Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.6 (RNA polymerase)
 34,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The general transcription factor TFIID facilitates recruitment of the transcription machinery to gene promoters and regulates initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. hTAF(II)130, a component of TFIID, interacts with and serves as a coactivator for multiple transcriptional regulatory proteins, including Sp1 and CREB. A yeast two-hybrid screen has identified an interaction between hTAF(II)130 and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1), a chromatin-associated protein whose function has been implicated in gene silencing. We find that hTAF(II)130 associates with HP1 in an isoform-specific manner: HP1alpha and HP1gamma bind to hTAF(II)130, but not HP1beta. In addition, we show that endogenous hTAF(II)130 and components of TFIID in HeLa nuclear extracts associate with glutathione S-transferase-HP1alpha and -HP1gamma. hTAF(II)130 possesses a pentapeptide HP1-binding motif, and mutation of the hTAF(II)130 HP1 box compromises the interaction of hTAF(II)130 with HP1. We demonstrate that Gal4-HP1 proteins interfere with hTAF(II)130-mediated activation of transcription. Our results suggest that HP1alpha and HP1gamma associate with hTAF(II)130 to mediate repression of transcription, supporting a new model of transcriptional repression involving a specific interaction between a component of TFIID and chromatin.
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PMID:Isoform-specific interaction of HP1 with human TAFII130. 1195 14

HIV-1 gene expression is regulated by a viral transactivator protein (Tat) which induces transcriptional elongation of HIV-1 long tandem repeat (LTR). This induction requires hyperphosphorylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) repeats of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). To achieve CTD hyperphosphorylation, Tat stimulates CTD kinases associated with general transcription factors of the promoter complex, specifically TFIIH-associated CDK7 and positive transcription factor b-associated CDK9 (cyclin-dependent kinase 9). Other studies indicate that Tat may bind an additional CTD kinase that regulates the target-specific phosphorylation of RNA Pol II CTD. We previously reported that Tat-associated T-cell-derived kinase (TTK), purified from human primary T-cells, stimulates Tat-dependent transcription of HIV-1 LTR in vivo [Nekhai, Shukla, Fernandez, Kumar and Lamb (2000) Virology 266, 246-256]. In the work presented here, we characterized the components of TTK by biochemical fractionation and the function of TTK in transcription assays in vitro. TTK uniquely co-purified with CDK2 and not with either CDK9 or CDK7. Tat induced the TTK-associated CDK2 kinase to phosphorylate CTD, specifically at Ser-2 residues. The TTK fraction restored Tat-mediated transcription activation of HIV-1 LTR in a HeLa nuclear extract immunodepleted of CDK9, but not in the HeLa nuclear extract double-depleted of CDK9 and CDK7. Direct microinjection of the TTK fraction augmented Tat transactivation of HIV-1 LTR in human primary HS68 fibroblasts. The results argue that TTK-associated CDK2 may function to maintain target-specific phosphorylation of RNA Pol II that is essential for Tat transactivation of HIV-1 promoter. They are also consistent with the observed cell-cycle-specific induction of viral gene transactivation.
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PMID:HIV-1 Tat-associated RNA polymerase C-terminal domain kinase, CDK2, phosphorylates CDK7 and stimulates Tat-mediated transcription. 1204 28

Expression of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is regulated by the viral transcriptional activator Tax. Tax activates viral transcription through interaction with the cellular transcription factor CREB and the coactivators CBP/p300. One key property of the coactivators is the presence of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, which enables p300/CBP to modify nucleosome structure. The data presented in this manuscript demonstrate that full-length p300 and CBP facilitate transcription of a reconstituted chromatin template in the presence of Tax and CREB. The ability of p300 and CBP to activate transcription from the chromatin template is dependent upon the HAT activity. Moreover, the coactivator HAT activity must be tethered to the template by Tax and CREB, since a p300 mutant that fails to interact with Tax did not facilitate transcription or acetylate histones. p300 acetylates histones H3 and H4 within nucleosomes located in the promoter and 5' proximal regions of the template. Nucleosome acetylation is accompanied by an increase in the level of binding of RNA polymerase II transcription factor TFIID and RNA polymerase II to the promoter. Interestingly, we found distinct transcriptional activities between CBP and p300. CBP, but not p300, possesses an N-terminal activation domain which directly activates Tax-mediated HTLV-1 transcription from a naked DNA template. Finally, using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we provide the first direct experimental evidence that p300 and CBP are associated with the HTLV-1 long terminal repeat in vivo.
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PMID:Acetylation of nucleosomal histones by p300 facilitates transcription from tax-responsive human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 chromatin template. 1205 56

It is known that nuclear DNA helicase II (NDH II) links CREB-binding protein directly to RNA polymerase II holoenzyme, and that this interaction is essential for gene activation by CREB. Here, we report for the first time that some NDH II/RNA helicase A is a component of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML NBs). An autoimmune serum specific for PML NBs was identified and used in immunoprecipitation experiments. NDH II was present in the immunoprecipitates as shown by mass spectrometry and by immunoblotting. Immunofluorescence and ultrastructural studies showed that NDH II colocalizes with a small subset of PML NBs in control cells, however, colocalizes with practically all bodies in interferon-alpha-stimulated cells. After interferon stimulation, more PML NBs were found to contain newly synthesized RNA, as indicated by bromouridine incorporation. PML NBs also contain RNA polymerase II. The association of NDH II with PML NBs was transcriptionally dependent, and NDH II was present in all bodies with nascent RNA. Blocking of mRNA synthesis caused NDH II relocalization from nucleoplasm to nucleoli. Based on the data, we suggest that NDH II recruitment to PML NBs is connected with transcriptional regulation of interferon-alpha-inducible genes attached to PML NBs.
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PMID:Nuclear DNA helicase II is recruited to IFN-alpha-activated transcription sites at PML nuclear bodies. 1216 69

RNA helicase A (RHA) is a member of ATPase/helicase and regulates the transcription through recruitment of Pol II and/or by ATP dependent mechanisms. In CREB-dependent transcription, RHA recruits RNA polymerase (Pol) II to the CREB binding protein (CBP) via the minimal transactivation domain (MTAD). This region is well conserved among RHA homologues, whereas it is unique to RHA. The three conserved tryptophan residues in MTAD are critical for transactivation. To understand the importance of tryptophan residues on transactivation, we generated mutants in which tryptophan residues were replaced by other aromatic, bulky hydrophobic or small hydrophobic amino acids. Substitutions of tryptophan with either bulky hydrophobic or small hydrophobic amino acid decreased transcriptional activity, whereas aromatic residue had no effect. Moreover, these mutants with tryptophan to phenylalanine, activated CREB-dependent transcription. These results indicate that aromatic characteristics of tryptophan residues in MTAD are important for CREB-dependent transcription via RHA.
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PMID:Aromatic residues are required for RNA helicase A mediated transactivation. 1285 13

RNA interference (RNAi) is mediated by small interfering (si) RNAs that target and degrade mRNA in a sequence-specific manner. Cellular expression of siRNA can be achieved by the use of expression cassettes driven by RNA polymerase III (pol III) promoters. Here, we demonstrate that a modified tRNA(met)-derived (MTD) promoter effectively drives the cellular expression of HIV-1-specific siRNA. We observed up to 56% greater inhibition of virus production when the MTD promoter was used to drive the expression of short hairpin (sh) RNA targeting the HIV-1 transactivator protein tat compared to cassettes containing other pol III promoters such as H1, U6+1 and U6+27. We conclude that the MTD promoter is ideally suited to drive intracellular expression of HIV-1 specific siRNA and may serve as an important component of future RNAi vector delivery systems.
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PMID:Promoter choice affects the potency of HIV-1 specific RNA interference. 1293 Sep 53

The human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) transactivator protein Tat is an unusual transcriptional activator that is thought to act solely by promoting RNA polymerase II processivity. Here we study the mechanism of Tat action by analyzing transcription complex (TC) assembly in vivo using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. We find, unexpectedly, that like typical activators Tat dramatically stimulates TC assembly. Surprisingly, however, the TC formed on the HIV-1 long terminal repeat is atypical and contains TATA-box-binding protein (TBP) but not TBP-associated factors (TAFs). Tat function involves direct interaction with the cellular cofactor positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb). Artificial tethering of P-TEFb subunits to HIV-1 promoter DNA or nascent RNA indicates that P-TEFb is responsible for directing assembly of a TC containing TBP but not TAFs. On the basis of this finding, we identify P-TEFb-dependent cellular promoters that also recruit TBP in the absence of TAFs. Thus, in mammalian cells transcription of protein-coding genes involves alternative TCs that differ by the presence or absence of TAFs.
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PMID:HIV-1 Tat stimulates transcription complex assembly through recruitment of TBP in the absence of TAFs. 1571 58

RNA polymerase II general transcription factor TFIID is a macromolecular complex comprising the TATA-binding protein, TBP and 13-14 evolutionary conserved TBP-associated factors, TAFs. Although genetic experiments have shown that TAFs are essential for cell cycle progression in yeast and in rapidly proliferating vertebrate cells in vitro, new experiments indicate they may be dispensible in specific developmental and physiological processes. Moreover, the TAF4 subunit of TFIID negatively regulates proliferation by inhibiting activation of the TGFbeta signalling pathway by its paralogue TAF4b. TAF4 is however essential in the retinoic acid and cAMP signalling pathways acting as a cofactor for CREB and the retinoic acid receptor, but is a negative regulator of the ATF7 transcription factor.
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PMID:New insights into TAFs as regulators of cell cycle and signaling pathways. 1620 17

Posttranslational modifications of histones play an essential role in heterochromatin assembly. Whereas the role of Clr4/Suv39h-mediated methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9) in heterochromatin assembly is well studied, the exact function of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in this process is unclear. We show that Clr3, a fission yeast homolog of mammalian class II HDACs, acts in a distinct pathway parallel to RNAi-directed heterochromatin nucleation to recruit Clr4 and mediate H3K9 methylation at the silent mating-type region and centromeres. At the mat locus, Clr3 is recruited at a specific site through a mechanism involving ATF/CREB family proteins. Once recruited, Clr3 spreads across the 20 kb silenced domain that requires its own HDAC activity and heterochromatin proteins including Swi6/HP1. We also demonstrate that Clr3 contributes to heterochromatin maintenance by stabilizing H3K9 trimethylation and by preventing histone modifications associated with active transcription, and that it limits RNA polymerase II accessibility to naturally silenced repeats at heterochromatin domains.
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PMID:The nucleation and maintenance of heterochromatin by a histone deacetylase in fission yeast. 1624 21

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is integrated into the host cell DNA and assembled into nucleosomes. Within the repressive chromatin environment, the virally encoded Tax protein mediates the recruitment of the coactivators CREB-binding protein/p300 to the HTLV-1 promoter, located within the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of the provirus. These proteins carry acetyltransferase activity that is essential for strong transcriptional activation of the virus in the context of chromatin. Consistent with this, the amino-terminal tails of nucleosomal histones at the viral promoter are acetylated in Tax-expressing cells. We have developed a system in which we transfect Tax into cells carrying integrated copies of the HTLV-1 LTR driving the luciferase gene to analyze changes in "activating" histone modifications at the LTR. Unexpectedly, Tax transactivation led to an apparent reduction of these modifications at the HTLV-1 promoter and downstream region that correlates with a similar reduction in histone H3 and linker histone H1. Micrococcal nuclease protection analysis showed that less LTR-luciferase DNA is nucleosomal in Tax-expressing cells. Furthermore, nucleosome depletion correlated with RNA polymerase II recruitment and loss of SWI/SNF. The M47 Tax mutant, deficient in HTLV-1 transcriptional activation, was also defective for nucleosome depletion. Although this mutant formed complexes with CREB and p300 at the HTLV-1 promoter in vivo, it was unable to mediate RNA polymerase II recruitment or SWI/SNF displacement. These results support a model in which nucleosomes are depleted from the LTR and transcribed region during Tax-mediated transcriptional activation and correlate RNA polymerase II recruitment with nucleosome depletion.
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PMID:Tax-dependent displacement of nucleosomes during transcriptional activation of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. 1654 51


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