title: Structure of a polycomb response element and in vitro binding of polycomb group complexes containing GAGA factor.
abstract: Polycomb response elements (PREs) are regulatory sites that mediate the silencing of homeotic and other genes. The bxd PRE region from the Drosophila Ultrabithorax gene can be subdivided into subfragments of 100 to 200 bp that retain different degrees of PRE activity in vivo. In vitro, embryonic nuclear extracts form complexes containing Polycomb group (PcG) proteins with these fragments. PcG binding to some fragments is dependent on consensus sequences for the GAGA factor. Other fragments lack GAGA binding sites but can still bind PcG complexes in vitro. We show that the GAGA factor is a component of at least some types of PcG complexes and may participate in the assembly of PcG complexes at PREs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Geneva, CH1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Horard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tatout
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poux
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pirrotta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; C066770:Pc protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; C063460:Trl protein, Drosophila; C066177:Ubx protein, Drosophila; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1