription regulators has expanded enormously in plant species and contains over 100 members in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we provide insight into the mechanisms that determine protein-protein interaction specificity for the Arabidopsis MADS domain transcription factor family, using an integrated computational and experimental approach. Plant MADS proteins have highly similar amino acid sequences, but their dimerization patterns vary substantially. Our computational analysis uncovered small sequence regions that explain observed differences in dimerization patterns with reasonable accuracy. Furthermore, we show the usefulness of the method for prediction of MADS domain transcription factor interaction networks in other plant species. Introduction of mutations in the predicted interaction motifs demonstrated that single amino acid mutations can have a large effect and lead to loss or gain of specific interactions. In addition, various performed bioinformatics analyses shed light on the way evolution has shaped MADS domain transcription factor interaction specificity. Identified protein-protein interaction motifs appeared to be strongly conserved among orthologs, indicating their evolutionary importance. We also provide evidence that mutations in these motifs can be a source for sub- or neo-functionalization. The analyses presented here take us a step forward in understanding protein-protein interactions and the interplay between protein sequences and

Anoxia-responsive regulation of the FoxO transcription factors in freshwater turtles, Trachemys scripta elegans.

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Krivoruchko, Anastasia; Storey, Kenneth B

2013-11-01

The forkhead class O (FoxO) transcription factors are important regulators of multiple aspects of cellular metabolism. We hypothesized that activation of these transcription factors could play crucial roles in low oxygen survival in the anoxia-tolerant turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans. Two FoxOs, FoxO1 and FoxO3, were examined in turtle tissues in response to 5 and 20h of anoxic submergence using techniques of RT-PCR, western immunoblotting and DNA-binding assays to assess activation. Transcript levels of FoxO-responsive genes were also quantified using RT-PCR. FoxO1 was anoxia-responsive in the liver, with increases in transcript levels, protein levels, nuclear levels and DNA-binding of 1.7-4.8fold in response to anoxia. Levels of phosphorylated FoxO1 also decreased to 57% of control values in response to 5h of anoxia, indicating activation. FoxO3 was activated in the heart, kidney and liver in response to anoxia, with nuclear levels increasing by 1.5-3.7fold and DNA-binding activity increasing by 1.3-2.9fold. Transcript levels of two FoxO-target genes, p27kip1 and catalase, also rose by 2.4-2.5fold in the turtle liver under anoxia. The results suggest that the FoxO transcription factors are activated in response to anoxia in T. scripta elegans, potentially contributing to the regulation of stress resistance and metabolic depression. This study provides the first demonstration of activation of FoxOs in a natural model for vertebrate anoxia tolerance, further improving understanding of how tissues can survive without oxygen. © 2013.

Discovery and information-theoretic characterization of transcription factor binding sites that act cooperatively.

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Clifford, Jacob; Adami, Christoph

2015-09-02

Transcription factor binding to the surface of DNA regulatory regions is one of the primary causes of regulating gene expression levels. A probabilistic approach to model protein-DNA interactions at the sequence level is through position weight matrices (PWMs) that estimate the joint probability of a DNA binding site sequence by assuming positional independence within the DNA sequence. Here we construct conditional PWMs that depend on the motif signatures in the flanking DNA sequence, by conditioning known binding site loci on the presence or absence of additional binding sites in the flanking sequence of each site's locus. Pooling known sites with similar flanking sequence patterns allows for the estimation of the conditional distribution function over the binding site sequences. We apply our model to the Dorsal transcription factor binding sites active in patterning the Dorsal-Ventral axis of Drosophila development. We find that those binding sites that cooperate with nearby Twist sites on average contain about 0.5 bits of information about the presence of Twist transcription factor binding sites in the flanking sequence. We also find that Dorsal binding site detectors conditioned on flanking sequence information make better predictions about what is a Dorsal site relative to background DNA than detection without information about flanking sequence features.

Forkhead-box transcription factors and their role in the immune system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coffer, PJ; Burgering, BMT

2004-01-01

It is more than a decade since the discovery of the first forkhead-box (FOX) transcription factor in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In the intervening time, there has been an explosion in the identification and characterization of members of this family of proteins. Importantly, in the past

A network of paralogous stress response transcription factors in the human pathogen Candida glabrata.

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Jawad eMerhej

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The yeast Candida glabrata has become the second cause of systemic candidemia in humans. However, relatively few genome-wide studies have been conducted in this organism and our knowledge of its transcriptional regulatory network is quite limited. In the present work, we combined genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq, transcriptome analyses and DNA binding motif predictions to describe the regulatory interactions of the seven Yap (Yeast AP1 transcription factors of C. glabrata. We described a transcriptional network containing 255 regulatory interactions and 309 potential target genes. We predicted with high confidence the preferred DNA binding sites for 5 of the 7 CgYaps and showed a strong conservation of the Yap DNA binding properties between S. cerevisiae and C. glabrata. We provided reliable functional annotation for 3 of the 7 Yaps and identified for Yap1 and Yap5 a core regulon which is conserved in S. cerevisiae, C. glabrata and C. albicans. We uncovered new roles for CgYap7 in the regulation of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis, for CgYap1 in the regulation of heme biosynthesis and for CgYap5 in the repression of GRX4 in response to iron starvation. These transcription factors define an interconnected transcriptional network at the cross-roads between redox homeostasis, oxygen consumption and iron metabolism.

Evidence that membrane transduction of oligoarginine does not require vesicle formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaro, Jennica L.; Shen Weichiang

2005-01-01

The involvement of vesicular formation processes in the membrane transduction and nuclear transport of oligoarginine is currently a subject of controversy. In this report, a novel quantitative method which allows for the selective measurement of membrane transduction excluding concurrent endocytosis was used to determine the effects of temperature, endosomal acidification, endosomolysis, and several known inhibitors of endocytic pathways on the internalization of oligoarginine. The results show that, unlike endocytosis, transduction of oligoarginine was not affected by incubation at 16 deg. C as compared to the 37 deg. C control, and was only partially inhibited at 4 deg. C incubation. Additionally, membrane transduction was not inhibited to the same extent as endocytosis following treatment with ammonium chloride, hypertonic medium, amiloride, or filipin. The endosomolytic activity of oligoarginine was investigated by examining the leakage of FITC-dextran into the cytosolic compartment, which was not higher in the presence of oligoarginine. Furthermore, ammonium chloride showed no effect on the nuclear transport of oligoarginine. The data presented in this report indicate that membrane transduction is likely to occur at the plasma membrane without the formation of membrane vesicles, and the nuclear localization involves membrane transduction, rather than endocytosis of oligoarginine