Site-specific acetylation by p300 or CREB binding protein regulates erythroid Krüppel-like factor transcriptional activity via its interaction with the SWI-SNF complex.
Recruitment of modifiers and remodelers to specific DNA sites within chromatin plays a critical role in controlling gene expression. The study of globin gene regulation provides a convergence point within which to address these issues in the context of tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression. In this regard, erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF) is critical. EKLF is a red cell-specific activator whose presence is crucial for establishment of the correct chromatin structure and high-level transcriptional induction of adult beta-globin. We now find, by metabolic labeling-immunoprecipitation experiments, that EKLF is acetylated in the erythroid cell. EKLF residues acetylated by CREB binding protein (CBP) in vitro map to Lys-288 in its transactivation domain and Lys-302 in its zinc finger domain. Although site-specific DNA binding by EKLF is unaffected by the acetylation status of either of these lysines, directed mutagenesis of Lys-288 (but not Lys-302) decreases the ability of EKLF to transactivate the beta-globin promoter in vivo and renders it unable to be superactivated by coexpressed p300 or CBP. In addition, the acetyltransferase function of CBP or p300 is required for superactivation of wild-type EKLF. Finally, acetylated EKLF has a higher affinity for the SWI-SNF chromatin remodeling complex and is a more potent transcriptional activator of chromatin-assembled templates in vitro. These results demonstrate that the acetylation status of EKLF is critical for its optimal activity and suggest a mechanism by which EKLF acts as an integrator of remodeling and transcriptional components to alter chromatin structure and induce adult beta-globin expression within the beta-like globin cluster.
Zhang
W
W
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Kadam
S
S
Emerson
B M
BM
Bieker
J J
JJ
D000107:Acetylation; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D056921:Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 3; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C080774:erythroid Kruppel-like factor; C089969:snf protein, Drosophila; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; C494363:CREBBP protein, human; C494364:Crebbp protein, mouse; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; C538866:NCOA3 protein, human; C538867:Ncoa3 protein, mouse; D056921:Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 3