Ca2+-dependent transcriptional repression and derepression: DREAM, a direct effector.
Control of gene expression by Ca2+ is a well known phenomenon acting through three major pathways: (i) changes in the transactivating properties of transcription factors after induction of Ca2+-dependent kinases and phosphatases (ii) Ca2+-dependent interaction between calmodulin and S-100 proteins with basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors that prevents binding to DNA and (iii) direct interaction between Ca2+-free DREAM and DNA that represses transcription. Because the first mechanism has been extensively reviewed, (Gallin, W. J., Greenberg, M. E. (1995). Calcium regulation of gene expression in neurons: the mode of entry matters. Curr Opin Neurobiol 5: 367-374; Santella, L., Carafoli, E. (1997). Calcium signaling in the cell nucleus. FASEB J, 11: 1091-1109) this commentary will focus on the other two with special emphasis on DREAM, the first EF-hand protein known to specifically bind DNA and regulate transcription in a Ca2+-dependent manner (Carrion, A. M.; Link, W. A., Ledo, F., Mellstrom, B., Naranjo, J. R. (1999). DREAM is a Ca2+-regulated transcriptional repressor, Nature. 398: 80-84).
Mellström
B
B
Dpto. Biología Molecular y Celular, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, C.S.I.C., Spain.
Naranjo
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D051605:Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C496749:KCNIP3 protein, human; D051605:Kv Channel-Interacting Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002118:Calcium