XNP/dATRX interacts with DREF in the chromatin to regulate gene expression.
The ATRX gene encodes a chromatin remodeling protein that has two important domains, a helicase/ATPase domain and a domain composed of two zinc fingers called the ADD domain. The ADD domain binds to histone tails and has been proposed to mediate their binding to chromatin. The putative ATRX homolog in Drosophila (XNP/dATRX) has a conserved helicase/ATPase domain but lacks the ADD domain. In this study, we propose that XNP/dATRX interacts with other proteins with chromatin-binding domains to recognize specific regions of chromatin to regulate gene expression. We report a novel functional interaction between XNP/dATRX and the cell proliferation factor DREF in the expression of pannier (pnr). DREF binds to DNA-replication elements (DRE) at the pnr promoter to modulate pnr expression. XNP/dATRX interacts with DREF, and the contact between the two factors occurs at the DRE sites, resulting in transcriptional repression of pnr. The occupancy of XNP/dATRX at the DRE, depends on DNA binding of DREF at this site. Interestingly, XNP/dATRX regulates some, but not all of the genes modulated by DREF, suggesting a promoter-specific role of XNP/dATRX in gene regulation. This work establishes that XNP/dATRX directly contacts the transcriptional activator DREF in the chromatin to regulate gene expression.
Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Av Universidad 2001, Col Chamilpa 62250, Cuernavaca Mor, México.
Viviana
V
Valadez-Graham
Yasuhide
Y
Yoshioka
Oscar
O
Velazquez
Akihito
A
Kawamori
Martha
M
Vázquez
Adina
A
Neumann
Masamitsu
M
Yamaguchi
Mario
M
Zurita
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002843:Chromatin; C099494:Dref protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C109259:pnr protein, Drosophila; C541123:XNP protein, Drosophila; D004265:DNA Helicases