title: Pharmacological-based translational induction of transgene expression in mammalian cells.
abstract: In the quest for the development of pharmacological switches that control gene expression, no system has been reported that regulates at the translational level. To permit small-molecule control of transgene translation, we have constructed a farnesyl transferase inhibitor-responsive translation initiation factor. This artificial protein is a three-component chimaera consisting of the ribosome recruitment core of the eIF4G1 eukaryotic translation initiation factor, the RNA-binding domain of the R17 bacteriophage coat protein and the plasma membrane localization CAAX motif of farnesylated H-Ras. This membrane-delocalized translation factor is inactive unless liberated in the cytosol. Farnesyl transferase inhibitor FTI-277 prevents the membrane association of the CAAX motif and thus increases the cytoplasmic levels of the eIF4G fusion protein, which is then capable of inducing translation of the second cistron of a bicistronic messenger RNA containing an R17-binding site in its intercistronic space. Such direct translational control by farnesyl transferase inhibitors provides a system for fast, graded and reversible regulation of transgene expression.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U589, Institut Louis Bugnard, CHU Rangueil, 31054 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boutonnet
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boijoux
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernat
authors.forename: Abdelhakkim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kharrat
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favre
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.forename: Stéphan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vagner
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016466:CHO Cells; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006224:Cricetinae; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry; D039603:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4G; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D017368:Protein Prenylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: C113920:EIF4G1 protein, human; D000939:Epitopes; D039603:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4G; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012313:RNA; D008156:Luciferases; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051231:Farnesyltranstransferase; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)