title: Evidence for inhibition of MyEF-2 binding to MBP promoter by MEF-1/Pur alpha.
abstract: Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major component of the myelin sheath whose production is developmentally controlled during myelinogenesis. Earlier studies have indicated that programmed expression of the MBP gene is regulated at the level of transcription. Evidently, the MB1 regulatory motif located between nucleotides -14 to -50 plays an important role in transcription of the MBP promoter in both in vivo systems. The MB1 element contains binding sites for the activator protein MEF-1/Pur alpha and the repressor protein MyEF-2. In this study we use bandshift assays with purified MEF-1/Pur alpha and MyEF-2 and demonstrate that binding of MyEF-2 to its target sequence is inhibited by MEF-1/Pur alpha. Under similar conditions, MyEF-2 enhances the association of MEF-1/Pur alpha with MB1 DNA. MEF-1/Pur alpha binds to MB1 in mono- and dimeric forms. Inclusion of MyEF-2 in the binding reaction increases the dimeric association of MEF-1/Pur alpha with the MB1 sequence. The use of MEF-1/Pur alpha variants in the bandshift assay suggests that two distinct regions of this protein may be involved in its binding to the MB1 sequences, and its ability to block MyEF-2 interaction with the MB1 sequence. Based on previous studies on the programmed expression of MEF-1/Pur alpha and MyEF-2 during myelination and the current findings on their interplay for binding to the MB1 motif, a model is proposed for their involvement in transcriptional regulation of the MBP gene during the course of brain development.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurovirology, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muralidharan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tretiakova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steplewski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khalili
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D001665:Binding Sites; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000235:genetics; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C093729:Myef2 protein, mouse; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C121485:Pura protein, mouse; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate