title: Expression of the germ cell-specific transcription factor ALF in Xenopus oocytes compensates for translational inactivation of the somatic factor TFIIA.
abstract: The discovery of germ cell-specific general transcription factor and coactivator variants has suggested that reproductive tissues control gene expression somewhat differently than somatic tissues. One of these factors, ALF (TFIIAtau), was first described as a testis-specific counterpart of the large (alpha/beta) subunit of TFIIA. Here we characterize endogenous ALF and TFIIA activities in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. ALF is present in both testis and ovary in this organism, and it completely replaces TFIIA in immature oocytes. When oocytes undergo progesterone-induced maturation, ALF activity disappears, and TFIIA activity is restored. Reactivation occurs through the translational up-regulation of two maternal TFIIAalpha/beta mRNAs and involves polyadenylation of a conserved 3'-untranslated region module. The effects of ALF overexpression and ALF immunodepletion on a thymidine kinase promoter construct demonstrate that this factor serves as an active replacement for TFIIA. In contrast, overexpression of TFIIA inhibits transcription, indicating that the somatic factor fails to function properly in the context of the oocyte transcription machinery. Overall, the results show that the translationally regulated reciprocal expression of ALF and TFIIA allows for the production of an active TFIIA-like general transcription factor throughout oogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, USA.
authors.forename: SangYoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wensheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hammes
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeJong
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D007472:Iohexol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D026723:Polyadenylation; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D035561:Transcription Factor TFIIA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015854:Up-Regulation; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C485620:GTF2A1L protein, Xenopus; D035561:Transcription Factor TFIIA; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D007472:Iohexol; D008156:Luciferases