title: ISGF3 gamma p48, a specificity switch for interferon activated transcription factors.
abstract: Interferon (IFN) induces gene expression by phosphorylating latent transcription factors of the STAT family. Two different STAT multimeric complexes that bind distinct enhancer elements are activated by IFN alpha and IFN gamma, dictated by the DNA-binding protein ISGF3 gamma p48. This protein, a member of the IFN regulatory factor (IFR) family, acts as an adaptor protein to redirect STAT multimers from their intrinsic palindromic sequence specificity to interactions with a composite element composed of an IRF site juxtaposed with a STAT half-site. Sequence similarity within the IRF family suggests that other members could serve as adaptor proteins for transcriptional activators. Recent evidence suggests that PIP (LSIRF) sequesters the Ets protein PU.1 at a composite DNA element lends support to this adaptor hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bluyssen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Durbin
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016207:Cytokines / Q000737:chemistry*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D050832:Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3; D050834:Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3, gamma Subunit; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050832:Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3; D050834:Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3, gamma Subunit; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C097656:polypeptide 48; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons