title: The Drosophila Polycomb group gene pleiohomeotic encodes a DNA binding protein with homology to the transcription factor YY1.
abstract: Genes of the Polycomb group (PcG) of Drosophila encode proteins necessary for the maintenance of transcriptional repression of homeotic genes. PcG proteins are thought to act by binding as multiprotein complexes to DNA through Polycomb group response elements (PREs); however, specific DNA binding has not been demonstrated for any of the PcG proteins. We have identified a sequence-specific DNA binding protein that interacts with a PRE from the Drosophila engrailed gene. This protein (PHO) is a homolog of the ubiquitous mammalian transcription factor Yin Yang-1 and is encoded by pleiohomeotic, a known member of the PcG. We propose that PHO acts to anchor PcG protein complexes to DNA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whiteley
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dirksen
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kassis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D005127:Eye Color / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D050986:YY1 Transcription Factor; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D019476:Insect Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C066770:Pc protein, Drosophila; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050986:YY1 Transcription Factor; C113295:pho protein, Drosophila; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1