Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.1.21 (thymidine kinase)
 7,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A monkey kidney cDNA that encodes a nuclear regulatory factor was identified by expression and affinity binding to a synthetic retinoic acid response element (RARE) and was used to isolate human placental and rat germ cell cDNAs by hybridization. The cDNAs encode a 59-kDa protein [nuclear DEAF-1-related (NUDR)] which shows sequence similarity to the Drosophila Deformed epidermal autoregulatory factor-1 (DEAF-1), a nonhomeodomain cofactor of embryonic Deformed gene expression. Similarities to other proteins indicate five functional domains in NUDR including an alanine-rich region prevalent in developmental transcription factors, a domain found in the promyelocytic leukemia-associated SP100 proteins, and a zinc finger homology domain associated with the AML1/MTG8 oncoprotein. Although NUDR mRNA displayed a wide tissue distribution in rats, elevated levels of protein were only observed in testicular germ cells, developing fetus, and transformed cell lines. Nuclear localization of NUDR was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and by a green fluorescent protein-NUDR fusion protein. Site-directed mutagenesis of a nuclear localization signal resulted in cytoplasmic localization of the protein and eliminated NUDR-dependent transcriptional activation. Recombinant NUDR protein showed affinity for the RARE in mobility shifts; however it was efficiently displaced by retinoic acid receptor (RAR)/retinoid X receptor (RXR) complexes. In transient transfections, NUDR produced up to 26-fold inductions of a human proenkephalin promoter-reporter plasmid, with minimal effects on the promoters for prodynorphin or thymidine kinase. Placement of a RARE on the proenkephalin promoter increased NUDR-dependent activation to 41-fold, but this RARE-dependent increase was not transferable to a thymidine kinase promoter. Recombinant NUDR protein showed minimal binding affinity for proenkephalin promoter sequences, but was able to select DNA sequences from a random oligonucleotide library that had similar core-binding motifs (TTCG) as those recognized by DEAF-1. This motif is also present between the half-sites of several endogenous RAREs. The derived consensus- binding motif recognized by NUDR (TTCGGGNNTTTCCGG) was confirmed by mobility shift and deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) protection assays; however, the consensus sequence was also unable to confer NUDR-dependent transcriptional activation to the thymidine kinase promoter. Our data suggests that NUDR may activate transcription independently of promoter binding, perhaps through protein-protein interaction with basal transcription factors, or by activation of secondary factors. The sequence and functional similarities between NUDR and DEAF-1 suggest that NUDR may also act as a cofactor to regulate the transcription of genes during fetal development or differentiation of testicular cells.
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PMID:Characterization of a nuclear deformed epidermal autoregulatory factor-1 (DEAF-1)-related (NUDR) transcriptional regulator protein. 977 84

Induction of the prodynorphin gene has been implicated in medium and long-term adaptation during memory acquisition and pain. By 5' deletion mapping and site-directed mutagenesis of the human prodynorphin promoter, we demonstrate that both basal transcription and protein kinase A (PKA)-induced transcription in NB69 and SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells are regulated by the GAGTCAAGG sequence centered at position +40 in the 5' untranslated region of the gene (named the DRE, for downstream regulatory element). The DRE repressed basal transcription in an orientation-independent and cell-specific manner when placed downstream from the heterologous thymidine kinase promoter. Southwestern blotting and UV cross-linking experiments with nuclear extracts from human neuroblastoma cells or human brain revealed a protein complex of approximately 110 kDa that specifically bound to the DRE. Forskolin treatment reduced binding to the DRE, and the time course paralleled that for an increase in prodynorphin gene expression. Our results suggest that under basal conditions, expression of the prodynorphin gene is repressed by occupancy of the DRE site. Upon PKA stimulation, binding to the DRE is reduced and transcription increases. We propose a model for human prodynorphin activation through PKA-dependent derepression at the DRE site.
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PMID:Protein kinase A-dependent derepression of the human prodynorphin gene via differential binding to an intragenic silencer element. 981 80