A Role for Widely Interspaced Zinc Finger (WIZ) in Retention of the G9a Methyltransferase on Chromatin

G9a and GLP lysine methyltransferases form a heterodimeric complex that is responsible for the majority of histone H3 lysine 9 mono- and di-methylation (H3K9me1/me2). Widely interspaced zinc finger (WIZ) associates with the G9a-GLP protein complex, but its role in mediating lysine methylation is poorly defined. Here, we show that WIZ regulates global H3K9me2 levels by facilitating the interaction of G9a with chromatin. Disrupting the association of G9a-GLP with chromatin by depleting WIZ resulted in altered gene expression and protein-protein interactions that were distinguishable from that of small molecule-based inhibition of G9a/GLP, supporting discrete functions of the G9a-GLP-WIZ chromatin complex in addition to H3K9me2 methylation.     

雄激素受体共调节因子与雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌

雄激素介导的雄激素受体（AR）信号途径对雄性胚胎的发育及雄激素依赖性靶组织的分化发育是必需的。异常的AR活性与前列腺癌由雄激素依赖转变为雄激素非依赖性密切相关。已证实AR共调节因子参与前列腺癌的发生和发展,并在雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌细胞的增殖中扮演着重要角色。它们的表达失衡,可导致AR转录活性的改变,促进晚期前列腺癌的进展。简要综述了AR共调节因子的类型和功能,及其与雄激素非依赖性前列腺癌的关系。     

PNRC1剪接变异体的鉴定及其在辅激活核受体介导基因转录功能上的比较

为分析富含脯氨酸核受体辅调节蛋白1(PNRC1)选择性剪接, 及比较PNRC1剪接变异体在辅激活核受体介导基因转录功能上的差异,在生物信息学方法分析PNRC1剪接变异体的基础上,设计一定的特异性引物,采用RT-PCR结合克隆测序的方法对这些剪接变异体进行验证. 利用酵母双杂交和荧光素酶报告系统实验,分析它们与核受体的相互作用及比较它们在辅激活核受体介导基因转录功能上的差异.结果显示,生物信息学预测的几个剪接变异体真实存在于人的组织和细胞系中,这些剪接变异体在与雌激素受体α(ERα)、类固醇衍生因子1(SF1)等核受体的相互作用的强度及辅激活核受体介导基因转录功能上存在较大的差异. 研究提示,PNRC1这些剪接变异体在体内可能发挥不同的功能.     

转录辅调节因子在剪接过程中的作用

细胞通过基因表达调控来应对外界刺激,其中对基因转录起始和pre-mRNA剪接的调控是基因表达调控的重要环节。越来越多的实验显示基因转录和pre-mRNA剪接这两个过程在时空上密切相关。基因转录能调节剪接模式的选择性,反之剪接过程也影响基因转录。近年来研究发现转录辅调节因子在联系转录和剪接过程中扮演着重要角色。转录辅调节因子对基因表达的调控不仅在于影响转录产物的量,还可以调控pre-mRNA的选择性剪接并产生不同的剪接体,从而翻译出具有不同生物学功能的蛋白质。本文主要阐述了基因转录与剪接之间的关系以及它们之间相互作用的机制,有利于更深入理解基因表达调控的过程。     

Crystal structures of human CtBP in complex with substrate MTOB reveal active site features useful for inhibitor design

The oncogenic corepressors C-terminal Binding Protein (CtBP) 1 and 2 harbor regulatory d-isomer specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase (d2-HDH) domains. 4-Methylthio 2-oxobutyric acid (MTOB) exhibits substrate inhibition and can interfere with CtBP oncogenic activity in cell culture and mice. Crystal structures of human CtBP1 and CtBP2 in complex with MTOB and NAD⁺ revealed two key features: a conserved tryptophan that likely contributes to substrate specificity and a hydrophilic cavity that links MTOB with an NAD⁺ phosphate. Neither feature is present in other d2-HDH enzymes. These structures thus offer key opportunities for the development of highly selective anti-neoplastic CtBP inhibitors.