title: Cooperative interaction of Xvent-2 and GATA-2 in the activation of the ventral homeobox gene Xvent-1B.
abstract: The Xvent family of homeobox transcription factors is essential for the establishment of the dorsal-ventral body axis during Xenopus embryogenesis. In contrast to Xvent-2B and other members of the Xvent-2 subfamily, Xvent-1B is not a direct response gene of bone morphogenetic protein-4 signaling. Xvent-1B is activated by Xvent-2, but CHX experiments revealed the requirement of additional factors. In this study, we report on the cooperative effect of Xvent-2 and the zinc finger transcription factor GATA-2 on the promoter of the Xvent-1B gene. We show that GATA-2 is a direct target gene of bone morphogenetic protein-4 and that GATA-2 interacts with Xvent-2 to activate transcription of Xvent-1B. Both transcription factors bind to distinct elements within the Xvent-1B promoter, and GATA-2 physically interacts with the C-terminal domain of Xvent-2. Promoter/reporter studies in Xenopus embryos revealed that full activation of Xvent-1B requires both Xvent-2 and GATA-2. Moreover, the two factors are sufficient to direct transcription of Xvent-1B in the presence of CHX at the ventral side of the embryo. The failure of both factors to activate Xvent-1B on the dorsal side suggests the existence of a dorsal inhibitor. This inhibitor is likely a component of the dorsal Wnt signaling pathway because nuclear translocation of beta-catenin before midblastula transition results in a suppression of Xvent-1B transcription.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Biochemie, Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany.
authors.forename: Henner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friedle
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knöchel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D050989:GATA2 Transcription Factor; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
chemical_list: D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050989:GATA2 Transcription Factor; C494714:GATA2 protein, Xenopus; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C525812:bmp4 protein, Xenopus; C525813:bmp4 protein, zebrafish; C112507:ventx1.2 protein, Xenopus; C099992:ventx2.1 protein, Xenopus; D003513:Cycloheximide