Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P51532 (transcriptional activator)
 6,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

GCN2 is a protein kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is required for increased expression of the transcriptional activator GCN4 in amino acid-starved cells. GCN2 stimulates GCN4 synthesis at the translational level by phosphorylating the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2). We identified a truncated form of the GLC7 gene, encoding the catalytic subunit of a type 1 protein phosphatase, by its ability to restore derepression of GCN4 expression in a strain containing the partially defective gcn2-507 allele. Genetic analysis suggests that the truncated GLC7 allele has a dominant negative phenotype, reducing the level of native type 1 protein phosphatase activity in the cell. The truncated form of GLC7 does not suppress the regulatory defect associated with a gcn2 deletion or a mutation in the phosphorylation site of eIF-2 alpha (Ser-51). In addition, the presence of multiple copies of wild-type GLC7 impairs the derepression of GCN4 that occurs in response to amino acid starvation or dominant-activating mutations in GCN2. These findings suggest that the phosphatase activity of GLC7 acts in opposition to the kinase activity of GCN2 in modulating the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation and the translational efficiency of GCN4 mRNA. This conclusion is supported by biochemical studies showing that the truncated GLC7 allele increases the level of eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation in the gcn2-507 mutant to a level approaching that seen in wild-type cells under starvation conditions. The truncated GLC7 allele also leads to reduced glycogen accumulation, indicating that this protein phosphatase is involved in regulating diverse metabolic pathways in yeast cells.
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PMID:Truncated protein phosphatase GLC7 restores translational activation of GCN4 expression in yeast mutants defective for the eIF-2 alpha kinase GCN2. 133 44

Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) is a transcriptional activator that binds to the interleukin-2 promoter and is believed to be responsible for T-cell-specific interleukin-2 gene expression. Here we demonstrate using electrophoretic mobility shift assays that nuclear NFAT can be induced in the rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cell line and rat bone marrow-derived mast cells upon cross-linkage of the high affinity receptor (Fc epsilon RI) for immunoglobulin E (IgE). Receptor-dependent activation of NFAT was mimicked by the combination of the protein kinase C activator phorbol myristate acetate and the calcium ionophore ionomycin. The induced binding activity was specific for the NFAT recognition motif because competition with nonradioactive NFAT oligonucleotide abolished the DNA binding activity, whereas nonradioactive oligonucleotides recognized by the transcription factors NF kappa B, glucocorticoid receptors, and TFIID did not. An oligonucleotide representing the AP-1 recognition sequence also blocked the NFAT DNA binding activity, as did a combination of anti-Fos and anti-Jun antibodies. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, AP-1-binding proteins were found to be induced in RBL-2H3 cells under the same conditions as was the NFAT binding activity. Together these data suggest that the NFAT complex in mast cells contains Fos and Jun proteins as does NFAT in T-cells. The appearance of nuclear NFAT binding activity was dependent in part upon calcium mobilization, as buffering the antigen-induced calcium rise with intracellular BAPTA strongly inhibited NFAT activation. Prevention of calcium influx with external EGTA also inhibited NFAT activation, indicating that release of calcium from internal stores was insufficient for sustained activation of mast cell NFAT. Cyclosporin A, a potent inhibitor of the calmodulin-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, blocked the induction of NFAT-DNA binding activity, implicating calcineurin as a key signaling enzyme in this pathway. These results suggest that NFAT is present in the mast cell line RBL-2H3 and in primary bone marrow-derived mast cells, is similar in subunit composition to the T-cell NFAT, and may play a role in calcium-dependent signal transduction in mast cells.
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PMID:Fc epsilon RI-mediated induction of nuclear factor of activated T-cells. 760 2

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates the development and germination of seeds, as well as the adaptation of vegetative tissues to conditions of environmental stress. During the past year, considerable insights have been gained into the molecular nature of the complex signaling network that mediates the actions of ABA. Biophysical studies indicate that at least some of the effects of ABA in stomatal guard cells involve intracellular receptors. Also, increasing evidence supports the view that guard cells contain redundant ABA transduction pathways, and that cytoplasmic Ca2+ acts as a second messenger in at least one of these pathways. Finally, mutational analysis in Arabidopsis indicates that the multiple effects of ABA at the whole plant level are mediated by overlapping branches of a highly ramified signaling network. Two Arabidopsis loci that determine ABA sensitivity have already been cloned and found to encode a protein phosphatase and a transcriptional activator.
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PMID:Abscisic acid signaling. 761 76

The immunosuppressants cyclosporin and FK506 block the calcium-dependent signal-transduction pathway emanating from the T-cell receptor, thereby inhibiting the activation of helper T cells. Using these drugs as probes, chemists and biologists have uncovered several intracellular signaling molecules bridging the generation of second-messenger Ca2+ ion and the transcriptional activation of IL-2, among which are calmodulin, calcineurin and the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT). Hence, Ca2+ binds to calmodulin, leading to the binding of calmodulin to calcineurin; the activated calcineurin, in turn, may dephosphorylate the cytoplasmic subunit of NF-AT, resulting in its translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus to form a competent transcriptional activator. As described by Jun Liu these drugs manifest their effects in an unprecedented fashion. They do not directly intercept intracellular signaling molecules. Instead, they form tight complexes with two different classes of abundant cytosolic receptors called immunophilins upon entering the cell, and consequently inhibit their peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase activities. The two structurally distinct immunophilin-drug complexes bind to, and inhibit, the phosphatase activity of calcineurin.
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PMID:FK506 and cyclosporin, molecular probes for studying intracellular signal transduction. 769 Oct 65

The immunosuppressants ciclosporin and FK506 block the Ca(2+)-dependent signal-transduction pathway emanating from the T-cell receptor, thereby inhibiting the activation of helper T cells. Using these drugs as probes, chemists and biologists have uncovered several intracellular signalling molecules bridging the generation of second-messenger Ca2+ ions and the transcriptional activation of IL-2, among which are calmodulin, calcineurin and the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT). Hence, Ca2+ binds to calmodulin, leading to the binding of calmodulin to calcineurin; the activated calcineurin, in turn, may dephosphorylate the cytoplasmic subunit of NF-AT, resulting in its translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus to form a competent transcriptional activator. As described by Jun Liu, these drugs manifest their effects in an unprecedented fashion. They do not directly intercept intracellular signalling molecules. Instead, they form tight complexes with two different classes of abundant cytosolic receptors called immunophilins upon entering the cell, and consequently inhibit their peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase activities. The two structurally distinct immunophilin-drug complexes bind to, and inhibit, the phosphatase activity of calcineurin.
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PMID:FK506 and ciclosporin: molecular probes for studying intracellular signal transduction. 769 52

Ceramide is known to induce pRb (retinoblastoma gene product) dephosphorylation through the activation of ceramide-activated protein phosphatase (CAPP) during G1 arrest, but other molecular mechanisms linked to regulation of pRb dephosphorylation during ceramide-induced G1 arrest are poorly understood. In this paper, we investigated whether p21, a cdk (cyclin-dependent kinase) inhibitor, is involved in the induction of pRb dephosphorylation during ceramide-induced G1 arrest. In SK-Hep-1 cells, the addition of ceramide resulted in pRb dephosphorylation and G1 arrest. The activity of cdk2 was inhibited in response to ceramide during this process. p21 protein and mRNA were remarkably induced, while the protein level of p53, known as a transcriptional activator of p21, was not elevated at the same condition. p21 induction was also observed in the Hep3B cells lacking a functional p53 after exposure to ceramide. Although p21 is induced in ceramide-treated Hep3B cells, Hep3B cells do not induce G1 arrest, because Hep3B cells are deficient in a functional pRb protein. To confirm that pRb is a critical target for the induction of G1 arrest by inhibiting cdk2 activity through p53-independent p21, pRb-expressing vector was transfected into Hep3B cells. After treatment with ceramide, pRb-expressing cells (pRb+/+), but not pRb-/- cells, were arrested in G1 phase. In pRb+/+ cells, ceramide-mediated G1 arrest was accompanied by the accumulation of hypophosphorylated pRb and p21 associated with cdk2. Together, these results suggest that p21, induced through p53-independent pathway, participates in the induction of pRb dephosphorylation by inhibiting cdk2 activity during ceramide-mediated G1 arrest in hepatocarcinoma cells.
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PMID:Induction of p53-independent p21 during ceramide-induced G1 arrest in human hepatocarcinoma cells. 1087 74

cis,trans-Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant growth and development, regulation of seed maturation, germination, and adaptation to environmental stresses. Knowledge of ABA mechanisms of action and the interactions of components required for ABA signal transduction is far from complete. Using transient gene expression in rice protoplasts, we observed additive and inhibitory effects between maize VP1 (Viviparous-1, a transcriptional activator) and a dominant-negative mutant protein phosphatase, ABI1-1 (ABA-insensitive-1-1), from Arabidopsis. Lanthanide ions were shown to be specific agonists of ABA-inducible gene expression and to interact synergistically with ABA and overexpressed VP1. Both VP1 and lanthanum activities could be antagonized by coexpression of ABI1-1, which demonstrates the specific ABA dependence of these effectors on ABA-regulated gene expression. We obtained pharmacological evidence that phospholipase D (PLD) functions in ABA-inducible gene expression in rice. Antagonism of ABA, VP1, and lanthanum synergy by 1-butanol, a specific inhibitor of PLD, was similar to the inhibition by coexpression of ABI1-1. These results demonstrate that ABA, VP1, lanthanum, PLD, and ABI1 are all involved in ABA-regulated gene expression and are consistent with an integrated model whereby La(3+) acts upstream of PLD.
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PMID:Functional interactions of lanthanum and phospholipase D with the abscisic acid signaling effectors VP1 and ABI1-1 in rice protoplasts. 1113 77

The subcellular localization of Msn2, a transcriptional activator of STRE (stress response element)-regulated genes, is modulated by carbon source availability. In cells growing in glucose, Msn2 is located mainly in the cytosol, whereas in carbon source-starved cells, Msn2 is located largely inside the nucleus. However, in cells lacking Reg1 (the regulatory subunit of the Reg1/Glc7 protein phosphatase complex), the regulation of subcellular distribution is absent, Msn2 being constitutively present in the cytosol. The localization defect in these mutants is specific for carbon starvation stress, and it is because of the presence of an abnormally active Snf1 protein kinase that inhibits the nuclear localization of Msn2 upon carbon starvation. Active Snf1 kinase is also able to avoid the effects of rapamycin, a drug that by inhibiting the TOR kinase pathway leads to a nuclear localization of Msn2 in wild type cells. Therefore, active Snf1 and the TOR kinase pathway may affect similar cytosolic steps in the regulation of the subcellular localization of Msn2.
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PMID:Convergence of the target of rapamycin and the Snf1 protein kinase pathways in the regulation of the subcellular localization of Msn2, a transcriptional activator of STRE (Stress Response Element)-regulated genes. 1209 9

The yeast transcriptional activator Adr1 controls the expression of genes required for ethanol, glycerol, and fatty acid utilization. We show that Adr1 acts directly on the promoters of ADH2, ACS1, GUT1, CTA1, and POT1 using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The yeast homolog of the AMP-activated protein kinase, Snf1, promotes Adr1 chromatin binding in the absence of glucose, and the protein phosphatase complex, Glc7.Reg1, represses its binding in the presence of glucose. A post-translational process is implicated in the regulation of Adr1 binding activity. Chromatin binding by Adr1 is not the only step in ADH2 transcription that is regulated by glucose repression. Adr1 can bind to chromatin in repressed conditions in the presence of hyperacetylated histones. To study steps subsequent to promoter binding we utilized miniAdr1 transcription factors to characterize Adr1-dependent transcription in vitro. Yeast nuclear extracts prepared from glucose-repressed and glucose-derepressed cells are equally capable of supporting miniAdr1-dependent transcription and pre-initiation complex formation. Nuclear extracts prepared from a snf1 mutant support miniAdr1-dependent transcription but are partially defective in the formation of pre-initiation complexes with Mediator components being particularly depleted. We conclude that Snf1 regulates Adr1-dependent transcription primarily at the level of chromatin binding.
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PMID:Snf1 protein kinase regulates Adr1 binding to chromatin but not transcription activation. 1216 49

In response to environmental stress, cells induce a program of gene expression designed to remedy cellular damage or, alternatively, induce apoptosis. In this report, we explore the role of a family of protein kinases that phosphorylate eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) in coordinating stress gene responses. We find that expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a member of the ATF/CREB subfamily of basic-region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins, is induced in response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress or amino acid starvation by a mechanism requiring eIF2 kinases PEK (Perk or EIF2AK3) and GCN2 (EIF2AK4), respectively. Increased expression of ATF3 protein occurs early in response to stress by a mechanism requiring the related bZIP transcriptional regulator ATF4. ATF3 contributes to induction of the CHOP transcriptional factor in response to amino acid starvation, and loss of ATF3 function significantly lowers stress-induced expression of GADD34, an eIF2 protein phosphatase regulatory subunit implicated in feedback control of the eIF2 kinase stress response. Overexpression of ATF3 in mouse embryo fibroblasts partially bypasses the requirement for PEK for induction of GADD34 in response to ER stress, further supporting the idea that ATF3 functions directly or indirectly as a transcriptional activator of genes targeted by the eIF2 kinase stress pathway. These results indicate that ATF3 has an integral role in the coordinate gene expression induced by eIF2 kinases. Given that ATF3 is induced by a very large number of environmental insults, this study supports involvement of eIF2 kinases in the coordination of gene expression in response to a more diverse set of stress conditions than previously proposed.
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PMID:Activating transcription factor 3 is integral to the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 kinase stress response. 1472 79


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