The cross-pathway control gene of Neurospora crassa, cpc-1, encodes a protein similar to GCN4 of yeast and the DNA-binding domain of the oncogene v-jun-encoded protein.
Expression of the gene cpc-1 is required for cross-pathway-mediated regulation of amino acid-biosynthetic genes in Neurospora crassa. We have cloned cpc-1 and present an analysis of its structure and regulation. The cpc-1-encoded transcript contains three open reading frames, two of which are located in the 720-nucleotide leader segment preceding the cpc-1 coding region. The two leader open reading frames, if translated, would produce peptides 20 and 41 residues in length. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cpc-1 polypeptide, CPC1, contains segments similar to the DNA-binding and transcriptional activation domains of GCN4, the major cross-pathway regulatory protein of yeast. The structural and functional similarities of CPC1 and GCN4 proteins suggest that cpc-1 encodes the analogous transcriptional activator of N. crassa. Messenger RNA measurements indicate that cpc-1 is transcriptionally regulated in response to amino acid starvation. The segment of CPC1 similar to the DNA-binding domain of GCN4 also is similar to the DNA-binding domains of the avian sarcoma virus oncogene-encoded v-JUN protein and human c-JUN protein.
Paluh
J L
JL
Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, CA 94305-5020.
Orbach
M J
MJ
Legerton
T L
TL
Yanofsky
C
C
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009491:Neurospora / Q000235:genetics*; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012995:Solubility; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D000596:Amino Acids; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger