Drosophila transcriptional repressor protein that binds specifically to negative control elements in fat body enhancers.
Expression of the Drosophila melanogaster Adh gene in adults requires a fat body-specific enhancer called the Adh adult enhancer (AAE). We have identified a protein in Drosophila nuclear extracts that binds specifically to a site within the AAE (adult enhancer factor 1 [AEF-1]). In addition, we have shown that AEF-1 binds specifically to two other Drosophila fat body enhancers. Base substitutions in the AEF-1 binding site that disrupt AEF-1 binding in vitro result in a significant increase in the level of Adh expression in vivo. Thus, the AEF-1 binding site is a negative regulatory element within the AAE. A cDNA encoding the AEF-1 protein was isolated and shown to act as a repressor of the AAE in cotransfection studies. The AEF-1 protein contains four zinc fingers and an alanine-rich sequence. The latter motif is found in other eukaryotic proteins known to be transcriptional repressors.
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Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
Maniatis
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D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005216:Fat Body / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016335:Zinc Fingers
C073554:Aef1 protein, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase