Developmental and cell-cycle regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans HCF phosphorylation

Distinct OGT-Binding Sites Promote HCF-1 Cleavage

Human HCF-1 (also referred to as HCFC-1) is a transcriptional co-regulator that undergoes a complex maturation process involving extensive O-GlcNAcylation and site-specific proteolysis. HCF-1 proteolysis results in two active, noncovalently associated HCF-1N and HCF-1C subunits that regulate distinct phases of the cell-division cycle. HCF-1 O-GlcNAcylation and site-specific proteolysis are both catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), which thus displays an unusual dual enzymatic activity. OGT cleaves HCF-1 at six highly conserved 26 amino acid repeat sequences called HCF-1PRO repeats. Here we characterize the substrate requirements for OGT cleavage of HCF-1. We show that the HCF-1PRO-repeat cleavage signal possesses particular OGT-binding properties. The glutamate residue at the cleavage site that is intimately involved in the cleavage reaction specifically inhibits association with OGT and its bound cofactor UDP-GlcNAc. Further, we identify a novel OGT-binding sequence nearby the first HCF-1PRO-repeat cleavage signal that enhances cleavage. These results demonstrate that distinct OGT-binding sites in HCF-1 promote proteolysis, and provide novel insights into the mechanism of this unusual protease activity.

Bimodal Interaction of Mammalian Polo-Like Kinase 1 and a Centrosomal Scaffold, Cep192, in the Regulation of Bipolar Spindle Formation

Serving as microtubule-organizing centers, centrosomes play a key role in forming bipolar spindles. The mechanism of how centrosomes promote bipolar spindle assembly in various organisms remains largely unknown. A recent study with Xenopus laevis egg extracts suggested that the Plk1 ortholog Plx1 interacts with the phospho-T46 (p-T46) motif of Xenopus Cep192 (xCep192) to form an xCep192-mediated xAurA-Plx1 cascade that is critical for bipolar spindle formation. Here, we demonstrated that in cultured human cells, Cep192 recruits AurA and Plk1 in a cooperative manner, and this event is important for the reciprocal activation of AurA and Plk1. Strikingly, Plk1 interacted with Cep192 through either the p-T44 (analogous to Xenopus p-T46) or the newly identified p-S995 motif via its C-terminal noncatalytic polo-box domain. The interaction between Plk1 and the p-T44 motif was prevalent in the presence of Cep192-bound AurA, whereas the interaction of Plk1 with the p-T995 motif was preferred in the absence of AurA binding. Notably, the loss of p-T44- and p-S995-dependent Cep192-Plk1 interactions induced an additive defect in recruiting Plk1 and γ-tubulin to centrosomes, which ultimately led to a failure in proper bipolar spindle formation and mitotic progression. Thus, we propose that Plk1 promotes centrosome-based bipolar spindle formation by forming two functionally nonredundant complexes with Cep192.

Evidence of a MOF histone acetyltransferase-containing NSL complex in C. elegans

Regulation of chromatin is a key process in the developmental control of gene expression. Many multi-subunit protein complexes have been found to regulate chromatin through the modification of histone residues. One such complex is the MOF histone acetyltransferase-containing NSL complex. While the composition of the human and Drosophila NSL complexes has been determined and the functions of these complexes investigated, the existence of an equivalent complex in nematodes such as Caenorhabditis elegans has not yet been explored. Here we summarise evidence, from our own work and that of others, that homologues of NSL complex components are found in C. elegans. We review data suggesting that nematode proteins SUMV-1 and SUMV-2 are homologous to NSL2 and NSL3, respectively, and that SUMV-1 and SUMV-2 may form a complex with MYS-2, the worm homolog of MOF. We propose that these interactions suggest the existence of a nematode NSL-like complex and discuss the roles of this putative NSL complex in worms as well as exploring the possibility of crosstalk between NSL and COMPASS complexes via components that are common to both. We present the groundwork from which a full characterization of a nematode NSL complex may begin.

Electron transfer dissociation (ETD): the mass spectrometric breakthrough essential for O-GlcNAc protein site assignments-a study of the O-GlcNAcylated protein host cell factor C1

The development of electron-based, unimolecular dissociation MS, i.e. electron capture and electron transfer dissociation (ECD and ETD, respectively), has greatly increased the speed and reliability of labile PTM site assignment. The field of intracellular O-GlcNAc (O-linked N-acetylglucosamine) signaling has especially advanced with the advent of ETD MS. Only within the last five years have proteomic-scale experiments utilizing ETD allowed the assignment of hundreds of O-GlcNAc sites within cells and subcellular structures. Our ability to identify and unambiguously assign the site of O-GlcNAc modifications using ETD is rapidly increasing our understanding of this regulatory glycosylation and its potential interaction with other PTMs. Here, we discuss the advantages of using ETD, complimented with collisional-activation MS, in a study of the extensively O-GlcNAcylated protein Host Cell Factor C1 (HCF-1). HCF-1 is a transcriptional coregulator that forms a stable complex with O-GlcNAc transferase and controls cell cycle progression. ETD, along with higher energy collisional dissociation (HCD) MS, was employed to assign the PTMs of the HCF-1 protein isolated from HEK293T cells. These include 19 sites of O-GlcNAcylation, two sites of phosphorylation, and two sites bearing dimethylarginine, and showcase the residue-specific, PTM complexity of this regulator of cell proliferation.

Feed-forward mechanism of converting biochemical cooperativity to mitotic processes at the kinetochore plate

The feed-forward mechanism is observed in some of the intracellular events, such as metabolic and transcriptional regulatory networks, but not in dynamic mitotic processes. Mammalian polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) rapidly accumulates at centrosomes and kinetochores as cells enter mitosis. Plk1 function is spatially regulated through the targeting activity of the polo-box domain (PBD) that binds to a phosphoepitope generated by either cyclin dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) (non-self-priming) or Plk1 itself (self-priming). "Non-self-priming and binding" is thought to ensure the orderly execution of cell cycle events. The physiological significance of the "self-priming and binding" is unknown. Using a pair of ELISA, here we demonstrated that mutations of the self-priming site of a kinetochore component, PBIP1/MLF1IP/KLIP1/CENP-50/CENP-U (PBIP1), to a Cdk1-dependent non-self-priming site abolished product-activated cooperativity in the formation of the Plk1-PBIP1 complex. Both PBD-dependent "two-dimensional" interaction with surface-restricted PBIP1 and subsequent phosphorylation of PBIP1 by anchored Plk1 were crucial to cooperatively generate the Plk1-PBIP1 complex. Highlighting the importance of this mechanism, failure in this process resulted in improper Plk1 recruitment to kinetochores, mitotic arrest, chromosome missegregation, and apoptosis. Thus, Plk1 PBD-dependent biochemical cooperativity is tightly coupled to mitotic events at the kinetochore plate through a product-activated, feed-forward mechanism. Given the critical role of self-priming and binding in the recruitment of Plk1 to surface-confined structures, such as centrosomes, kinetochores, and midbody, we propose that the observed feed-forward mechanism serves as a fundamental biochemical process that ensures dynamic nature of Plk1 localization to and delocalization from these subcellular locations.

A mechanistic basis for the coordinated regulation of pharyngeal morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans by LIN-35/Rb and UBC-18-ARI-1

Genetic redundancy, whereby two genes carry out seemingly overlapping functions, may in large part be attributable to the intricacy and robustness of genetic networks that control many developmental processes. We have previously described a complex set of genetic interactions underlying foregut development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Specifically, LIN-35/Rb, a tumor suppressor ortholog, in conjunction with UBC-18–ARI-1, a conserved E2/E3 complex, and PHA-1, a novel protein, coordinately regulates an early step of pharyngeal morphogenesis involving cellular re-orientation. Functional redundancy is indicated by the observation that lin-35; ubc-18 double mutants, as well as certain allelic combinations of pha-1 with either lin-35 or ubc-18, display defects in pharyngeal development, whereas single mutants do not. Using a combination of genetic and molecular analyses, we show that sup-35, a strong recessive suppressor of pha-1–associated lethality, also reverts the synthetic lethality of lin-35; ubc-18, lin-35; pha-1, and ubc-18 pha-1 double mutants. SUP-35, which contains C2H2-type Zn-finger domains as well as a conserved RMD-like motif, showed a dynamic pattern of subcellular localization during embryogenesis. We find that mutations in sup-35 specifically suppress hypomorphic alleles of pha-1 and that SUP-35, acting genetically upstream of SUP-36 and SUP-37, negatively regulates pha-1 transcription. We further demonstrate that LIN-35, a transcriptional repressor, and UBC-18–ARI-1, a complex involved in ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, negatively regulate SUP-35 abundance through distinct mechanisms. We also show that HCF-1, a C. elegans homolog of host cell factor 1, functionally antagonizes LIN-35 in the regulation of sup-35. Our cumulative findings piece together the components of a novel regulatory network that includes LIN-35/Rb, which functions to control organ morphogenesis. Our results also shed light on general mechanisms that may underlie developmental genetic redundancies as well as principles that may govern complex disease traits.

One of the more puzzling aspects of genetics is that the inactivation of many genes fails to produce strong deleterious effects on the organisms that carry those genes. In some cases, however, the combined inactivation of two or more such genes can lead to the expression of robust abnormal phenotypes. These types of synthetic genetic interactions are thought to reflect the presence of functional overlap or redundancy between the involved genes. The root mechanisms that underlie synthetic interactions are thought to be complex and are in most cases poorly understood. Our work here focuses on one case study where we have uncovered the molecular basis underlying a complex set of genetic redundancies in C. elegans. More specifically, we have discovered a novel regulatory network that connects eight genes controlling embryonic foregut development in the nematode C. elegans. By solving mechanisms of this nature, our analysis provides a means for understanding more generally the principles that govern genetic redundancies. Our work also provides insight into the bases of complex disease traits, where the combined interactions of multiple genetic factors leads to outcomes that determine health or disease.

Caenorhabditis elegans HCF-1 functions in longevity maintenance as a DAF-16 regulator

The transcription factor DAF-16/forkhead box O (FOXO) is a critical longevity determinant in diverse organisms, however the molecular basis of how its transcriptional activity is regulated remains largely unknown. We report that the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of host cell factor 1 (HCF-1) represents a new longevity modulator and functions as a negative regulator of DAF-16. In C. elegans, hcf-1 inactivation caused a daf-16-dependent lifespan extension of up to 40% and heightened resistance to specific stress stimuli. HCF-1 showed ubiquitous nuclear localization and physically associated with DAF-16. Furthermore, loss of hcf-1 resulted in elevated DAF-16 recruitment to the promoters of its target genes and altered expression of a subset of DAF-16-regulated genes. We propose that HCF-1 modulates C. elegans longevity and stress response by forming a complex with DAF-16 and limiting a fraction of DAF-16 from accessing its target gene promoters, and thereby regulates DAF-16-mediated transcription of selective target genes. As HCF-1 is highly conserved, our findings have important implications for aging and FOXO regulation in mammals.

Epigenetic regulation of histone H3 serine 10 phosphorylation status by HCF-1 proteins in C. elegans and mammalian cells

BACKGROUND

The human herpes simplex virus (HSV) host cell factor HCF-1 is a transcriptional coregulator that associates with both histone methyl- and acetyltransferases, and a histone deacetylase and regulates cell proliferation and division. In HSV-infected cells, HCF-1 associates with the viral protein VP16 to promote formation of a multiprotein-DNA transcriptional activator complex. The ability of HCF proteins to stabilize this VP16-induced complex has been conserved in diverse animal species including Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans suggesting that VP16 targets a conserved cellular function of HCF-1.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

To investigate the role of HCF proteins in animal development, we have characterized the effects of loss of the HCF-1 homolog in C. elegans, called Ce HCF-1. Two large hcf-1 deletion mutants (pk924 and ok559) are viable but display reduced fertility. Loss of Ce HCF-1 protein at reduced temperatures (e.g., 12 degrees C), however, leads to a high incidence of embryonic lethality and early embryonic mitotic and cytokinetic defects reminiscent of mammalian cell-division defects upon loss of HCF-1 function. Even when viable, however, at normal temperature, mutant embryos display reduced levels of phospho-histone H3 serine 10 (H3S10P), a modification implicated in both transcriptional and mitotic regulation. Mammalian cells with defective HCF-1 also display defects in mitotic H3S10P status.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that HCF-1 proteins possess conserved roles in the regulation of cell division and mitotic histone phosphorylation.

Species selectivity of mixed-lineage leukemia/trithorax and HCF proteolytic maturation pathways

Site-specific proteolytic processing plays important roles in the regulation of cellular activities. The histone modification activity of the human trithorax group mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) protein and the cell cycle regulatory activity of the cell proliferation factor herpes simplex virus host cell factor 1 (HCF-1) are stimulated by cleavage of precursors that generates stable heterodimeric complexes. MLL is processed by a protease called taspase 1, whereas the precise mechanisms of HCF-1 maturation are unclear, although they are known to depend on a series of sequence repeats called HCF-1(PRO) repeats. We demonstrate here that the Drosophila homologs of MLL and HCF-1, called Trithorax and dHCF, are both cleaved by Drosophila taspase 1. Although highly related, the human and Drosophila taspase 1 proteins display cognate species specificity. Thus, human taspase 1 preferentially cleaves MLL and Drosophila taspase 1 preferentially cleaves Trithorax, consistent with coevolution of taspase 1 and MLL/Trithorax proteins. HCF proteins display even greater species-specific divergence in processing: whereas dHCF is cleaved by the Drosophila taspase 1, human and mouse HCF-1 maturation is taspase 1 independent. Instead, human and Xenopus HCF-1PRO repeats are cleaved in vitro by a human proteolytic activity with novel properties. Thus, from insects to humans, HCF proteins have conserved proteolytic maturation but evolved different mechanisms.

Dynamic interplay between O-linked N-acetylglucosaminylation and glycogen synthase kinase-3-dependent phosphorylation

O-GlcNAcylation on serine and threonine side chains of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins is dynamically regulated in response to various environmental and biological stimuli. O-GlcNAcylation is remarkably similar to O-phosphorylation and appears to have a dynamic interplay with O-phosphate in cellular regulation. A systematic glycoproteomics analysis of the affects of inhibiting specific kinases on O-GlcNAcylation should help reveal both the global and specific dynamic relationships between these two abundant post-translational modifications. Here we report the O-GlcNAc perturbations in response to inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a pivotal kinase involved in many signaling pathways. By combining immunoaffinity chromatography and SILAC (stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture)-based quantitative mass spectrometry, we identified 45 potentially O-GlcNAcylated proteins. Quantitative measurements indicated that at least 10 proteins had an apparent increase of O-GlcNAcylation upon GSK-3 inhibition by lithium, whereas surprisingly 19 other proteins showed decreases. O-GlcNAcylation changes on a subset of the proteins were confirmed by follow-up experiments. By combining a new O-GlcNAc peptide enrichment method and beta-elimination followed by Michael addition with DTT, we also mapped the O-GlcNAc site (Ser-55) of vimentin, which showed an apparent increase of O-GlcNAcylation upon GSK-3 inhibition. Based on the MS data, we further investigated potential roles of O-GlcNAc on host cell factor-1, a transcription co-activator, and showed that dynamic regulation of O-GlcNAcylation on host cell factor-1 influenced its subcellular distribution. Taken together, these data indicated the complex interplay between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation that occurs within signaling networks.

A C-terminal targeting signal controls differential compartmentalisation of Caenorhabditis elegans host cell factor (HCF) to the nucleus or mitochondria

HCF-1 (host cell factor 1) is a human protein originally identified as a component of the VP16 transcription complex. A related protein HCF-2 is also present in humans and while at least HCF-1 appears to be required for normal cell growth there is currently little information on the precise cellular role(s) of these proteins. C. elegans contains a single HCF orthologue (CeHCF) which is very closely related to human HCF-2. To contribute to an understanding of the activities of these proteins here we analyse the subcellular localisation of the CeHCF protein in live transgenic worms and in mammalian cells. We constructed a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion of CeHCF and studied localisation after ectopic expression under the control of a heat shock protein promoter. The CeHCF-GFP protein accumulated in the cell nuclei at every stage of development and in a wide variety of cell types. Nuclear accumulation with nucleolar sparing was evident on the larvae and adult stages, but not earlier in development in which the protein accumulated diffusely in the nucleoplasm. Surprisingly the same protein accumulated in the mitochondria of a stable HeLa cell line, suggesting a differential localisation of CeHCF in mammalian cells. Furthermore, when overexpressed in transient transfection the CeHCF accumulated in both nuclear and mitochondrial compartments. We have refined the targeting determinants of CeHCF to the last 23 amino acids at the extreme C-terminus and show that they contain interdigitated amino acids involved in both nuclear and mitochondrial targeting. This novel targeting signal is sufficient to redirect HCF-2 into mitochondria. It can also be transferred to an unrelated protein, resulting in its targeting to both the mitochondrial and nuclear compartments.

Molecular phylogeny of the kelch-repeat superfamily reveals an expansion of BTB/kelch proteins in animals

Background

The kelch motif is an ancient and evolutionarily-widespread sequence motif of 44–56 amino acids in length. It occurs as five to seven repeats that form a β-propeller tertiary structure. Over 28 kelch-repeat proteins have been sequenced and functionally characterised from diverse organisms spanning from viruses, plants and fungi to mammals and it is evident from expressed sequence tag, domain and genome databases that many additional hypothetical proteins contain kelch-repeats. In general, kelch-repeat β-propellers are involved in protein-protein interactions, however the modest sequence identity between kelch motifs, the diversity of domain architectures, and the partial information on this protein family in any single species, all present difficulties to developing a coherent view of the kelch-repeat domain and the kelch-repeat protein superfamily. To understand the complexity of this superfamily of proteins, we have analysed by bioinformatics the complement of kelch-repeat proteins encoded in the human genome and have made comparisons to the kelch-repeat proteins encoded in other sequenced genomes.

Results

We identified 71 kelch-repeat proteins encoded in the human genome, whereas 5 or 8 members were identified in yeasts and around 18 in C. elegans, D. melanogaster and A. gambiae. Multiple domain architectures were identified in each organism, including previously unrecognised forms. The vast majority of kelch-repeat domains are predicted to form six-bladed β-propellers. The most prevalent domain architecture in the metazoan animal genomes studied was the BTB/kelch domain organisation and we uncovered 3 subgroups of human BTB/kelch proteins. Sequence analysis of the kelch-repeat domains of the most robustly-related subgroups identified differences in β-propeller organisation that could provide direction for experimental study of protein-binding characteristics.

Conclusion

The kelch-repeat superfamily constitutes a distinct and evolutionarily-widespread family of β-propeller domain-containing proteins. Expansion of the family during the evolution of multicellular animals is mainly accounted for by a major expansion of the BTB/kelch domain architecture. BTB/kelch proteins constitute 72 % of the kelch-repeat superfamily of H. sapiens and form three subgroups, one of which appears the most-conserved during evolution. Distinctions in propeller blade organisation between subgroups 1 and 2 were identified that could provide new direction for biochemical and functional studies of novel kelch-repeat proteins.

The herpes simplex virus VP16-induced complex: the makings of a regulatory switch

When herpes simplex virus (HSV) infects human cells, it is able to enter two modes of infection: lytic and latent. A key activator of lytic infection is a virion protein called VP16, which, upon infection of a permissive cell, forms a transcriptional regulatory complex with two cellular proteins - the POU-domain transcription factor Oct-1 and the cell-proliferation factor HCF-1 - to activate transcription of the first set of expressed viral genes. This regulatory complex, called the VP16-induced complex, reveals mechanisms of combinatorial control of transcription. The activities of Oct-1 and HCF-1 - two important regulators of cellular gene expression and proliferation - illuminate strategies by which HSV might coexist with its host.

Proteolytic processing is necessary to separate and ensure proper cell growth and cytokinesis functions of HCF-1

HCF-1 is a highly conserved and abundant chromatin-associated host cell factor required for transcriptional activation of herpes simplex virus immediate-early genes by the virion protein VP16. HCF-1 exists as a heterodimeric complex of associated N- (HCF-1(N)) and C- (HCF-1(C)) terminal subunits that result from proteolytic processing of a precursor protein. We have used small-interfering RNA (siRNA) to inactivate HCF-1 in an array of normal and transformed mammalian cells to identify its cellular functions. Our results show that HCF-1 is a broadly acting regulator of two stages of the cell cycle: exit from mitosis, where it ensures proper cytokinesis, and passage through the G(1) phase, where it promotes cell cycle progression. Proteolytic processing is necessary to separate and ensure these two HCF-1 activities, which are performed by separate HCF-1 subunits: the HCF-1(N) subunit promotes passage through the G(1) phase whereas the HCF-1(C) subunit is involved in proper exit from mitosis. These results suggest that HCF-1 links the regulation of exit from mitosis and the G(1) phase of cell growth, possibly to coordinate the reactivation of gene expression after mitosis.

Molecular cloning of Drosophila HCF reveals proteolytic processing and self-association of the encoded protein

HCF-1 functions as a coactivator for herpes simplex virus VP16 and a number of mammalian transcription factors. Mature HCF-1 is composed of two subunits generated by proteolytic cleavage of a larger precursor at six centrally-located HCF(PRO) repeats. The resulting N- and C-terminal subunits remain tightly associated via two complementary pairs of self-association domains: termed SAS1N-SAS1C and SAS2N-SAS2C. Additional HCF proteins have been identified in mammals (HCF-2) and Caenorhabditis elegans (CeHCF). Both contain well-conserved SAS1 domains but do not undergo proteolytic processing. Thus, the significance of the cleavage and self-association of HCF-1 remains enigmatic. Here, we describe the isolation of the Drosophila HCF homologue (dHCF) using a genetic screen based on conservation of the SAS1 interaction. The N-terminal beta-propeller domain of dHCF supports VP16-induced complex formation and is more similar to mammalian HCF-1 than other homologues. We show that full-length dHCF expressed in Drosophila cells undergoes proteolytic cleavage giving rise to tightly associated N- and C-terminal subunits. As with HCF-1, the SAS1N and SAS1C elements of dHCF are separated by a large central region, however, this sequence lacks obvious homology to the HCF(PRO) repeats required for HCF-1 cleavage. The conservation of HCF processing in insect cells argues that formation of separate N- and C-terminal subunits is important for HCF function.

Stabilization but not the transcriptional activity of herpes simplex virus VP16-induced complexes is evolutionarily conserved among HCF family members

The human herpes simplex virus (HSV) protein VP16 induces formation of a transcriptional regulatory complex with two cellular factors-the POU homeodomain transcription factor Oct-1 and the cell proliferation factor HCF-1-to activate viral immediate-early-gene transcription. Although the cellular role of Oct-1 in transcription is relatively well understood, the cellular role of HCF-1 in cell proliferation is enigmatic. HCF-1 and the related protein HCF-2 form an HCF protein family in humans that is related to a Caenorhabditis elegans homolog called CeHCF. In this study, we show that all three proteins can promote VP16-induced-complex formation, indicating that VP16 targets a highly conserved function of HCF proteins. The resulting VP16-induced complexes, however, display different transcriptional activities. In contrast to HCF-1 and CeHCF, HCF-2 fails to support VP16 activation of transcription effectively. These results suggest that, along with HCF-1, HCF-2 could have a role, albeit probably a different role, in HSV infection. CeHCF can mimic HCF-1 for both association with viral and cellular proteins and transcriptional activation, suggesting that the function(s) of HCF-1 targeted by VP16 has been highly conserved throughout metazoan evolution.

DNA recognition by the herpes simplex virus transactivator VP16: a novel DNA-binding structure

Upon infection, the herpes simplex virus (HSV) transcriptional activator VP16 directs the formation of a multiprotein-DNA complex-the VP16-induced complex-with two cellular proteins, the host cell factor HCF-1 and the POU domain transcription factor Oct-1, on TAATGARAT-containing sequences found in the promoters of HSV immediate-early genes. HSV VP16 contains carboxy-terminal sequences important for transcriptional activation and a central conserved core that is important for VP16-induced complex assembly. On its own, VP16 displays little, if any, sequence-specific DNA-binding activity. We show here that, within the VP16-induced complex, however, the VP16 core has an important role in DNA binding. Mutation of basic residues on the surface of the VP16 core reveals a novel DNA-binding surface with essential residues which are conserved among VP16 orthologs. These results illuminate how, through association with DNA, VP16 is able to interpret cis-regulatory signals in the DNA to direct the assembly of a multiprotein-DNA transcriptional regulatory complex.