title: A cysteine-rich nuclear protein activates yeast metallothionein gene transcription.
abstract: The ACE1 gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for copper-inducible transcription of the metallothionein gene (CUP1). The sequence of the cloned ACE1 gene predicted an open reading frame for translation of a 225-amino-acid polypeptide. This polypeptide was characterized by an amino-terminal half rich in cysteine residues and positively charged amino acids. The arrangement of many of the 12 cysteines in the configuration Cys-X-Cys or Cys-X-X-Cys suggested that the ACE1 protein may bind metal ions. The carboxyl-terminal half of the ACE1 protein was devoid of cysteines but was highly acidic in nature. The ability of a bifunctional ACE1-beta-galactosidase fusion protein to accumulate in yeast cell nuclei was consistent with the possibility that ACE1 plays a direct role in the regulation of copper-inducible transcription of the yeast metallothionein gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0606.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Szczypka
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Thiele
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003545:Cysteine; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: C060256:CUP2 protein, S cerevisiae; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008668:Metallothionein; D003545:Cysteine