Analysis by atomic force microscopy of Med8 binding to cis-acting regulatory elements of the SUC2 and HXK2 genes of saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Med8 protein is a regulator that specifically binds to upstream activating sequences (UASs) of SUC2 promoter, to downstream repressing sequences (DRSs) of the HXK2 gene and to the carboxy-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase II. Atomic force microscopy has allowed for direct visualization of Med8 interactions with a 305 bp fragment of SUC2 promoter and with a 676 bp fragment of HXK2 gene, containing respectively the UASs and DRSs regulatory regions. This approach has provided complementary information about the position and the structure of the DNA-protein complexes. Med8 binding to DNA results in total covering of one of the two existing 7 bp motives (consensus, (A/C)(A/G)GAAAT) in the studied DNA fragments. No preference for binding either of the two UASs of SUC2 promoter as well as for the two DRSs of HXK2 gene has been found. We also discuss whether this protein works as dimer or as a monomer.     

人皮肤成纤维细胞中α1(Ⅰ)前胶原基因转录调控研究

为寻找纤维化形成中调控人Ⅰ型前胶原基因高水平转录的启动序列及其DNA结合蛋白 ,以人皮肤成纤维细胞α1(Ⅰ )前胶原基因转录起始点上游 - 2 5kb至 + 4 2bp的片段为靶序列 ,采用PCR、基因重组、报告基因测活、细胞基因转染技术比较不同长短启动子活性 .凝胶滞留实验 (EM SA)研究高启动活性片段相应的DNA结合蛋白 .基因转染高活性转录因子识别序列至靶细胞 ,探讨前胶原基因激活阻断的新手段 .结果表明 ,- 2 4 83～ + 4 2bp、 - 2 6 8～ + 4 2bp序列具有强启动调控活性 ,而 - 10 5～ + 4 2bp片段启动活性最低 .EMSA对高启动活性小片段DNA结合蛋白的分析提示 ,- 2 6 8～ + 4 2bp序列中存在转录因子Ap 1、Sp 1、NF 1的特异结合位点 .转染高活性转录因子识别序列Ap 1、Sp 1至靶细胞可竞争性阻断胶原基因启动转录激活 .研究提示 ,人α1(Ⅰ )前胶原基因 - 2 4 83～ + 4 2bp、 - 2 6 8～ + 4 2bp片段有高启动活性 .转录因子Ap 1、Sp 1、NF 1与 - 2 6 8～ + 4 2bp序列中相应识别序列的结合与其基础高转录活性有关 .转染高活性转录因子识别序列Ap 1、Sp 1可从转录水平阻断胶原基因的激活     

Snf1 Protein Kinase Regulates Phosphorylation of the Mig1 Repressor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In glucose-grown cells, the Mig1 DNA-binding protein recruits the Ssn6-Tup1 corepressor to glucose-repressed promoters in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Previous work showed that Mig1 is differentially phosphorylated in response to glucose. Here we examine the role of Mig1 in regulating repression and the role of the Snf1 protein kinase in regulating Mig1 function. Immunoblot analysis of Mig1 protein from a snf1 mutant showed that Snf1 is required for the phosphorylation of Mig1; moreover, hxk2 and reg1 mutations, which relieve glucose inhibition of Snf1, correspondingly affect phosphorylation of Mig1. We show that Snf1 and Mig1 interact in the two-hybrid system and also coimmunoprecipitate from cell extracts, indicating that the two proteins interact in vivo. In immune complex assays of Snf1, coprecipitating Mig1 is phosphorylated in a Snf1-dependent reaction. Mutation of four putative Snf1 recognition sites in Mig1 eliminated most of the differential phosphorylation of Mig1 in response to glucose in vivo and improved the two-hybrid interaction with Snf1. These studies, together with previous genetic findings, indicate that the Snf1 protein kinase regulates phosphorylation of Mig1 in response to glucose.     

Promoter cassettes, antibiotic-resistance genes, and vectors for plant transformation

We have constructed a set of plant transformation vectors, promoter cassettes, and chimeric antibiotic-resistance genes for the transformation and expression of foreign genes in plants sensitive to Agrobacterium infection. The different vectors allow for either concurrent or consecutive selection for kanamycin and hygromycin resistance and have a number of unique restriction sites for the insertion of additional DNA. The promoter cassettes utilize the CaMV 19S and CaMV 35S promoters and are constructed to allow for the easy insertion of foreign genes. The cloned gene can then easily be inserted into the transformation vectors. We have utilized the promoter cassettes to express the hygromycin-resistance gene either from the CaMV 35S or the CaMV 19S promoters, with both chimeric resistance genes allowing for the selection of hygromycin-resistant tobacco plants.     

Characterization of the SarA virulence gene regulator of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a potent human pathogen that expresses a large number of virulence factors in a temporally regulated fashion. Two pleiotropically acting regulatory loci were identified in previous mutational studies. The agr locus comprises two operons that express a quorum-sensing system from the P2 promoter and a regulatory RNA molecule from the P3 promoter. The sar locus encodes a DNA-binding protein that activates the expression of both agr operons. We have cloned the sarA gene, expressed SarA in Escherichia coli and purified the recombinant protein to apparent homogeneity. The purified protein was found to be dimeric in the presence and absence of DNA and to consist mostly of alpha-helices. DNase I footprinting of SarA on the putative regulatory region cis to the agr promoters revealed three high-affinity binding sites composed of two half-sites each. Quantitative electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were used to derive equilibrium binding constants (KD) for the interaction of SarA with these binding sites. An unusual ladder banding pattern was observed in EMSA with a large DNA fragment including all three binding sites. Our data indicate that SarA regulation of the agr operons involves binding to multiple half-sites and may involve other sites located downstream of the promoters.     

Regions in the promoter of the yeast FBP1 gene implicated in catabolite repression may bind the product of the regulatory gene MIG1.

We have identified in the promoter of the yeast FBP1 gene two sites able to bind nuclear proteins. These sites have a nucleotide sequence strongly similar to that of sites which bind the regulatory protein MIG1 in the promoters of GAL4 and SUC2. Deletions performed in the FBP1 promoter showed that one of the sites contributes to catabolite repression of this gene. In this same promoter, another region was identified with a strong effect on the catabolite repression of FBP1. In this region a sequence similar to the consensus for the binding site of the MIG1 protein was also present.