The secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2) gene is a target of the Pax2 transcription factor.
Despite their essential role in vertebrate development, the function of Pax proteins in gene regulation is not well understood. To identify potential genes regulated by the Pax2 protein, we screened embryonic kidney cells transformed with Pax2-expressing retroviruses for genes activated in response to Pax2 expression. In this system, the gene encoding the secreted frizzled related protein, Sfrp2, was strongly activated in all Pax2b-expressing cells. This activation of Sfrp2 expression correlated with changes in chromatin structure at the Sfrp2 locus, particularly in and around regions of Pax2 binding. Although the amount of Pax2-dependent transactivation was low in transient assays, the data suggests that local alterations of chromatin structure by Pax proteins can greatly enhance expression when presented in the right cellular context.
Brophy
Patrick D
PD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Lang
Katherine M
KM
Dressler
Gregory R
GR
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008957:Models, Genetic; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D015530:Nuclear Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D051762:PAX2 Transcription Factor; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins
D002843:Chromatin; D004247:DNA; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051762:PAX2 Transcription Factor; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497318:PAX2 protein, human; C497319:Pax2 protein, mouse; C109618:SFRP2 protein, human; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins; C491628:Sfrp2 protein, mouse