title: The Brn-3c transcription factor contains a neuronal-specific activation domain.
abstract: Brn-3a, Brn-3b and Brn-3c are closely related POU family transcription factors which are expressed predominantly in neuronal cells. Previously Brn-3a has been shown to activate a number of gene promoters in co-transfections carried out in different cell types, while Brn-3b inhibits the basal activity of these promoters. We show here that Brn-3c activates the same promoters as Brn-3a but only in co-transfections into neuronal cells and not in other cell types. This effect is dependent upon an N-terminal region of Brn-3c which acts as a neuronal cell specific activation domain when linked to a heterologous DNA binding domain. To our knowledge this is the first report of an activation domain with apparently neuronal specific activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, The Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College London Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Latchman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050819:Transcription Factor Brn-3A; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494189:Pou4f1 protein, mouse; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050819:Transcription Factor Brn-3A; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase