title: Regulation of the DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of Xenopus laevis NFI-X by a novel C-terminal domain.
abstract: The nuclear factor I (NFI) family consists of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins that activate both transcription and adenovirus DNA replication. We have characterized three new members of the NFI family that belong to the Xenopus laevis NFI-X subtype and differ in their C-termini. We show that these polypeptides can activate transcription in HeLa and Drosophila Schneider line 2 cells, using an activation domain that is subdivided into adjacent variable and subtype-specific domains each having independent activation properties in chimeric proteins. Together, these two domains constitute the full NFI-X transactivation potential. In addition, we find that the X. laevis NFI-X proteins are capable of activating adenovirus DNA replication through their conserved N-terminal DNA-binding domains. Surprisingly, their in vitro DNA-binding activities are specifically inhibited by a novel repressor domain contained within the C-terminal part, while the dimerization and replication functions per se are not affected. However, inhibition of DNA-binding activity in vitro is relieved within the cell, as transcriptional activation occurs irrespective of the presence of the repressor domain. Moreover, the region comprising the repressor domain participates in transactivation. Mechanisms that may allow the relief of DNA-binding inhibition in vivo and trigger transcriptional activation are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Animale, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roulet
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Armentero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krey
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corthésy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mermod
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wahli
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000502:physiology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000235:genetics; D051840:Y-Box-Binding Protein 1
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051840:Y-Box-Binding Protein 1; C070856:YBX1 protein, human; D004247:DNA