title: Sequence-specific transcription factor NF-Y displays histone-like DNA binding and H2B-like ubiquitination.
abstract: The sequence-specific transcription factor NF-Y binds the CCAAT box, one of the sequence elements most frequently found in eukaryotic promoters. NF-Y is composed of the NF-YA and NF-YB/NF-YC subunits, the latter two hosting histone-fold domains (HFDs). The crystal structure of NF-Y bound to a 25 bp CCAAT oligonucleotide shows that the HFD dimer binds to the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone, mimicking the nucleosome H2A/H2B-DNA assembly. NF-YA both binds to NF-YB/NF-YC and inserts an α helix deeply into the DNA minor groove, providing sequence-specific contacts to the CCAAT box. Structural considerations and mutational data indicate that NF-YB ubiquitination at Lys138 precedes and is equivalent to H2B Lys120 monoubiquitination, important in transcriptional activation. Thus, NF-Y is a sequence-specific transcription factor with nucleosome-like properties of nonspecific DNA binding and helps establish permissive chromatin modifications at CCAAT promoters. Our findings suggest that other HFD-containing proteins may function in similar ways.
authors: Dipartimento di BioScienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Nardini
authors: Nerina
authors: N
authors: Gnesutta
authors: Giacomo
authors: G
authors: Donati
authors: Raffaella
authors: R
authors: Gatta
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Forni
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Fossati
authors: Clemens
authors: C
authors: Vonrhein
authors: Dino
authors: D
authors: Moras
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Romier
authors: Martino
authors: M
authors: Bolognesi
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Mantovani
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D054875:Ubiquitination
chemical_list: D023081:CCAAT-Binding Factor; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006657:Histones; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; C492061:NFYA protein, human; C492063:NFYB protein, human; C469358:NFYC protein, human; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D004247:DNA