title: Characterization of the transactivation domain in the peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator (PGC-1).
abstract: The PGC-1s (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activators) are a family of transcriptional regulators that induce the expression of various metabolic genes. PGC-1 proteins stimulate genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, fatty acid oxidation and hepatic gluconeogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that the PGC-1alpha and beta isoforms interact with nuclear receptors through the conserved LXXLL (leucine-X-X-leucine-leucine) motifs. In the present study, we have investigated the mechanisms by which these PGC-1 isoforms stimulate gene expression. We have determined that the N-terminus of PGC-1 is responsible for transcriptional activation. Two conserved peptide motifs were identified in the N-terminus of PGC-1alpha and beta isoforms. These domains were named AD1 and AD2 (activation domain 1 and 2). Deletion of both of these motifs decreased the induction of various PGC-1-regulated genes including the PEPCK (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase) and CPT-I (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I) genes. It was determined that amino acids containing a negative charge in AD1 and the leucine residues in AD2 were important for the transcriptional induction of the PEPCK and CPT-I genes. Disruption of the AD motifs did not diminish the ability of the PGC-1alpha protein to associate with the PEPCK or CPT-I genes. In addition, deletion of the AD domains did not eliminate the ability of PGC-1alpha to interact with the thyroid hormone receptor. The data indicate that the AD1 and AD2 motifs mediate the induction of many PGC-1- responsive genes, but they do not contribute to the recruitment of PGC-1 to target genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 874 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
authors.forename: Prabodh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sadana
authors.forename: Edwards A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; C111264:peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase