title: Characterization of NOBOX DNA binding specificity and its regulation of Gdf9 and Pou5f1 promoters.
abstract: Nobox (newborn ovary homeobox gene) deficiency disrupts early folliculogenesis and the expression of oocyte-specific genes in mice. Here, we identified several cis-acting sites, TAATTG, TAGTTG, and TAATTA as NOBOX DNA binding elements (NBEs) using a library of randomly generated oligonucleotides by cyclic amplification of sequence target assay and mutation analyses. We show that NOBOX preferentially binds to the NOBOX binding elements with high affinity. In addition, we found that promoter regions of mouse Pou5f1 and Gdf9 contain one (-426) and three NOBOX binding elements (-786, -967, and -1259), respectively. NOBOX binds to these putative NOBOX binding elements with high affinity and augmented transcriptional activity of luciferase reporter driven by mouse Pou5f1 and Gdf9 promoters containing the NOBOX binding elements. In chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, DNA sequences from Pou5f1 and Gdf9 promoters co-precipitated with anti-NOBOX antibody. These results suggest that NOBOX directly regulates the transcription of Pou5f1 and Gdf9 in oocytes during early folliculogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Youngsok
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajkovic
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000196:embryology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C525901:BMP15 protein, human; C525902:Bmp15 protein, mouse; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; C525897:GDF9 protein, human; C525898:Gdf9 protein, mouse; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C456265:Og2x protein, mouse; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors