title: Transcriptional activation through ETS domain binding sites in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV gene.
abstract: A mutational analysis of the rat cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (RCO4) promoter region revealed the presence of a major control element consisting of a tandemly repeated pair of binding sites for a nuclear factor from HeLa cells. This factor was designated NRF-2 (nuclear respiratory factor 2) because a functional recognition site was also found in the human ATP synthase beta-subunit gene. Deletion or site-directed point mutations of the NRF-2 binding sites in the RCO4 promoter resulted in substantial loss of transcriptional activity, and synthetic oligomers of the NRF-2 binding sites from both genes stimulated a heterologous promoter when cloned in cis. NRF-2 binding and transcriptional activation required a purine-rich core sequence, GGAA. This motif is characteristic of the recognition site for a family of activators referred to as ETS domain proteins because of the similarity within their DNA-binding domains to the ets-1 proto-oncogene product. NRF-2 recognized an authentic Ets-1 site within the Moloney murine sarcoma virus long terminal repeat, and this site was able to compete for NRF-2 binding to the RCO4 promoter sequence. In addition, a single polypeptide of 55 kDa was detected following cross-linking of a partially purified NRF-2 fraction to RCO4, the human ATP synthase beta subunit, or Moloney murine sarcoma virus binding sites. However, in contrast to Ets-1, which appears to be exclusive to lymphoid tissues, NRF-2 has the broad tissue distribution expected of a regulator of respiratory chain expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell, Molecular and Structural Biology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Virbasius
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Scarpulla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005796:Genes; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; C494041:ETS1 protein, human; C494043:Ets1 protein, rat; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases