A novel p53-inducible gene, PAG608, encodes a nuclear zinc finger protein whose overexpression promotes apoptosis.
The biological effects of the p53 tumor suppressor protein are elicited, at least in part, through sequence-specific transactivation of a battery of target genes. The differential display method was employed towards identifying additional p53 target genes, with emphasis on genes whose induction may contribute to p53-mediated apoptosis. We report here the cloning of a novel p53-inducible gene, designated PAG608. PAG608 transcripts are induced by DNA damage in a p53-dependent manner. PAG608 encodes a nuclear zinc finger protein, which appears to localize preferentially to nucleoli when expressed at moderate levels in transfected cells. Transient overexpression of PAG608 in human tumor-derived cells leads to distinctive changes in nuclear morphology, and can promote apoptosis. Together with additional p53 target genes, PAG608 may therefore play a role in mediating the biological activities of p53.
Israeli
D
D
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Tessler
E
E
Haupt
Y
Y
Elkeles
A
A
Wilder
S
S
Amson
R
R
Telerman
A
A
Oren
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C491518:Wig1 protein, mouse