Nuclear factor III, a novel sequence-specific DNA-binding protein from HeLa cells stimulating adenovirus DNA replication

Dissection and reconstitution of the adenovirus DNA replication machinery has led to the discovery of two HeLa nuclear proteins which are required in conjunction with three viral proteins. One of these, nuclear factor I (NF-I), recognizes an internal region of the origin between nucleotides 25 and 40 and by binding to one side of the helix stimulates the initiation reaction up to 30-fold. NFI-binding sites have been observed upstream of several cellular genes, such as chicken lysozyme, human IgM and human c-myc, and coincide in most cases with DNase I hypersensitive regions. Here we report the identification of a novel DNA-binding protein from HeLa nuclei, designated NF-III, that recognizes a sequence in the adenovirus origin very close to the NFI-binding site, between nucleotides 36 and 54. This sequence includes the partially conserved nucleotides TATGATAATGAG. NF-III stimulates DNA replication four- to sixfold by increasing the initiation efficiency. Potential cellular binding sites include promoter elements of the histone H2B gene, the human interferon beta gene, the human and mouse immunoglobulin VK and VH genes and the mammal/chicken/Xenopus laevis U1 and U2 small nuclear RNA genes. Furthermore, a subset of the herpes simplex virus immediate early promoter specific TAATGARAT elements is homologous with the adenovirus 2 (Ad-2) NFIII-binding site.     

High-affinity binding site for a specific nuclear protein in the human IgM gene

Proteins binding to specific regions of DNA with high affinity frequently govern or regulate reactions at the gene level. We have identified a high-affinity binding site in the immunoglobulin mu gene that binds a specific nuclear protein, and have now characterized it fully using nuclear factor 1 (NF-1), a protein purified from the nuclei of HeLa cells and required for the in vitro replication of adenovirus (Ad) DNA. NF-1 protects a 25-base pair (bp) double-stranded segment of DNA which shares a consensus sequence, 5' TGGA/CNNNNNGCCAA 3', with similar binding sites in the Ad-5 terminal repeat and the human c-myc gene. Although this site differs from the enhancer region, a biological function is suggested by the fact that it is DNase I hypersensitive in immunoglobulin-producing lymphoblastoid cells. The binding site for the NF-1 protein in the mu gene, by analogy with the site in the Ad-5 terminal repeat, may represent one component of a cellular origin of replication; alternatively, it may be responsible for the activation of the chromatin in this region.     

Viral myb oncogene encodes a sequence-specific DNA-binding activity

The retroviral oncogene v-myb and its cellular progenitor c-myb encode nuclear DNA-binding proteins. Myb genes have been identified in a broad range of species, including vertebrates, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the plant Zea mays. The localization of the DNA-binding domain of the v-MYB protein to the highly conserved amino-terminal region suggests that the MYB/DNA interaction is important for MYB function. We show here that v-MYB specifically recognizes the nucleotide sequence pyAACG/TG. So like other nuclear transforming proteins, v-MYB seems to be a member of the class of sequence-specific DNA-binding factors presumably involved in gene regulation.     

人血清中真核复制起始区DNA（Ors12DNA）结合蛋白的鉴定和纯化

利用含有真核细胞复制起始区（ＯｒｉｇｉｎｏｆＤＮＡＲｅｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ）的Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ作为探针，检测了人血清中与Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ特异结合的蛋白质。凝胶电泳迁移率改变实验表明人血清中存在特异Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ结合蛋白。实验还对影响Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ与蛋白质最适宜结合的各种因素进行了研究。苯酚处理反应体系及限制性内切酶的酶切位点保护实验都证实了Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ－蛋白质复合物的存在。利用硫酸铵盐析及ＤＮＡ亲和层析，对血清中的Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ结合蛋白进行了部分纯化，ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳结果显示，Ｏｒｓ１２ＤＮＡ结合蛋白为一组非均一的蛋白质，亚基分子量分别为６４ｋＤ、４４ｋＤ和２４ｋＤ。     

Myb DNA binding inhibited by phosphorylation at a site deleted during oncogenic activation

The c-Myb nuclear oncoprotein is phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo at an N-terminal site near its DNA-binding domain by casein kinase II (CK-II) or a CK-II-like activity. This in vitro phosphorylation reversibly inhibits the sequence-specific binding of c-Myb to DNA. The site of this phosphorylation is deleted in nearly all oncogenically activated Myb proteins, resulting in DNA-binding that is independent of CK-II. Because CK-II activity is modulated by growth factors, loss of the site could uncouple c-Myb from its normal physiological regulator.     

ATP-dependent recognition of eukaryotic origins of DNA replication by a multiprotein complex.

A multiprotein complex that specifically recognizes cellular origins of DNA replication has been identified and purified from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We observe a strong correlation between origin function and origin recognition by this activity. Interestingly, specific DNA binding by the origin recognition complex is dependent upon the addition of ATP. We propose that the origin recognition complex acts as the initiator protein for S. cerevisiae origins of DNA replication.     

Reduction of the minimal sequence for initiation of DNA synthesis by qualitative or quantitative changes of an initiator protein

Initiation of DNA synthesis at an origin of DNA replication involves complex protein-DNA interactions that are still poorly understood. Some of these interactions are highly specific and involve proteins (initiator proteins) thought to be essential for regulation of the initiation process because of their rate-limiting activity. We show here that both qualitative and quantitative changes in one of these proteins have profound effects on protein-DNA interactions at an origin of DNA replication, and are sufficient to reduce to less than one-third the minimal sequence required for initiation. The general implications of these findings are discussed.     

质粒主动分配机制的研究进展

高拷贝数的质粒可以通过其较大的数量来保证它的稳定传代,但是低拷贝数的质粒只能依靠其他的方式。其中有一种被称为主动分配机制,含有分配位点。它由两个反式作用蛋白和一个顺式作用类着丝粒位点组成。其中一个蛋白是ATPase,另外一个蛋白是DNA结合蛋白,能够结合到顺式作用位点,并且与ATPase共同作用,形成分配复合物,来介导分配过程。