title: The CUP2 gene product, regulator of yeast metallothionein expression, is a copper-activated DNA-binding protein.
abstract: CUP2 is a regulatory gene controlling expression of CUP1, which encodes the Cu-binding yeast metallothionein. CUP2, which is identical to the ACE1 gene, encodes a Cu-regulated DNA-binding protein. The CUP2 protein contains a cysteine-rich DNA-binding domain dependent on Cu+ and Ag+ ions which bind the cysteine residues and direct the refolding of the metal-free apoprotein. CUP2 mutant alleles from Cu-sensitive yeast strains have point mutations affecting the DNA-binding activity. These results establish CUP2 as the primary sensor of intracellular Cu+ in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, functioning as a Cu+-regulated transcriptional activator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buchman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skroch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein