Myogenic repressor I-mfa interferes with the function of Zic family proteins.
Zinc finger proteins belonging to the Zic family control several developmental processes such as patterning of the axial skeleton. Here we mapped the transcriptional regulatory domains in Zic2 protein and identified a protein which specifically binds to one of them. In the mapping experiments, an amino-terminal region was identified as transcriptional regulatory domains. A search for proteins binding to the amino terminal domain of Zic2 revealed that inhibitor of MyoD family (I-mfa) protein, which has been identified as a repressor of myogenic helix-loop-helix class transcription factors, can physically interact with the amino terminal domain. When Zic1-3 and I-mfa proteins were co-expressed in cultured cells, nuclear import of the Zic proteins was inhibited. Consequently, I-mfa inhibited transcriptional activation by the Zic proteins in cultured cells. These results suggest that the physical and functional interaction between Zic and I-mfa proteins can play a role in the vertebrate development.
Mizugishi
Kiyomi
K
Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI), Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
Hatayama
Minoru
M
Tohmonda
Takahide
T
Ogawa
Miyuki
M
Inoue
Takashi
T
Mikoshiba
Katsuhiko
K
Aruga
Jun
J
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000502:physiology*; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000502:physiology
C491077:Mdfi protein, mouse; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C491811:Zic2 protein, mouse