title: Characterization of a p53-related activation domain in Adr1p that is sufficient for ADR1-dependent gene expression.
abstract: The yeast transcriptional activator Adr1p controls expression of the glucose-repressible alcohol dehydrogenase gene (ADH2), genes involved in glycerol metabolism, and genes required for peroxisome biogenesis and function. Previous data suggested that promoter-specific activation domains might contribute to expression of the different types of ADR1-dependent genes. By using gene fusions encoding the Gal4p DNA binding domain and portions of Adr1p, we identified a single, strong acidic activation domain spanning amino acids 420-462 of Adr1p. Both acidic and hydrophobic amino acids within this activation domain were important for its function. The critical hydrophobic residues are in a motif previously identified in p53 and related acidic activators. A mini-Adr1 protein consisting of the DNA binding domain of Adr1p fused to this 42-residue activation domain carried out all of the known functions of wild-type ADR1. It conferred stringent glucose repression on the ADH2 locus and on UAS1-containing reporter genes. The putative inhibitory region of Adr1p encompassing the protein kinase A phosphorylation site at Ser-230 is thus not essential for glucose repression mediated by ADR1. Mini-ADR1 allowed efficient derepression of gene expression. In addition it complemented an ADR1-null allele for growth on glycerol and oleate media, indicating efficient activation of genes required for glycerol metabolism and peroxisome biogenesis. Thus, a single activation domain can activate all ADR1-dependent promoters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7350, USA. ety@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saario
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kacherovsky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dombek
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001665:Binding Sites; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004794:Enzyme Repression; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010957:Plasmids; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C074682:ADR1 protein, S cerevisiae; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D005947:Glucose