Hoxb1 enhancer and control of rhombomere 4 expression: complex interplay between PREP1-PBX1-HOXB1 binding sites

The Hoxb1 autoregulatory enhancer directs segmental expression in vertebrate hindbrain. Three conserved repeats (R1, R2, and R3) in the enhancer have been described as Pbx-Hoxb1 (PH) binding sites, and one Pbx-Meinox (PM) binding site has also been characterized. We have investigated the importance and relative roles of PH and PM binding sites with respect to protein interactions and in vivo regulatory activity. We have identified a new PM site (PM2) and found that it cooperates with the R3 PH site to form ternary Prep1-Pbx1-Hoxb1 complexes. In vivo, the combination of the R3 and PM2 sites is sufficient to mediate transgenic reporter activity in the developing chick hindbrain. In both chicken and mouse transgenic embryos, mutations of the PM1 and PM2 sites reveal that they cooperate to modulate in vivo regulatory activity of the Hoxb1 enhancer. Furthermore, we have shown that the R2 motif functions as a strong PM site, with a high binding affinity for Prep1-Pbx1 dimers, and renamed this site R2/PM3. In vitro R2/PM3, when combined with the PM1 and R3 motifs, inhibits ternary complex formation mediated by these elements and in vivo reduces and restricts reporter expression in transgenic embryos. These inhibitory effects appear to be a consequence of the high PM binding activity of the R2/PM3 site. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the activity of the Hoxb1 autoregulatory enhancer depends upon multiple Prep1-Pbx1 (PM1, PM2, and PM3) and Pbx1-Hoxb1 (R1 and R3) binding sites that cooperate to modulate and spatially restrict the expression of Hoxb1 in r4 rhombomere.     

NFY和RFX1对人PNRC启动子的调控作用

探讨核因子Y（nuclear factor Y, NFY）和调节因子X1（regulatory factors that bind to the X box, RFX1）对人PNRC（proline rich nuclear receptor coactivator）基因的调控作用及机制.根据凝胶电泳迁移率变化实验,分析NFY和RFX1与PNRC启动子区域的结合.将含有NFY和RFX1的真核表达质粒(pCMV-NFY, pCMV-RFX1)和含有PNRC启动子的荧光素酶报告基因质粒共转染HepG2细胞,检测转染细胞的荧光素酶活性,并用RT-PCR和Western印迹检测PNR的表达情况.Quick-Change法对PNRC启动子区NFY和RFX1结合位点进行突变,将包含突变点的重组荧光素酶报告质粒与含有NFY和RFX1的真核表达质粒共同转染HepG2细胞,检测各组荧光素酶活性.结果发现,NFY和RFX1能与PNRC启动子区域特异性结合;转染pCMV-NFY和pCMV-RFX1可抑制PNRC启动子活性并下调PNRC在HepG2细胞中的表达;包含NFY和RFX1结合位点的突变质粒与pCMV-NFY和pCMV-RFX1共转染后,NFY和RFX1对PNRC启动子活性的抑制作用消失. 以上结果提示,NFY和RFX1能调控PNRC基因的表达,其机制是与PNRC启动子区域的特异性结合位点相结合,发挥其反式抑制作用.     

NFY结合位点缺失下调NPCEDRG基因启动子转录活性和效率

NPCEDRG基因是一个鼻咽癌(nasopharyngeal carcinoma, NPC)相关基因. NPCEDRG基因启动子为TATA-less启动子,其核心启动子区域位于-146 ～-8 bp区,该区域包含NFY、STAT1和cMYB等转录因子结合位点. 前期研究结果提示,转录因子NFY可能参与NPCEDRG基因的转录调控. 为明确NFY转录因子在NPCEDRG基因转录中的作用,本研究应用报告基因载体系统分析方法对NPCEDRG基因核心启动子区进行NFY结合位点（或CCAAT-box）缺失突变及其功能分析,分别构建NPCEDRG基因核心启动子区NFY结合位点缺失突变的Luc和EGFP报告基因表达载体. 比较核心启动子和NFY结合位点缺失突变体报告基因载体的转录活性和效率. 结果表明,在MCF7和CNE2细胞中,NFY结合位点缺失突变体的转录活性分别约为其核心启动子转录活性66.94%和75.72%,即NFY结合位点缺失致使该启动子转录效率在MCF7和CNE2细胞中分别降低了33.06%和24.28%;EGFP报告基因表达载体系统研究结果与Luc报告基因载体系统结果基本吻合. 本研究再次证实,转录因子NFY通过结合NPCEDRG基因启动子的核心元件NFY结合位点参与NPCEDRG基因的转录调控,并提高其基因转录活性和效率.