title: Characterisation of functional domains in fission yeast Ams2 that are required for core histone gene transcription.
abstract: Histone gene expression is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner, with a peak at S phase, which is crucial for cell division and genome integrity. However, the detailed mechanisms by which expression of histone genes are tightly regulated remain largely unknown. Fission yeast Ams2, a GATA-type zinc finger motif-containing factor, is required for activation of S phase-specific core histone gene transcription. Here we report the molecular characterisation of Ams2. We show that the zinc finger motif in Ams2 is necessary to bind the histone gene promoter region and to activate histone gene transcription. An N-terminal region of Ams2 acts as a self-interaction domain. Intriguingly, N-terminally truncated Ams2 binds to the histone gene promoters, but does not fully activate histone gene transcription. These observations imply that Ams2 self-interactions are required for efficient core histone gene transcription. Moreover, we show that Ams2 interacts with Teb1, which itself binds to the core histone gene promoters. We discuss the relationships between Ams2 domains and efficient transcription of the core histone genes in fission yeast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, School of Science and Engineering, Teikyo University, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan.|Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Teikyo University Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.affiliation: Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, Teikyo University Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, 839-0864, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Masuda
mesh_terms: D050980:GATA Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D016196:S Phase / Q000235:genetics; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C472167:Ams2 protein, S pombe; D050980:GATA Transcription Factors; D006657:Histones; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins