title: Neuronal cell type-specific promoter of the alpha CaM kinase II gene is activated by Zic2, a Zic family zinc finger protein.
abstract: To understand the neuronal cell type-specific expression of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II), we investigated binding proteins that specifically activated the promoter of the alpha isoform of CaM kinase II (alpha CaM kinase II). Proteins that bind the promoter sequence were found in rat brain nuclear extract by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Then, we screened for binding proteins in a mouse brain cDNA library using the yeast one-hybrid system. Zic2, a Zic family zinc finger transcription factor, was identified as one of the binding proteins. To investigate the effect of Zic2 on the promoter activity, Zic2 cDNA was expressed with a luciferase reporter gene containing a neuronal cell type-specific promoter of alpha CaM kinase II in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. The promoter activity of alpha CaM kinase II was enhanced 1.3-5-fold in cultured neuronal cells by Zic2. The activation was varied among neuronal cell types. Zic2 also increased the promoter activity in non-neuronal cells, although the relative luciferase activites in non-neuronal cells were lower than those in neuronal cell lines. These results indicated that Zic2 was one of the proteins binding to, and regulating the activity of, the promoter of alpha CaM kinase II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Shomachi 1, Tokushima 770-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mima
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurisaki
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugino
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C491811:Zic2 protein, mouse; D008156:Luciferases; C517657:CAMK2A protein, human; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; C517671:Camk2a protein, mouse; C517675:Camk2a protein, rat