title: A nonnatural transcriptional coactivator.
abstract: In eukaryotes, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins activate gene expression by recruiting the transcriptional apparatus and chromatin remodeling proteins to the promoter through protein-protein contacts. In many instances, the connection between DNA-binding proteins and the transcriptional apparatus is established through the intermediacy of adapter proteins known as coactivators. Here we describe synthetic molecules with low molecular weight that act as transcriptional coactivators. We demonstrate that a completely nonnatural activation domain in one such molecule is capable of stimulating transcription in vitro and in vivo. The present strategy provides a means of gaining external control over gene activation through intervention using small molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nyanguile
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uesugi
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Verdine
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008024:Ligands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000378:metabolism; D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C052130:GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D010455:Peptides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins; D016559:Tacrolimus