The nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) regulates genes involved in Drosophila innate immunity.
The Drosophila nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) is an ISWI-containing chromatin remodeling complex that catalyzes ATP-dependent nucleosome sliding. By sliding nucleosomes, NURF has the ability to alter chromatin structure and regulate transcription. Previous studies have shown that mutation of Drosophila NURF induces melanotic tumors, implicating NURF in innate immune function. Here, we show that NURF mutants exhibit identical innate immune responses to gain-of-function mutants in the Drosophila JAK/STAT pathway. Using microarrays, we identify a common set of target genes that are activated in both mutants. In silico analysis of promoter sequences of these defines a consensus regulatory element comprising a STAT-binding sequence overlapped by a binding-site for the transcriptional repressor Ken. NURF interacts physically and genetically with Ken. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) localizes NURF to Ken-binding sites in hemocytes, suggesting that Ken recruits NURF to repress STAT responders. Loss of NURF leads to precocious activation of STAT target genes.
Kwon
So Yeon
SY
Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK.
Xiao
Hua
H
Glover
Bradley P
BP
Tjian
Robert
R
Wu
Carl
C
Badenhorst
Paul
P
D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000276:immunology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D016678:Genome; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C437989:E(bx) protein, Drosophila; C508384:Ken protein, Drosophila; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012313:RNA