title: Role of the coiled-coil coactivator (CoCoA) in aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated transcription.
abstract: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT) are DNA binding transcription factors with basic helix-loop-helix/Per-Arnt-Sim (bHLH-PAS) domains. These two proteins form a heterodimer that mediates the toxic and biological effects of the environmental contaminant and AHR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The coiled-coil protein coiled-coil coactivator (Co-CoA) is a secondary coactivator for nuclear receptors and enhances nuclear receptor function by interacting with the bHLH-PAS domain of p160 coactivators. We report here that CoCoA also binds the bHLH-PAS domains of AHR and ARNT and functions as a potent primary coactivator for them; i.e. CoCoA does not require p160 coactivators for binding to and serving as a coactivator for AHR and ARNT. Endogenous CoCoA was recruited to a natural AHR target gene promoter in a 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin -dependent manner. Moreover, reduction of CoCoA mRNA levels by small interfering RNA inhibited the transcriptional activation by AHR and ARNT. Our data support a physiological role for CoCoA as a transcriptional coactivator in AHR/ARNT-mediated transcription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Jeong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Stallcup
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051784:Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Nuclear Translocator; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004147:Dioxins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C497396:ARNT protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004147:Dioxins; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051784:Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Nuclear Translocator