p53 transcriptional activation mediated by coactivators TAFII40 and TAFII60

Acetyl coenzyme A stimulates RNA polymerase II transcription and promoter binding by transcription factor IID in the absence of histones

Protein acetylation has emerged as a means of controlling levels of mRNA synthesis in eukaryotic cells. Here we report that acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) stimulates RNA polymerase II transcription in vitro in the absence of histones. The effect of acetyl-CoA on basal and activated transcription was studied in a human RNA polymerase II transcription system reconstituted from recombinant and highly purified transcription factors. Both basal and activated transcription were stimulated by the addition of acetyl-CoA to transcription reaction mixtures. By varying the concentrations of general transcription factors in the reaction mixtures, we found that acetyl-CoA decreased the concentration of TFIID required to observe transcription. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting revealed that acetyl-CoA increased the affinity of the general transcription factor TFIID for promoter DNA in a TBP-associated factor (TAF)-dependent manner. Interestingly, acetyl-CoA also caused a conformational change in the TFIID-TFIIA-promoter complex as assessed by DNase I footprinting. These results show that acetyl-CoA alters the DNA binding activity of TFIID and indicate that this biologically important cofactor functions at multiple levels to control gene expression.

Identification of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase as a transcriptional coactivator of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax protein

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) encodes a transcriptional activator, Tax, whose activity is believed to contribute significantly to cellular transformation. Tax stimulates transcription from the proviral promoter as well as from promoters for a variety of cellular genes. The mechanism through which Tax communicates to the general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II has not been completely determined. We investigated whether Tax could function directly through the general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II or if other intermediary factors or coactivators were required. Our results show that a system consisting of purified recombinant TFIIA, TFIIB, TFIIE, TFIIF, CREB, and Tax, along with highly purified RNA polymerase II, affinity-purified epitope-tagged TFIID, and semipurified TFIIH, supports basal transcription of the HTLV-1 promoter but is not responsive to Tax. Two additional activities were required for Tax to stimulate transcription. We demonstrate that one of these activities is poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a molecule that has been previously identified to be the transcriptional coactivator PC1. PARP functions as a coactivator in our assays at molar concentrations approximately equal to those of the DNA and equal to or less than those of the transcription factors in the assay. We further demonstrate that PARP stimulates Tax-activated transcription in vivo, demonstrating that this biochemical approach has functionally identified a novel target for the retroviral transcriptional activator Tax.

An artificial transcriptional activating region with unusual properties

We describe a series of transcriptional activators generated by adding amino acids (eight in one case, six in another) to fragments of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae activator Gal4 that dimerize and bind DNA. One of the novel activating regions identified by this procedure is unusual, compared with previously characterized yeast activating regions, in the following ways: it works more strongly than does Gal4's natural activating region as assayed in yeast; it is devoid of acidic residues; and several lines of evidence suggest that it sees targets in the yeast transcriptional machinery at least partially distinct from those seen by Gal4's activating region.

The N-terminal domain of p73 interacts with the CH1 domain of p300/CREB binding protein and mediates transcriptional activation and apoptosis

The newly identified p53 homolog p73 mimics the transcriptional function of p53. We have investigated the regulation of p73's transcriptional activity by p300/CREB binding protein (CBP). p73-p300 complexes were identified in HeLa cell extracts by cofractionation and coimmunoprecipitation assays. The p73-p300 interaction was confirmed in vitro by glutathione S-transferase-protein association assays and in vivo by coimmunoprecipitating the overexpressed p300 and p73 in human p53-free small-cell lung carcinoma H1299 or osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells. The N terminus but not the N-terminal truncation of p73 bound to the CH1 domain (amino acids [aa] 350 to 450) of p300/CBP. Accordingly, this p73 N-terminal deletion was unable to activate transcription or to induce apoptosis. Overexpression of either p300 or CBP stimulated transcription mediated by p73 but not its N-terminally deleted mutant in vivo. The N-terminal fragment from aa 19 to 597, but not the truncated fragment from aa 242 to 1700 of p300, reduced p73-mediated transcription markedly. p73-dependent transcription or apoptosis was partially impaired in either p300- or CBP-deficient human breast carcinoma MCF-7 or H1299 cells, suggesting that both coactivators mediate transcription by p73 in cells. These results demonstrate that the N terminus of p73 directly interacts with the N-terminal CH1 domain of p300/CBP to activate transcription.

TAFs revisited: more data reveal new twists and confirm old ideas

Synthesis of messenger RNA by RNA polymerase II requires the combined activities of more than 70 polypeptides. Coordinating the interaction of these proteins is the basal transcription factor TFIID, which recognizes the core promoter and supplies a scaffolding upon which the rest of the transcriptional machinery can assemble. A multisubunit complex, TFIID consists of the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and several TBP-associated factors (TAFs), whose primary sequences are well-conserved from yeast to humans. Data from reconstituted cell-free transcription systems and binary interaction assays suggest that the TAF subunits can function as promoter-recognition factors, as coactivators capable of transducing signals from enhancer-bound activators to the basal machinery, and even as enzymatic modifiers of other proteins. Whether TAFs function similarly in vivo, however, has been an open question. Initial characterization of yeast bearing mutations in particular TAFs seemingly indicated that, unlike the situation in vitro, TAFs played only a minor role in transcriptional regulation in vivo. However, reconsideration of this data in light of more recent results from yeast and other organisms reveals considerable convergence between the models derived from in vitro experiments and those derived from in vivo studies. In particular, there is an emerging consensus that TAFs represent one of several classes of coactivators that participate in transcriptional activation in vivo.

The alpha-helical FXXPhiPhi motif in p53: TAF interaction and discrimination by MDM2

Transcriptional activation domains share little sequence homology and generally lack folded structures in the absence of their targets, aspects that have rendered activation domains difficult to characterize. Here, a combination of biochemical and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments demonstrates that the activation domain of the tumor suppressor p53 has an FXXPhiPhi motif (F, Phe; X, any amino acids; Phi, hydrophobic residues) that folds into an alpha-helix upon binding to one of its targets, hTAF(II)31 (a human TFIID TATA box-binding protein-associated factor). MDM2, the cellular attenuator of p53, discriminates the FXXPhiPhi motif of p53 from those of NF-kappaB p65 and VP16 and specifically inhibits p53 activity. Our studies support the notion that the FXXPhiPhi sequence is a general alpha-helical recognition motif for hTAF(II)31 and provide insights into the mechanistic basis for regulation of p53 function.

p53 regulation by post-translational modification and nuclear retention in response to diverse stresses

p53 activation by diverse stresses involves post-translational modifications that alter its structure and result in its nuclear accumulation. We will discuss several unresolved topics regarding p53 regulation which are currently under investigation. DNA damage is perhaps the best-studied stress which activates p53, and recent data implicate phosphorylation at N-terminal serine residues as critical in this process. We discuss recent data regarding the potential kinases which modify p53 and the possible role of the resulting phosphorylation events. By contrast, much less is understood about agents which disrupt the mitotic spindle. The cell cycle phase, induction signal, and biochemical mechanism of the reversible arrest induced by microtubule disruption are currently under investigation. Finally, a key event in response to any genotoxic stress is the accumulation of p53 in the nucleus. The factors which determine the steady state level of p53 are starting to be elucidated, but the mechanisms responsible for nuclear accumulation and nuclear export remain controversial. We discuss new studies revealing a mechanism for nuclear retention of p53, and the potential contributions of MDM2 to this process.

mdm2: a bridge over the two tumour suppressors, p53 and Rb

The inactivation of the p53 and Rb pathways would account for the majority of human tumours. There are many levels of cross talk between p53 and Rb that have been identified. However, the identification of the mdm2-Rb interaction established a closer link between the two most well studied tumour suppressors, p53 and Rb. Recent studies of the novel trimeric complex Rb-mdm2-p53 provided us with a functional insight of how the two tumour suppressors can act together in regulating p53 induced apoptosis. Beginning with the properties of the Rb-mdm2-p53 trimeric complex, we shall review the propounding evidence suggesting that the apoptotic function of p53 is linked to its transrepression function. The uncoupling of the apoptotic function and transactivation function of p53 will also be discussed.

HBV transcription repression in response to genotoxic stress is p53-dependent and abrogated by pX

Transcription of hepatitis B Virus (HBV), an important risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is controlled by cellular transcription activators including some of the cellular signaling targets. Consequently, HBV transcription rate changes in response to the cellular physiological conditions. In this report we investigated HBV gene expression and the role of physiological levels of the viral X protein (pX) under cisplatin induced genotoxic stress. We show that under these conditions the RNA level of an HBV mutant which does not express pX is sharply reduced. Studies revealed that transcription repression is responsible for the observed reduction in HBV RNA level. Repression of HBV transcription was obtained only in the p53 proficient cells. Furthermore, HBV transcription rate is recovered by the cotransfected p53 dominant negative plasmid, indicating that p53 is directly responsible for HBV transcription repression. Unexpectedly, p73, the recent p53 homologue, does not repress but rather activates HBV transcription. Interestingly, pX produced either by the HBV genome or by a cotransfected plasmid, relieves the p53 mediated repression. Collectively, these results attribute a physiological role to p53-inactivation by pX, and explain how pX may support HCC development.

Inhibition of the putative tumor suppressor gene TIMP-3 by tumor-derived p53 mutants and wild type p53

The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor that regulates the expression of genes required for cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Mutations in p53 have been observed in over 60% of all human cancers. Certain classes of mutant p53 proteins maintain some of their activities or acquire novel activities and thus may contribute to the transformed phenotype. By carrying out an analysis of differential gene expression using cDNA expression arrays, we compared the expression patterns of cells expressing no p53 to isogenic lines expressing the codon 248 Arg to Trp mutant p53 allele (R248W). In this report, we show that the R248W and D281G p53 mutants, two of the more commonly occurring mutations, as well as wild type p53, repress transcription of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases type 3 (TIMP-3) gene by greater than tenfold. TIMP-3 expression has been observed to be repressed in many tumors and its reduced expression is thought to contribute to tumor metastasis and invasiveness by allowing increased activity of metalloproteinases in the extracellular matrix. Since mutant forms of p53 tend to be expressed at greatly elevated levels in many human tumors, the retention of their ability to repress TIMP-3 illustrate one mechanism by which mutant forms of the p53 gene may contribute to tumorigenesis.

Genetic dissection of hTAF(II)130 defines a hydrophobic surface required for interaction with glutamine-rich activators

The general transcription factor TFIID is a multiprotein complex consisting of the TATA box-binding protein and multiple TATA box-binding protein-associated factors (TAF(II)s). The central domain of human TAF(II)130 contains four glutamine-rich regions Q1-Q4 that interact with transcriptional activators such as Sp1 and CREB and mediate activation. We screened in yeast random point mutations introduced into Q1-Q4 against the Sp1 activation domain and obtained a distinct set of hTAF(II)130s with alterations in TAF(II)-activator interaction. Here we characterize functionally an hTAF(II)130 mutant containing a phenylalanine to serine change at position 311 (F311S) that is compromised in its ability to associate with Sp1B and CREB-N activation domains. Substitution of phenylalanine with tyrosine but not with isoleucine or tryptophan also reduced hTAF(II)130 interaction, suggesting that the hydrophobic character rather than the specific amino acid at this position is a key determinant of interaction. Deletion of nine amino acids (Delta9) surrounding Phe(311) abolished the interaction of hTAF(II)130 with Sp1. Overexpression of hTAF(II)130Q1/Q2 and Q1-Q4 strongly inhibited Sp1-dependent transcriptional enhancement in transient transfection assays, whereas expression of either F311S or Delta9 only partially suppressed Sp1-mediated activation. Thus, a short hydrophobic sequence motif encompassing Phe(311) in hTAF(II)130 represents a critical surface with which Sp1B interacts to activate transcription.

Repression of A TAF(II)32 isoform as part of a program of genes regulated during mpl ligand-induced megakaryocyte differentiation

Circulating platelets, essential for thrombosis and hemostasis, originate from megakaryocytes. Megakaryocyte growth, differentiation and survival processes are regulated by the c-Mpl receptor ligand. In the current study we used differential display to identify part of the program of genes regulated during Mpl ligand-induced murine megakaryocyte differentiation. Several of the genes, including the retinoblastoma binding protein p84, were found to be induced, while others were repressed. One such repressed gene was identified as a TATA-binding protein (TBP)-Associated Factor (TAF) family member, TAF(II)32, previously reported to be upregulated during apoptosis. Our analysis of various cell types suggested that the previously identified species homologs, human TAF(II)32 and murine TAF(II)32, are in fact different isoforms, which we propose to re-name TAF(II)32alpha and TAF(II)32beta, respectively. Only the TAF(II)32beta isoform is regulated during Mpl ligand-induced megakaryocyte differentiation, which suggests individual roles for the two forms.

Identification of a novel gene encoding a p53-associated protein

p53 exerts important physiological functions in cell-cycle control, gene regulation, cell differentiation, apoptosis and tumor suppression by interacting with many cellular proteins. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we screened a HeLa cDNA library and identified a novel gene encoding a p53-binding protein (p53BP3). The full-length cDNA of p53BP3 was isolated from a HeLalambdagt10 cDNA library. This predicted protein was composed of 815 amino acids. Sequence analysis indicated that p53BP3 contained two bipartite nuclear localization signals and was confirmed to be a nuclear protein. FISH mapping results showed that this novel gene was located at human chromosome 12, region p11.2-p12.1. Northern blot analysis suggested that p53BP3 was broadly expressed in human tissues. A further study showed that p53BP3 had a homologue in mouse.

p53 mutation spectrum and load: the generation of hypotheses linking the exposure of endogenous or exogenous carcinogens to human cancer

The activation of protooncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes in affected cells are considered as the core events that provide a selective growth advantage and clonal expansion during the multistep process of carcinogenesis. Somatic mutations, induced by exogenous or endogenous mechanisms, were found to alter the normal functions of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. p53 is the most prominent example of tumor suppressor genes because it is mutated in about half of all human cancer. In contrast to other tumor suppressor genes (like APC and RB), about 80% of p53 mutations are missense mutations that lead to amino acid substitutions in proteins and can alter the protein conformation and increase the stability of p53. These changes can also alter the sequence-specific DNA binding and transcription factor activity of p53. These abnormalities can abrogate p53 dependent pathways involved in important cellular functions like cell-cycle control, DNA repair, differentiation, genomic plasticity and programmed cell death. A number of different carcinogens have been found to cause different characteristic mutations in the p53 gene. For example, exposure to ultraviolet light is correlated with transition mutations at dipyrimidine sites; aflatoxin B(1) exposure is correlated with a G:C to T:A transversion that leads to a serine substitution at residue 249 of p53 in hepatocellular carcinoma; and exposure to cigarette smoke is correlated with G:C to T:A transversions in lung carcinoma. Therefore, measuring the characteristic p53 mutation load or frequency of mutated alleles in nontumorous tissue (before the clonal expansion of mutated cells), can generate hypotheses, e.g., providing a molecular linkage between exposure to a particular carcinogen and cancer, and identifying individuals at increased cancer risk.

Functional characterization of multiple transactivating elements in beta-catenin, some of which interact with the TATA-binding protein in vitro

beta-Catenin, a member of the family of Armadillo repeat proteins, plays a dual role in cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and in signaling by Wnt growth factors. Upon Wnt stimulation beta-catenin undergoes nuclear translocation and serves as transcriptional coactivator of T cell factor DNA-binding proteins. Previously the transactivation potential of different portions of beta-catenin has been demonstrated, but the precise location of transactivating elements has not been established. Also, the mechanism of transactivation by beta-catenin and the molecular basis for functional differences between beta-catenin and the closely related proteins Armadillo and Plakoglobin are poorly understood. Here we have used a yeast system for the detailed characterization of the transactivation properties of beta-catenin. We show that its transactivation domains possess a modular structure, consist of multiple subelements that cover broad regions at its N and C termini, and extend considerably into the Armadillo repeat region. Compared with beta-catenin the N termini of Plakoglobin and Armadillo have different transactivation capacities that may explain their distinct signaling properties. Furthermore, transactivating elements of beta-catenin interact specifically and directly with the TATA-binding protein in vitro providing further evidence that a major function of beta-catenin during Wnt signaling is to recruit the basal transcription machinery to promoter regions of Wnt target genes.

Physical and functional interactions of neuronal growth suppressor necdin with p53

Necdin is expressed in virtually all postmitotic neurons, and ectopic expression of this protein suppresses cell proliferation. Necdin, like the retinoblastoma protein, interacts with cell cycle promoting proteins such as simian virus 40 large T antigen, adenovirus E1A, and the transcription factor E2F1. Here we demonstrate that necdin interacts with the tumor suppressor protein p53 as well. The yeast two-hybrid and in vitro binding analyses revealed that necdin bound to a narrow region (amino acids 35-62) located between the MDM2-binding site and the proline-rich region in the amino-terminal domain of p53. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that necdin supershifted a complex between p53 and its binding DNA, implying that the p53-necdin complex is competent for DNA binding. In p53-deficient osteosarcoma SAOS-2 cells, necdin markedly suppressed p53-dependent activation of the p21/WAF promoter. Necdin and p53 inhibited cell growth in an additive manner as assessed by the colony formation of SAOS-2 cells, suggesting that necdin does not affect p53-mediated growth suppression. On the other hand, necdin inhibited p53-induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma U2OS cells. Thus, necdin can be a growth suppressor that targets p53 and modulates its biological functions in postmitotic neurons.

MDM2 suppresses p73 function without promoting p73 degradation

The newly identified p53 homolog p73 can mimic the transcriptional activation function of p53. We investigated whether p73, like p53, participates in an autoregulatory feedback loop with MDM2. p73 bound to MDM2 both in vivo and in vitro. Wild-type but not mutant MDM2, expressed in human p53 null osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, inhibited p73- and p53-dependent transcription driven by the MDM2 promoter-derived p53RE motif as measured in transient-transfection and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assays and also inhibited p73-induced apoptosis in p53-null human lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells. MDM2 did not promote the degradation of p73 but instead disrupted the interaction of p73, but not of p53, with p300/CBP by competing with p73 for binding to the p300/CBP N terminus. Both p73alpha and p73beta stimulated the expression of the endogenous MDM2 protein. Hence, MDM2 is transcriptionally activated by p73 and, in turn, negatively regulates the function of this activator through a mechanism distinct from that used for p53 inactivation.

TAFII40 protein is encoded by the e(y)1 gene: biological consequences of mutations

The enhancer of yellow 1 gene, e(y)1, of Drosophila melanogaster has been cloned and demonstrated to encode the TAFII40 protein. The e(y)1 gene is expressed in females much more strongly than in males due to the accumulation of e(y)1 mRNA in the ovaries. Two different e(y)1 mutations have been obtained. The e(y)1(ul) mutation, induced by the insertion of Stalker into the coding region, leads to the replacement of 25 carboxy-terminal amino acids by 17 amino acids encoded by the Stalker sequences and to a decrease of the e(y)1 transcription level. The latter is the main cause of dramatic underdevelopment of the ovaries and sterility of females bearing the e(y)1 mutation. This follows from the restoration of female fertility upon transformation of e(y)1(u1) flies with a construction synthesizing the mutant protein. The e(y)1(P1) mutation induced by P element insertion into the transcribed nontranslated region of the gene has almost no influence on the phenotype of flies. However, in combination with the phP1 mutation, which leads to a strong P element-mediated suppression of e(y)1 transcription, this mutation is lethal. Genetic studies of the e(y)1(u1) mutation revealed a sensitivity of the yellow and white expression to the TAFII40/e(y)1 level. The su(Hw)-binding region, Drosophila insulator, stabilizes the expression of the white gene and makes it independent of the e(y)1(u1) mutation.

TATA box-binding protein (TBP)-related factor 2 (TRF2), a third member of the TBP family

The TATA box-binding protein (TBP) is an essential component of the RNA polymerase II transcription apparatus in eukaryotic cells. Until recently, it was thought that the general transcriptional machinery was largely invariant and relied on a single TBP, whereas a large and diverse collection of activators and repressors were primarily responsible for imparting specificity to transcription initiation. However, it now appears that the "basal" transcriptional machinery also contributes to specificity via tissue-specific versions of TBP-associated factors as well as a tissue-specific TBP-related factor (TRF1) responsible for gene selectivity in Drosophila. Here we report the cloning of a TBP-related factor (TRF2) that is found in humans, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, and other metazoans. Like TRF1 and TBP, TRF2 binds transcription factor IIA (TFIIA) and TFIIB and appears to be part of a larger protein complex. TRF2's primary amino acid structure suggests divergence in the putative DNA binding domain, and not surprisingly, it fails to bind to DNA containing canonical TATA boxes. Most importantly, TRF2 is associated with loci on Drosophila chromosomes distinct from either TBP or TRF1, so it may have different promoter specificity and regulate a select subset of genes. These findings suggest that metazoans have evolved multiple TBPs to accommodate the vast increase in genes and expression patterns during development and cellular differentiation.

The CREB constitutive activation domain interacts with TATA-binding protein-associated factor 110 (TAF110) through specific hydrophobic residues in one of the three subdomains required for both activation and TAF110 binding

The cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) mediates both basal and PKA-inducible transcription through two separate and independently active domains, the constitutive activation domain (CAD) and the kinase-inducible domain, respectively. The CREB CAD interacts with the general transcription factor TFIID through one or more of the TATA-binding protein-associated factors (TAFs), one of which is TAF110. The CAD is composed of three subdomains, rich in either serine, hydrophobic amino acids, or glutamine. In the present study, analysis of deletion mutants of the CAD showed that all three CAD subdomains were required for effective interaction with TAF110 in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Therefore, a library of random point mutations within the CAD was analyzed in a reverse two-hybrid screen to identify amino acids that are essential for interaction with the TAF. Interaction defects resulted solely from mutations of hydrophobic amino acid residues within the hydrophobic cluster to charged amino acid residues. Together, the deletion and mutation analyses suggest that the entire CAD provides an environment for a specific hydrophobic interaction with TAF110 that is crucial for interaction. Our results provide further evidence for a model of basal activation by CREB involving interaction with TAF110 that promotes recruitment or stabilization of TFIID binding to the promoter, which facilitates pre-initiation complex assembly.

Definition of a p53 transactivation function-deficient mutant and characterization of two independent p53 transactivation subdomains

The wild-type protein product of the p53 tumor suppressor gene can activate transcription of genes which are involved in mediating either growth arrest, e.g. WAF1 or apoptotis, e.g. BAX and PICG3. Additionally, p53 can repress a variety of promoters, which, in turn, may be responsible for the functional activities exhibited by p53. This study shows that the Q22, S23 double mutation, which is known to inactivate a p53 transactivation subdomain located within the initial 40 residues of the protein, while abrogating transactivation from the WAF1 promoter, only attenuates apoptosis triggering, transactivation from other p53-responsive promoters and repression of promoters by p53. The Q53, S54 double mutation, which inactivates another p53 transactivation subdomain situated between amino acids 43 and 73 results in attenuation of all of the aforementioned p53 activities. In contrast to the Q22, S23 double mutation, this latter mutation set does not alter mdm-2-mediated inhibition and degradation of p53. Finally, mutation of all four residues results in complete abrogation of every p53 activity mentioned above.

Regulation of p53 mediated transactivation by the beta-subunit of protein kinase CK2

The growth suppressor protein p53 plays a main part in cellular growth control. Two of its key functions are sequence specific DNA binding and transactivation. Functions of p53 in growth control are regulated at least in part by its interaction with protein kinases. p53 binds to protein kinase CK2, formerly known as casein kinase 2, and it is phosphorylated by this enzyme. CK2 is composed of two regulating beta-subunits and two catalytic alpha- or alpha'-subunits and the interaction with p53 is mediated by the regulatory beta-subunit of CK2. Recently we showed that the beta-subunit could inhibit the sequence specific DNA binding activity of p53 in vitro. Based on this finding, we asked if a coexpression of the beta-subunit of CK2 with p53 in mammalian cells could inhibit the DNA binding activity of p53 in a physiological context. We found that the coexpression of the beta-subunit showed the same inhibitory effect as in the previous assays with purified proteins. Then, we investigated the effects of the coexpression of the beta-subunit of CK2 on the transactivation and transrepression activity of p53. We found that transactivation of the mdm2, p21(WAF1/CIP1) and cyclin G promoter was inhibited in three different cell lines whereas transactivation of the bax promoter was not affected in COS1 cells but down-regulated in MCO1 and SaosS138V21 cells. p53 mediated transrepression of the fos promoter was not influenced by coexpression of the CK2 beta-subunit. Taken together we propose a cell type dependent fine regulation of the p53 transactivation function by the CK2 beta-subunit in vivo, which does not affect p53 mediated transrepression.

Prognostic and predictive value of p53 and p21 in breast cancer

The prognostic and predictive value of p53 has been extensively studied in breast cancer. p53 serves a multifunctional role as a transcriptional regulator, genomic stabilizer, inhibitor of cell cycle progression, facilitator of apoptosis, and also perhaps an inhibitor of angiogenesis. Abrogation of its function should therefore lead to a more aggressive breast cancer phenotype and a worse clinical outcome, and indeed the preponderance of studies confirm this, with the risk of recurrence and death increasing by 50% or more if p53 is abnormal. Lack of unanimity of results may be due to differences in technique, study design, or population, as well as the subjectivity inherent in some approaches; however, the complexity and random nature of genomic change present in cancer cells may well also contribute to the lack of unanimity. Because many anticancer agents may exert a therapeutic effect through genomic damage and subsequent triggering of apoptosis, and because p53 can respond to genomic damage and facilitate apoptosis, it can be hypothesized that an intact p53 would predict sensitivity to therapy. Present data in breast cancer, however, does not clearly indicate that this is the case. There are several potential explanations. Study designs to accurately test the predictive value of a molecular marker are more exacting and difficult to achieve than prognostic studies. There may also be multiple alternative pathways, not involving p53, that play a part in determining the therapeutic effect of a treatment. The prognostic value of a downstream effector of p53 has also been assessed, though less extensively. p21 is transcriptionally upregulated by p53 and is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases and thus of cell cycle progression. Higher levels of p21 might indicate a more indolent type of breast cancer. However, data from a number of clinical studies is very conflicting, and at present p21 is not a promising prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Identity between TRAP and SMCC complexes indicates novel pathways for the function of nuclear receptors and diverse mammalian activators

The human thyroid hormone receptor-associated protein (TRAP) complex, an earlier described coactivator for nuclear receptors, and an SRB- and MED-containing cofactor complex (SMCC) that mediates activation by Gal4-p53 are shown to be virtually the same with respect to specific polypeptide subunits, coactivator functions, and mechanisms of action (activator interactions). In parallel with ligand-dependent interactions of nuclear receptors with the TRAP220 subunit, p53 and VP16 activation domains interact directly with a newly cloned TRAP80 subunit. These results indicate novel pathways for the function of nuclear receptors and other activators (p53 and VP16) through a common coactivator complex that is likely to target RNA polymerase II. Identification of the TRAP230 subunit as a previously predicted gene product also suggests a coactivator-related transcription defect in certain disease states.

Baculovirus p33 binds human p53 and enhances p53-mediated apoptosis

In vertebrates, p53 participates in numerous biological processes including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, differentiation, and oncogenic transformation. When insect SF-21 cells were infected with a recombinant of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) overexpressing human p53, p53 formed a stable complex with the product of the AcMNPV orf92, a novel protein p33. The interaction between p53 and p33 was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation studies. When individually expressed in SF-21 cells, human p53 localized mainly in the nucleus whereas baculovirus p33 displayed diffuse cytoplasmic staining and punctuate nuclear staining. However, coexpression of p33 with p53 resulted in exclusive nuclear localization of p33. In both SF-21 and TN-368 cells, p53 expression induced typical features of apoptosis including nuclear condensation and fragmentation, oligonucleosomal ladder formation, cell surface blebbing, and apoptotic body formation. Coexpression of p53 with a baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis, p35, OpIAP, or CpIAP, blocked apoptosis, whereas coexpression with p33 enhanced p53-mediated apoptosis approximately twofold. Expression of p53 in SF-21 cells stably expressing OpIAP inhibited cell growth in the presence or absence of p33. Thus, human p53 can influence both insect cell growth and death and baculovirus p33 can modulate the death-inducing effects of p53.

Two polymorphic variants of wild-type p53 differ biochemically and biologically

The wild-type p53 protein exhibits a common polymorphism at amino acid 72, resulting in either a proline residue (p53Pro) or an arginine residue (p53Arg) at this position. Despite the difference that this change makes in the primary structure of the protein resulting in a difference in migration during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, no differences in the biochemical or biological characteristics of these wild-type p53 variants have been reported. We have recently shown that p53Arg is significantly more susceptible than p53Pro to the degradation induced by human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 protein. Moreover, this may result in an increased susceptibility to HPV-induced tumors in homozygous p53Arg individuals. In further investigating the characteristics of these p53 variants, we now show that both forms are morphologically wild type and do not differ in their ability to bind to DNA in a sequence-specific manner. However, there are a number of differences between the p53 variants in their abilities to bind components of the transcriptional machinery, to activate transcription, to induce apoptosis, and to repress the transformation of primary cells. These observations may have implications for the development of cancers which harbor wild-type p53 sequences and possibly for the ability of such tumors to respond to therapy, depending on their p53 genotype.

Phosphorylation of p53 serine 15 increases interaction with CBP

p53 exerts its cell cycle regulatory effects through its ability to function as a sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factor. CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300, through its interaction with the N terminus of p53, acts as a coactivator for p53 and increases the sequence-specific DNA-binding activity of p53 by acetylating its C terminus. The same N-terminal domain of p53 has recently been shown to be phosphorylated at Ser15 in response to gamma-irradiation. Remarkably, we now demonstrate that phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15 increases its ability to recruit CBP/p300. The increase in CBP/p300 binding was followed by an increase in the overall level of acetylation of the C terminus of p53. These results provide a mechanism for the activation of p53-regulated genes following DNA damage, through a signaling pathway linking p53 N-terminal kinase and C-terminal acetyltransferase activities.

The 400 kDa subunit of the PCAF histone acetylase complex belongs to the ATM superfamily

PCAF histone acetylase is found in a complex with more than 20 associated polypeptides. Here we report cloning and characterization of the 400 kDa PCAF-associated factor referred to as PAF400. PAF400 is almost identical to TRRAP, which binds to c-Myc and E2F, and has significant sequence similarities to the ATM superfamily including FRAP, ATM, ATR, and the catalytic subunit of DNA-PK. Remarkably, PAF400 and FRAP share sequence similarity in broad regions that cover 80% of the entire PAF400 sequence. However, unlike the other members of the ATM superfamily, PAF400 is not a protein kinase as judged from the lack of kinase motif and autophosphorylation activity. We discuss the possibility that PAF400 may play a role in signaling of DNA damage to p53 by stimulation of p53 acetylation.

Nuclear export is required for degradation of endogenous p53 by MDM2 and human papillomavirus E6

The MDM2 oncoprotein targets the p53 tumor suppressor protein for degradation when the two proteins are expressed in cells. The regulation of p53 levels by MDM2 requires the ability of MDM2 to be exported from the nucleus by utilizing its nuclear export signal (NES). The drug leptomycin B (LMB) blocks the formation of nuclear export complexes consisting of CRM1, RanGTP, and NES-containing proteins. It is predicted that LMB should inhibit nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling by MDM2 and subsequently stabilize p53. This communication demonstrates that LMB treatment of various cell lines led to an increase in the steady-state levels of the p53 protein as a result of an increase in its stability. The stabilized p53 protein localized to the nucleus and was an active transcription factor. These results indicate that the low steady-state levels of p53 in the absence of DNA damage result from p53's nuclear export for cytoplasmic degradation. LMB also led to p53 stabilization in cell lines that contain human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA and express HPV E6, a protein that targets p53 for degradation. MDM2 is not necessary for E6-dependent degradation of p53, as evidenced by the observation that E6 promoted p53 degradation in cells lacking endogenous MDM2. In addition, LMB reduced E6's ability to degrade p53 in the absence of MDM2, demonstrating that complete degradation of p53 by E6 requires nuclear export and therefore likely occurs in cytoplasmic proteasomes. These data suggest that the nuclear export of p53 to the cytoplasm for degradation is a general mechanism for regulating p53 levels.

The Oct-1 POU domain activates snRNA gene transcription by contacting a region in the SNAPc largest subunit that bears sequence similarities to the Oct-1 coactivator OBF-1

The RNA polymerases II and III snRNA gene promoters contain an octamer sequence as part of the enhancer and a proximal sequence element (PSE) as part of the core promoter. The octamer and the PSE bind the POU domain activator Oct-1 and the basal transcription factor SNAPc, respectively. Oct-1, but not Oct-1 with a single E7R mutation within the POU domain, binds cooperatively with SNAPc and, in effect, recruits SNAPc to the PSE. Here, we show that SNAPc recruitment is mediated by an interaction between the Oct-1 POU domain and a small region of the largest subunit of SNAPc, SNAP190. This SNAP190 region is strikingly similar to a region in the B-cell-specific Oct-1 coactivator, OBF-1, that is required for interaction with octamer-bound Oct-1 POU domain. The Oct-1 POU domain-SNAP190 interaction is a direct protein-protein contact as determined by the isolation of a switched specificity SNAP190 mutant that interacts with Oct-1 POU E7R but not with wild-type Oct-1 POU. We also show that this direct protein-protein contact results in activation of transcription. Thus, we have identified an activation target of a human activator, Oct-1, within its cognate basal transcription complex.

Critical structural elements and multitarget protein interactions of the transcriptional activator AF-1 of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4

The nuclear receptor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF-4) is an important regulator of several genes involved in diverse metabolic and developmental pathways. Mutations in the HNF-4A gene are responsible for the maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 1. Recently, we showed that the 24 N-terminal residues of HNF-4 function as an acidic transcriptional activator, termed AF-1 (Hadzopoulou-Cladaras, M., Kistanova, E., Evagelopoulou, C., Zeng, S. , Cladaras C., and Ladias, J. A. A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 539-550). To identify the critical residues for this activator, we performed an extensive genetic analysis using site-directed mutagenesis. We showed that the aromatic and bulky hydrophobic residues Tyr6, Tyr14, Phe19, Lys10, and Lys17 are essential for AF-1 function. To a lesser degree, five acidic residues are also important for optimal activity. Positional changes of Tyr6 and Tyr14 reduced AF-1 activity, underscoring the importance of primary structure for this activator. Our analysis also indicated that AF-1 is bipartite, consisting of two modules that synergize to activate transcription. More important, AF-1 shares common structural motifs and molecular targets with the activators of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and NF-kappaB-p65, suggesting similar mechanisms of action. Remarkably, AF-1 interacted specifically with multiple transcriptional targets, including the TATA-binding protein; the TATA-binding protein-associated factors TAFII31 and TAFII80; transcription factor IIB; transcription factor IIH-p62; and the coactivators cAMP-responsive element-binding protein-binding protein, ADA2, and PC4. The interaction of AF-1 with proteins that regulate distinct steps of transcription may provide a mechanism for synergistic activation of gene expression by AF-1.

yTAFII61 has a general role in RNA polymerase II transcription and is required by Gcn4p to recruit the SAGA coactivator complex

We obtained a recessive insertion mutation in the gene encoding yeast TBP-associated factor yTAFII61/68 that impairs Gcn4p-independent and Gcn4p-activated HIS3 transcription. This mutation also reduces transcription of seven other class II genes, thus indicating a broad role for this yTAFII in RNA polymerase II transcription. The Gcn4p activation domain interacts with multiple components of the SAGA complex in cell extracts, including the yTAFII proteins associated with SAGA, but not with two yTAFIIs restricted to TFIID. The taf61-1 mutation impairs binding of Gcn4p to SAGA/yTAFII subunits but not to components of holoenzyme mediator. Our results provide strong evidence that recruitment of SAGA, in addition to holoenzyme, is crucial for activation by Gcn4p in vivo and that yTAFII61 plays a key role in this process.

Broad, but not universal, transcriptional requirement for yTAFII17, a histone H3-like TAFII present in TFIID and SAGA

The RNA polymerase II general transcription factor TFIID is a multisubunit complex comprising TATA box-binding protein (TBP) and associated factors (TAFIIs). Experiments in yeast have shown that although most TAFIIs are required for viability, many genes are transcribed normally upon inactivation of individual and even multiple yTAFIIs. Here we analyze yTAFII17, recently found to be present in both the SAGA HAT complex as well as TFIID. Functional inactivation of yTAFII17 by temperature-sensitive mutation or depletion results in loss of transcription of many, but not all, genes. The upstream activating sequence (UAS), which contains the activator binding sites, is the region that renders a gene yTAFII17 dependent. In conjunction with previous studies, our results reveal that different TAFIIs have remarkably distinct properties.

Structure and specificity of nuclear receptor-coactivator interactions

Combinatorial regulation of transcription implies flexible yet precise assembly of multiprotein regulatory complexes in response to signals. Biochemical and crystallographic analyses revealed that hormone binding leads to the formation of a hydrophobic groove within the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the thyroid hormone receptor that interacts with an LxxLL motif-containing alpha-helix from GRIP1, a coactivator. Residues immediately adjacent to the motif modulate the affinity of the interaction; the motif and the adjacent sequences are employed to different extents in binding to different receptors. Such interactions of amphipathic alpha-helices with hydrophobic grooves define protein interfaces in other regulatory complexes as well. We suggest that these common structural elements impart flexibility to combinatorial regulation, whereas side chains at the interface impart specificity.

Distinct subdomains of human TAFII130 are required for interactions with glutamine-rich transcriptional activators

TFIID is a multiprotein complex consisting of the TATA box binding protein and multiple tightly associated proteins (TAFIIs) that are required for transcription by selected activators. We previously reported cloning and partial characterization of human TAFII130 (hTAFII130). The central domain of hTAFII130 contains four glutamine-rich regions, designated Q1 to Q4, that are involved in interactions with the transcriptional activator Sp1. Mutational analysis has revealed specific regions within the glutamine-rich (Q1 to Q4) central region of hTAFII130 that are required for interaction with distinct activation domains. We tested amino- and carboxyl-terminal deletions of hTAFII130 for interaction with Sp1 activation domains A and B (Sp1A and Sp1B) and the N-terminal activation domain of CREB (CREB-N) by using the yeast two-hybrid system. Our results indicate that Sp1B interacts almost exclusively with the Q1 region of hTAFII130. In contrast, Sp1A makes multiple contacts with Q1 to Q4 of hTAFII130, while CREB-N interacts primarily with the Q1-Q2 hTAFII130 subdomain. Consistent with these interaction studies, overexpression of the Q1-to-Q4 region in HeLa cells inhibits Sp1- but not VP16-mediated transcriptional activation. These findings indicate that the Q1-to-Q4 region of hTAFII130 is required for Sp1-mediated transcriptional enhancement in mammalian cells and that different activation domains target distinct subdomains of hTAFII130.

Chromatin, TAFs, and a novel multiprotein coactivator are required for synergistic activation by Sp1 and SREBP-1a in vitro

The promoter selectivity factor Sp1 often cooperates with other enhancer-binding proteins to activate transcription. To study the molecular underpinnings of these regulatory events, we have reconstituted in vitro the synergy observed in vivo between Sp1 and the sterol-regulated factor SREBP-1a at the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) promoter. Using a highly purified human transcription system, we found that chromatin, TAFs, and a novel SREBP-binding coactivator activity, which includes CBP, are all required to mediate full synergistic activation by Sp1 and SREBP-1a. The SREBP-binding domain of CBP inhibits activation by SREBP-1a and Sp1 in a dominant-negative fashion that is both chromatin- and activator-specific. Whereas recombinant CBP alone is not sufficient to mediate activation, a human cellular fraction containing CBP can support high levels of chromatin-dependent synergistic activation. Purification of this activity to near homogeneity resulted in the identification of a multiprotein coactivator, including CBP, that selectively binds to the SREBP-1a activation domain and is capable of mediating high levels of synergistic activation by SREBP/Sp1 on chromatin templates. The development of a reconstituted chromatin transcription system has allowed us to isolate a novel coactivator that is recruited by the SREBP-1a activation domain and that functions in concert with TFIID to coordinate the action of multiple activators at complex promoters in the context of chromatin.

Repression of the minimal HLA-B promoter by c-myc and p53 occurs through independent mechanisms

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC, HLA in humans) class I antigens play an important role in cellular immunology by presenting antigens to T cells. Downregulation of MHC class I expression is thought to be a mechanism by which tumor cells escape from T cell-mediated lysis. In primary human melanomas and melanoma cell lines, HLA-B expression is frequently downmodulated, correlating with elevated expression of the c-myc oncogene. Transfection experiments have shown that c-myc induces HLA-B downregulation through a -68 to +13 base pairs (bp) core promoter fragment, containing CCAAT and TATA-like (TCTA) boxes. Since (i) c-myc has been reported to activate the human p53 promoter and (ii) p53 is capable of repressing a large array of basal promoters, we investigated whether c-myc-induced HLA-B abrogation is mediated by p53. In this article, it is shown that the HLA-B core promoter is indeed repressed by wild-type p53, making p53 a candidate for mediating c-myc-induced HLA-B downregulation. However, transfection of c-myc into p53-null cell lines still resulted in suppression of the basal HLA-B promoter, demonstrating that c-myc and p53 repress the minimal HLA-B promoter through independent mechanisms.

TAFII105 mediates activation of anti-apoptotic genes by NF-kappaB

The transcription factor NF-kappaB is important for expression of genes involved in immune responses, viral infections, cytokine signaling and stress. In addition NF-kappaB plays a crucial role in protecting cells from TNF-alpha-induced apoptotic stimuli, presumably by activating anti-apoptotic genes. Here we report that the sub-stoichiometric TFIID subunit TAFII105 is essential for activation of anti-apoptotic genes in response to TNF-alpha, serving as a transcriptional coactivator for NF-kappaB. The putative coactivator domain of TAFII105 interacts with the activation domain of the p65/RelA member of the NF-kappaB family, and further stimulates p65-induced transcription in human 293 cells. Moreover, inhibition of TAFII105 activity by overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of TAFII105 decreased NF-kappaB transcriptional activity and severely reduced cell survival in response to TNF-alpha. Similarly, expression of anti-sense TAFII105 RNA sensitized the cells to TNF-alpha cytotoxicity. These results suggest that TAFII105 is involved in activation of anti-apoptotic genes by NF-kappaB.

p53 suppresses cytokine induced, Stat5 mediated activation of transcription

p53 is a tumor suppressor which exerts its function through the regulation of genes mediating cell cycle arrest and the induction of apoptosis. Cellular survival and proliferation can be positively regulated through the action of cytokines. These signals act through the activation of cell surface receptors, and the phosphorylation of intracellular signaling components, e.g. members of the Stat family (signal transducers and activators of transcription). The signaling effects of p53 and the cytokine receptors on the cellular phenotype are counteracting. We investigated the influence of p53 on the transactivation potential of Stat5. p53 repressed the prolactin induction of the Stat5 mediated transcription of the beta-casein promoter-luciferase reporter gene, but did not affect IFN-gamma induced, Stat1 dependent transcription of the IRF-1 promoter. The inhibition was not due to a decrease in the cellular concentration of Stat5 or to interference with its specific DNA binding activity. No repression of the basal transcriptional activity of the beta-casein promoter was observed. p53 mutants defective in their DNA binding or oligomerization functions had only weak inhibitory effects, but a mutant of p53 in the transactivation domain, efficiently repressed Stat5 dependent induction. The repressive function of p53 on Stat5 activity is independent of the amino-terminal transactivation domain, but requires a functional DNA binding domain and the carboxyl-terminal domain. Our experiments show that p53 counteracts Stat5 mediated cytokine induction of gene transcription. The effect is specific for Stat5 and independent of p53 induced apoptosis.

The requirement for the p53 proline-rich functional domain for mediation of apoptosis is correlated with specific PIG3 gene transactivation and with transcriptional repression

Wild-type p53 is a tumor suppressor gene which can activate or repress transcription, as well as induce apoptosis. The human p53 proline-rich domain localized between amino acids 64 and 92 has been reported to be necessary for efficient growth suppression. This study shows that this property mainly results from impaired apoptotic activity. Although deletion of the proline-rich domain does not affect transactivation of several promoters, such as WAF1, MDM2 and BAX, it does alter transcriptional repression, reactive oxygen species production and sequence-specific transactivation of the PIG3 gene, and these are activities which affect apoptosis. Whereas gel retardation assays revealed that this domain did not alter in vitro the specific binding to the p53-responsive element of PIG3, this domain plays a critical role in transactivation from a synthetic promoter containing this element. To explain this discrepancy, evidence is given for a proline-rich domain-mediated cellular activation of p53 DNA binding.

Phosphorylation of p53: a novel pathway for p53 inactivation in human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1-transformed cells

Inhibition of p53 function, through either mutation or interaction with viral or cellular transforming proteins, correlates strongly with the oncogenic potential. Only a small percentage of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-transformed cells carry p53 mutations, and mutated p53 genes have been found in only one-fourth of adult T-cell leukemia cases. In previous studies, we demonstrated that wild-type p53 is stabilized and transcriptionally inactive in HTLV-1-transformed cells. Further, the viral transcriptional activator Tax plays a role in both the stabilization and inactivation of p53 through a mechanism involving the first 52 amino acids of p53. Here we show for the first time that phosphorylation of p53 inactivates p53 by blocking its interaction with basal transcription factors. Using two-dimensional peptide mapping, we demonstrate that peptides corresponding to amino acids 1 to 19 and 387 to 393 are hyperphosphorylated in HTLV-1-transformed cells. Moreover, using antibodies specific for phosphorylated Ser15 and Ser392, we demonstrate increased phosphorylation of these amino acids. Since HTLV-1 p53 binds DNA in a sequence-specific manner but fails to interact with TFIID, we tested whether phosphorylation of the N terminus of p53 affected p53-TFIID interaction. Using biotinylated peptides, we show that phosphorylation of Ser15 alone inhibits p53-TFIID interaction. In contrast, phosphorylation at Ser15 and -37 restores TFIID binding and blocks MDM2 binding. Our studies provide evidence that HTLV-1 utilizes the posttranslational modification of p53 in vivo to inactivate function of the tumor suppressor protein.

Histone-like TAFs within the PCAF histone acetylase complex

PCAF histone acetylase plays a role in regulation of transcription, cell cycle progression, and differentiation. Here, we show that PCAF is found in a complex consisting of more than 20 distinct polypeptides. Strikingly, some polypeptides are identical to TBP-associated factors (TAFs), which are subunits of TFIID. Like TFIID, histone fold-containing factors are present within the PCAF complex. The histone H3- and H2B-like subunits within the PCAF complex are identical to those within TFIID, namely, hTAF(II)31 and hTAF(II)20/15, respectively. The PCAF complex has a novel histone H4-like subunit with similarity to hTAF(II)80 that interacts with the histone H3-like domain of hTAF(II)31. Moreover, the PCAF complex has a novel subunit with WD40 repeats having a similarity to hTAF(II)100.