SMART MODE:

NORMAL GENOMIC

• Vandel L, Trouche D
• Physical association between the histone acetyl transferase CBP and a histone methyl transferase.
• EMBO Rep. 2001; 2: 21-6
• Display abstract

• CBP (CREB-binding protein) is involved in transcriptional activation by a great variety of sequence-specific transcription factors. CBP has been shown to activate transcription through its histone acetyl transferase activity. Acetylation is a common post-translational modification of nucleosomal histone N-terminal tails, which generally correlates with transcriptional activation. Histone N-terminal tails are also modified by methylation but its functional consequences are largely unknown. Here we found that immunoprecipitation of CBP, or of the highly related p300, led to the co-immunoprecipitation of a robust histone methyl transferase (HMT) activity, indicating that CBP physically interacts with an HMT in living cells. The CBP-associated HMT is specific for lysines 4 and 9 of histone H3, which are known to be methylated in living cells. These results suggest that histone methylation could be involved in transcriptional activation. Furthermore, they raise the question of the link between histone methylation and acetylation.

• Rossow KL, Janknecht R
• The Ewing's sarcoma gene product functions as a transcriptional activator.
• Cancer Res. 2001; 61: 2690-5
• Display abstract

• The Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) proto-oncogene can give rise to a variety of different tumors because of the generation of transforming EWS fusion proteins upon chromosomal translocation. However, the cellular function of the EWS protein itself was hitherto not established. We show that EWS is a nuclear protein, whose nuclear localization is dependent upon its transactivating NH2 terminus. EWS COOH-terminal amino acids suppress this NH2-terminal activation domain in the context of a Gal4 fusion protein, which may explain why none of the EWS fusion proteins in cancer cells contains the EWS COOH terminus. Furthermore, EWS expression enhances c-fos, Xvent-2, and ErbB2 promoter activity in a cell-type-dependent manner, indicating that EWS is a transcriptional regulator. Also, the EWS protein stimulates transcription mediated by the COOH-terminal transactivation domain of the cofactor CREB-binding protein (CBP). Coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that EWS forms a complex with CBP and the homologous p300 protein. A COOH-terminal region of EWS is both required for the physical interaction with CBP/p300 and sufficient to mediate c-fos activation. In addition, suppression of CBP/p300 function by the adenoviral E1A protein abolishes c-fos activation by EWS, indicating that EWS-mediated gene regulation depends on CBP/p300. In conclusion, the nuclear EWS proto-oncoprotein can function as a transcriptional cofactor in conjunction with CBP/p300.

• Gu J, Milligan J, Huang LE
• Molecular mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha -p300 interaction. A leucine-rich interface regulated by a single cysteine.
• J Biol Chem. 2001; 276: 3550-4
• Display abstract

• Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF1alpha) plays a pivotal role in embryogenesis, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis. HIF1alpha-mediated transcription requires the coactivator p300, at least in part, through interaction with the cysteine- and histidine-rich 1 domain of p300. To understand the molecular basis of this interaction, we have developed a random mutagenesis screen in yeast approach for efficient identification of residues that are functionally critical for protein interactions. As a result, four residues (Leu-795, Cys-800, Leu-818, and Leu-822) in the C-terminal activation domain of HIF1alpha have been identified as crucial for HIF1 transactivation in mammalian systems. Moreover, data from residue substitution experiments indicate the stringent necessity of leucine and hydrophobic cysteine for C-terminal activation domain function. Likewise, Leu-344, Leu-345, Cys-388, and Cys-393 in the cysteine- and histidine-rich 1 domain of p300 have also been shown to be essential for the functional interaction. We propose that hypoxia-induced HIF1alpha-p300 interaction relies upon a leucine-rich hydrophobic interface that is regulated by the hydrophilic and hydrophobic sulfhydryls of HIF1alpha Cys-800.

• Chen CJ, Deng Z, Kim AY, Blobel GA, Lieberman PM
• Stimulation of CREB binding protein nucleosomal histone acetyltransferase activity by a class of transcriptional activators.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2001; 21: 476-87
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• The transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP) possesses intrinsic histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity that is important for gene regulation. CBP binds to and cooperates with numerous nuclear factors to stimulate transcription, but it is unclear if these factors modulate CBP HAT activity. Our previous work showed that CBP interacts with the Epstein-Barr virus-encoded basic region zipper (b-zip) protein, Zta, and augments its transcriptional activity. Here we report that Zta strongly enhances CBP-mediated acetylation of nucleosomal histones. Zta stimulated the HAT activity of CBP that had been partially purified or immunoprecipitated from mammalian cells as well as from affinity-purified, baculovirus expressed CBP. Stimulation of nucleosome acetylation required the CBP HAT domain, the Zta DNA binding and transcription activation domain, and nucleosomal DNA. In addition to Zta, we found that two other b-zip proteins, NF-E2 and C/EBPalpha, strongly stimulated nucleosomal HAT activity. In contrast, several CBP-binding proteins, including phospho-CREB, JUN/FOS, GATA-1, Pit-1, and EKLF, failed to stimulate HAT activity. These results demonstrate that a subset of transcriptional activators enhance the nucleosome-directed HAT activity of CBP and suggest that nuclear factors may regulate transcription by altering substrate recognition and/or the enzymatic activity of chromatin modifying coactivators.

• Zhu Q, Wani G, Wani MA, Wani AA
• Human homologue of yeast Rad23 protein A interacts with p300/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding (CREB)-binding protein to down-regulate transcriptional activity of p53.
• Cancer Res. 2001; 61: 64-70
• Display abstract

• The tumor suppressor protein p53 regulates various cellular responses to DNA damage and plays a significant role in DNA repair. The nuclear p300/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) proteins act as coactivators in supporting the transcription function of p53. We examined the role of the human homologue of yeast Rad23 protein A (hHR23A), one of the two human homologues of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nucleotide excision repair gene product Rad23, in the p300/CBP-associated regulation of p53 activity. Overexpression of wild-type hHR23A inhibits the p53 transcriptional activity and results in a decreased steady-state protein level of cellular p53. The inhibitory effect of hHR23A can be overcome by the concomitant expression of p300, CBP, and p300 segments harboring C/H1 domain and neutralized by the coexpression of HIV accessory protein Vpr, which binds COOH terminus of hHR23A/B. Additionally, hHR23A was shown to interact in vitro and in vivo with p300 segments harboring C/H1 domain. These studies provide evidence for the involvement of hHR23A in the regulation of p53 activity through p300/CBP. Although the precise direct role of hHR23 proteins in regulation of p53 and DNA repair remains to be elucidated, our data suggest that the interaction between hHR23A and p300/CBP has important implications in cross-talk between the p53 pathway and DNA repair.

• Ohshima T, Yoshida E, Nakajima T, Yagami KI, Fukamizu A
• Effects of interaction between parvovirus minute virus of mice NS1 and coactivator CBP on NS1- and p53-transactivation.
• Int J Mol Med. 2001; 7: 49-54
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• The non-structural protein NS1, encoded by the parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM), is a potent regulator of viral gene expression in addition to prominent roles in viral replication and cytopathic effects associated with parvoviral infection. Although NS1 involves the modulation of viral and cellular transcription, the primary activation mechanism of MVM NS1 remains unclear. In the present study, we show here that the coactivator CREB binding protein, CBP, could potentiate NS1-mediated transcription as measured on the P38 promoter, which drives expression of the MVM capsid genes. NS1 bound to the two related cysteine-histidine-rich regions of CBP, referred to as C/H1 and C/H3, the former of which has an antagonistic function to CBP upon the NS1-transactivation. Furthermore, NS1 inhibited the synergistic transactivation by CBP and p53. These findings suggested that CBP as a transcriptional coactivator is required for NS1-mediated viral and cellular transcription in parvovirus-infected cells, resulting in cell proliferation and differentiation to achieve its lytic cycle.

• Ikeda A et al.
• p300/CBP-dependent and -independent transcriptional interference between NF-kappaB RelA and p53.
• Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2000; 272: 375-9
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• p53 and NF-kappaB RelA are activated by various genotoxic agents and mutually suppress each other's ability to activate transcription, most likely through competition for transcriptional coactivators such as CBP or p300. However, we found that the inhibition by RelA of p53 transcriptional activity is not completely restored by CBP/p300 overexpression and that a p53 mutant can not suppress RelA activity despite of its ability to bind CBP/p300. In the present study, we further present evidence that these two transcriptional factors directly interact both in vivo and in vitro. These results therefore indicate that the cross transcriptional interference between p53 and RelA is partly caused by the direct interaction between these two transcription factors which is mediated by their dimerization/tetramerization domains and results in inhibition of each other's transcriptional activity. Finally, cells derived from RelA knockout mice showed enhanced p53 transcriptional activity, suggesting that this cross transcriptional interference is physiologically important in cellular response to genotoxic stress.

• Nicot C, Harrod R
• Distinct p300-responsive mechanisms promote caspase-dependent apoptosis by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 Tax protein.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2000; 20: 8580-9
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• The dysregulation of cellular apoptosis pathways has emerged as a critical early event associated with the development of many types of human cancers. Numerous viral and cellular oncogenes, aside from their inherent transforming properties, are known to induce programmed cell death, consistent with the hypothesis that genetic defects are required to support tumor survival. Here, we report that nuclear expression of the CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300-binding domain of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) transactivator, Tax, triggers an apoptotic death-inducing signal during short-term clonal analyses, as well as in transient cell death assays. Coexpression of the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2 increased serum stimulation; incubation with the chemical caspase inhibitor z-Val-Ala-DL-Asp fluoromethylketone antagonized Tax-induced cell death. The CBP/p300-binding defective Tax mutants K88A and V89A exhibited markedly reduced cytotoxic effects compared to the wild-type Tax protein. Importantly, nuclear expression of the minimal CBP/p300-binding peptide of Tax induced apoptosis in the absence of Tax-dependent transcriptional activities, while its K88A counterpart did not cause cell death. Further, Tax-mediated apoptosis was effectively prevented by ectopic expression of the p300 coactivator. We also report that activation of the NF-kappaB transcription pathway by Tax, under growth arrest conditions, results in apoptosis that occurs independent of direct Tax coactivator effects. Our results allude to a novel pivotal role for the transcriptional coactivator p300 in determining cell fate and raise the possibility that dysregulated coactivator usage may pose an early barrier to transformation that must be selectively overcome as a prerequisite for the initiation of neoplasia.

• Miyagishi M et al.
• Regulation of Lef-mediated transcription and p53-dependent pathway by associating beta-catenin with CBP/p300.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 35170-5
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• CBP and its homologue p300 play significant roles in cell differentiation, cell cycle, and anti-oncogenesis. We demonstrated that beta-catenin, recently known as a potent oncogene, and CBP/p300 are associated through its CH3 region, which is a primary target of adenoviral oncoprotein E1A and various nuclear proteins, such as p53, cyclin E, and AP-1, and both are colocalized in the nuclear bodies. CBP/p300 potentiated Lef-mediated transactivation of beta-catenin, and E1A, a potent inhibitor of CBP/p300, repressed its transactivation. Furthermore, overexpression of stable beta-catenin mutant competitively suppressed the p53-dependent pathway. These may be a key mechanism of beta-catenin involved in oncogenic events underlying disruption of tumor suppressor function through CBP/p300.

• Laity JH, Dyson HJ, Wright PE
• DNA-induced alpha-helix capping in conserved linker sequences is a determinant of binding affinity in Cys(2)-His(2) zinc fingers.
• J Mol Biol. 2000; 295: 719-27
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• High-affinity, sequence-specific DNA binding by Cys(2)-His(2) zinc finger proteins is mediated by both specific protein-base interactions and non-specific contacts between charged side-chains and the phosphate backbone. In addition, in DNA complexes of multiple zinc fingers, protein-protein interactions between the finger units contribute to the binding affinity. We present NMR evidence for another contribution to high- affinity binding, a highly specific DNA-induced helix capping involving residues in the linker sequence between fingers. Capping at the C terminus of the alpha-helix in each zinc finger, incorporating a consensus TGEKP linker sequence that follows each finger, provides substantial binding energy to the DNA complexes of zinc fingers 1-3 of TFIIIA (zf1-3) and the four zinc fingers of the Wilms' tumor suppressor protein (wt1-4). The same alpha-helix C-capping motif is observed in the X-ray structures of four other protein-DNA complexes. The structures of each of the TGEKP linkers in these complexes can be superimposed on the linker sequences in the zf1-3 complex, revealing a remarkable similarity in both backbone and side-chain conformations. The canonical linker structures from the zinc-finger-DNA complexes have been compared to the NMR structure of the TGEKP linker connecting fingers 1 and 2 in zf1-3 in the absence of DNA. This comparison reveals that additional stabilization likely arises in the DNA complexes from hydrogen bonding between the backbone amide of E3 and the side-chain O(gamma) of T1 in the linker. We suggest that these DNA-induced C-capping interactions provide a means whereby the multiple-finger complex, which must necessarily be domain-flexible in the unbound state as it searches for the correct DNA sequence, can be "snap-locked" in place once the correct DNA sequence is encountered. These observations provide a rationale for the high conservation of the TGEKP linker sequences in Cys(2)-His(2) zinc finger proteins.

• Shaywitz AJ, Dove SL, Kornhauser JM, Hochschild A, Greenberg ME
• Magnitude of the CREB-dependent transcriptional response is determined by the strength of the interaction between the kinase-inducible domain of CREB and the KIX domain of CREB-binding protein.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2000; 20: 9409-22
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• The activity of the transcription factor CREB is regulated by extracellular stimuli that result in its phosphorylation at a critical serine residue, Ser133. Phosphorylation of Ser133 is believed to promote CREB-dependent transcription by allowing CREB to interact with the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). Previous studies have established that the domain encompassing Ser133 on CREB, known as the kinase-inducible domain (KID), interacts specifically with a short domain in CBP termed the KIX domain and that this interaction depends on the phosphorylation of Ser133. In this study, we adapted a recently described Escherichia coli-based two-hybrid system for the examination of phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions, and we used this system to study the kinase-induced interaction between the KID and the KIX domain. We identified residues of the KID and the KIX domain that are critical for their interaction as well as two pairs of oppositely charged residues that apparently interact at the KID-KIX interface. We then isolated a mutant form of the KIX domain that interacts more tightly with wild-type and mutant forms of the KID than does the wild-type KIX domain. We show that in the context of full-length CBP, the corresponding amino acid substitution resulted in an enhanced ability of CBP to stimulate CREB-dependent transcription in mammalian cells. Conversely, an amino acid substitution in the KIX domain that weakens its interaction with the KID resulted in a decreased ability of full-length CBP to stimulate CREB-dependent transcription. These findings demonstrate that the magnitude of CREB-dependent transcription in mammalian cells depends on the strength of the KID-KIX interaction and suggest that the level of transcription induced by coactivator-dependent transcriptional activators can be specified by the strength of the activator-coactivator interaction.

• Takahata S, Ozaki T, Mimura J, Kikuchi Y, Sogawa K, Fujii-Kuriyama Y
• Transactivation mechanisms of mouse clock transcription factors, mClock and mArnt3.
• Genes Cells. 2000; 5: 739-47
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• BACKGROUND: The Arnt3 (also termed as BMAL1 or MOP3)/Clock heterodimer is a positive regulator of circadian rhythm and activates the transcription of target genes such as per1 and vasopressin. RESULTS: We investigated the transcriptional mechanism of mArnt3/mClock heterodimer. While mClock did not possess any distinct activation domain, mArnt3 contained a transcriptional activation domain at the most C-terminal end, the activity of which was not expressed, even in the one hybrid system, until it was bound by mClock. It has been suggested that mClock plays a regulatory or structural role in exerting a transcription enhancing effect of the mArnt3/mClock heterodimer. Deletion proceeding from amino acids 559-492 of mClock markedly reduced the transactivation activity of mArnt3/mClock heterodimer, in consistence with the results of the Clock-delta 19 mutant. Yeast and mammalian two-hybrid systems revealed that CBP and p300 interacted with mArnt3 via the CREB binding domain. The In vivo interaction between mArnt3 and CBP was confirmed by the GST pull down assay. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that the mArnt3/mClock heterodimer exerted its transactivation activity via CBP or p300 interacting with mArnt3 in the heterodimer with mClock playing a structural or regulatory role in the transactivation process.

• Lee SK et al.
• Activating protein-1, nuclear factor-kappaB, and serum response factor as novel target molecules of the cancer-amplified transcription coactivator ASC-2.
• Mol Endocrinol. 2000; 14: 915-25
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• ASC-2 was recently discovered as a cancer-amplified transcription coactivator molecule of nuclear receptors, which interacts with multifunctional transcription integrators steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300. Herein, we report the identification of three mitogenic transcription factors as novel target molecules of ASC-2. First, the C-terminal transactivation domain of serum response factor (SRF) was identified among a series of ASC-2-interacting proteins from the yeast two-hybrid screening. Second, ASC-2 specifically interacted with the activating protein-1 (AP-1) components c-Jun and c-Fos as well as the nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB) components p50 and p65, as demonstrated by the glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays as well as the yeast two-hybrid tests. In cotransfection of mammalian cells, ASC-2 potentiated transactivations by SRF, AP-1, and NFkappaB in a dose-dependent manner, either alone or in conjunction with SRC-1 and p300. In addition, ASC-2 efficiently relieved the previously described transrepression between nuclear receptors and either AP-1 or NFkappaB. Overall, these results suggest that the nuclear receptor coactivator ASC-2 also mediates transactivations by SRF, AP-1, and NFkappaB, which may contribute to the putative, ASC-2-mediated tumorigenesis.

• Snowden AW, Anderson LA, Webster GA, Perkins ND
• A novel transcriptional repression domain mediates p21(WAF1/CIP1) induction of p300 transactivation.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2000; 20: 2676-86
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• The transcriptional coactivators p300 and CREB binding protein (CBP) are important regulators of the cell cycle, differentiation, and tumorigenesis. Both p300 and CBP are targeted by viral oncoproteins, are mutated in certain forms of cancer, are phosphorylated in a cell cycle-dependent manner, interact with transcription factors such as p53 and E2F, and can be found complexed with cyclinE-Cdk2 in vivo. Moreover, p300-deficient cells show defects in proliferation. Here we demonstrate that transcriptional activation by both p300 and CBP is stimulated by coexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF/CIP1). Significantly this stimulation is independent of both the inherent histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of p300 and CBP and of the previously reported carboxyl-terminal binding site for cyclinE-Cdk2. Rather, we describe a previously uncharacterized transcriptional repression domain (CRD1) within p300. p300 transactivation is stimulated through derepression of CRD1 by p21. Significantly p21 regulation of CRD1 is dependent on the nature of the core promoter. We suggest that CRD1 provides a novel mechanism through which p300 and CBP can switch activities between the promoters of genes that stimulate growth and those that enhance cell cycle arrest.

• Johnstone RW, Wei W, Greenway A, Trapani JA
• Functional interaction between p53 and the interferon-inducible nucleoprotein IFI 16.
• Oncogene. 2000; 19: 6033-42
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• Interferons are important in regulating cell growth and differentiation, immune function and initiating anti-viral responses. While the pleotrophic actions of interferons have been well documented, the molecular mechanisms underpinning their biological effects have not been fully characterized. IFI 16 is a member of the interferon-inducible HIN-200 family of nuclear proteins, which we have recently shown can function as a potent transcriptional repressor. A murine member of the HIN-200 family, p202, can indirectly interact with p53 via the p53 binding protein (p53bp) and inhibit p53-mediated transcriptional activation. The binding activity of p202 to p53bp was shown to require the conserved MFHATVAT motif present in all 200 amino acid repeat regions of HIN-200 proteins. Given that IFI 16 contains two MFHATVAT motifs, we sought to determine whether IFI 16 may form a complex with p53 and if so to ascertain the functional significance of this interaction. We demonstrate that IFI 16 can directly bind to the C-terminal region of p53 and augment p53-mediated transcriptional activation without altering the steady state levels of p53. Thus, in addition to its ability to directly regulate gene expression, IFI 16 can also modulate the transcription function of other cellular transcription factors. These findings demonstrate a possible link between gene induction following interferon stimulation and p53-mediated cellular events.

• Leon O, Roth M
• Zinc fingers: DNA binding and protein-protein interactions.
• Biol Res. 2000; 33: 21-30
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• The zinc finger domain is a very ubiquitous structural element whose hallmark is the coordination of a zinc atom by several amino acid residues (cysteines and histidines, and occasionally aspartate and glutamate). These structural elements are associated with protein-nucleic acid recognition as well as protein-protein interactions. The purpose of this review is to examine recent data on the DNA and protein binding properties of a few zinc fingers whose three dimensional structure is known.

• Peng YC, Breiding DE, Sverdrup F, Richard J, Androphy EJ
• AMF-1/Gps2 binds p300 and enhances its interaction with papillomavirus E2 proteins.
• J Virol. 2000; 74: 5872-9
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• The cellular protein AMF-1 (Gps2) positively modulates gene expression by the papillomavirus E2 protein (D. E. Breiding et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:7208-7219, 1997). We show here that AMF-1 also binds the transcriptional coactivator p300 in vitro and in vivo. E2 interacted weakly with p300. These observations led to a model in which AMF-1 recruits p300 into a complex with E2. Cotransfection of AMF-1 or p300 stimulated levels of E2-dependent transcription, while cotransfection of both AMF-1 and p300 showed an additive effect. The functional significance of p300 recruitment for E2 transactivation was evidenced by repression of E2-activated transcription by adenovirus E1A, which inhibits both coactivator and acetylase activities of p300. Antibodies to AMF-1 or E2 immunoprecipitated histone acetylase activity from cell lysates. Western blotting using antibody against acetyl-lysine failed to detect acetylation of AMF-1 or E2 in complex with p300. These results suggest that AMF-1 facilitates the recruitment of p300 and its histone acetylase activity into complexes with E2 and represents a novel mechanism of transcriptional activation.

• Pham AD, Sauer F
• Ubiquitin-activating/conjugating activity of TAFII250, a mediator of activation of gene expression in Drosophila.
• Science. 2000; 289: 2357-60
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• Ubiquitination of histones has been linked to the complex processes that regulate the activation of eukaryotic transcription. However, the cellular factors that interpose this histone modification during the processes of transcriptional activation are not well characterized. A biochemical approach identified the Drosophila coactivator TAFII250, the central subunit within the general transcription factor TFIID, as a histone-specific ubiquitin-activating/conjugating enzyme (ubac). TAFII250 mediates monoubiquitination of histone H1 in vitro. Point mutations within the putative ubac domain of TAFII250 abolished H1-specific ubiquitination in vitro. In the Drosophila embryo, inactivation of the TAFII250 ubac activity reduces the cellular level of monoubiquitinated histone H1 and the expression of genes targeted by the maternal activator Dorsal. Thus, coactivator-mediated ubiquitination of proteins within the transactivation pathway may contribute to the processes directing activation of eukaryotic transcription.

• Yuan LW, Gambee JE
• Phosphorylation of p300 at serine 89 by protein kinase C.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 40946-51
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• CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300 plays an important role in the connection of many different signal transduction pathways and the promotion of certain differentiation and proliferation processes. This role depends upon the ability of CBP/p300 to serve as coactivator for transcription factors. It has been suggested that CBP/p300 is regulated by phosphorylation, but the nature of the phosphorylation, the responsible kinase in vivo, and its physiological significance are still unclear. Here, we demonstrate the first identification of an in vivo phosphorylation site, conserved serine 89, in p300. Signal-dependent protein kinase C is able to phosphorylate serine 89 and mediates this phosphorylation event in vivo. Different from other phosphorylation observed so far in CBP/p300, this serine 89-specific phosphorylation represses the transcriptional activity of p300. This phosphorylation-mediated regulation of p300 function represents a previously unrecognized signal transduction pathway for protein kinase C to regulate cell growth and differentiation.

• Pao GM, Janknecht R, Ruffner H, Hunter T, Verma IM
• CBP/p300 interact with and function as transcriptional coactivators of BRCA1.
• Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000; 97: 1020-5
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• BRCA1 is a breast and ovarian cancer-specific tumor suppressor, with properties of a transcription factor involved in DNA repair. We previously have shown the transactivation of heterologous promoters by the carboxyl terminus of BRCA1. We now describe that BRCA1-mediated transactivation is enhanced by p300/CBP (CREB binding protein) and that this effect was suppressed by the adenovirus E1A oncoprotein. We show a physical association of BRCA1 with the transcriptional coactivators/acetyltransferases p300 and CBP. Endogenous as well as overexpressed BRCA1 and p300 were found to associate in a phosphorylation-independent manner. BRCA1 interacts with the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) domain of p300/CBP via both its amino and carboxyl termini. Finally, full-length BRCA1 is shown to transcriptionally activate the Rous sarcoma virus-long terminal repeat promoter, which was further stimulated by p300. Immunocolocalization analyses suggest that BRCA1 and p300 associate in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Our results support a role for BRCA1 in transcription.

• Papoutsopoulou S, Janknecht R
• Phosphorylation of ETS transcription factor ER81 in a complex with its coactivators CREB-binding protein and p300.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2000; 20: 7300-10
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• The ETS protein ER81 is a DNA-binding factor capable of enhancing gene transcription and is implicated in cellular transformation, but presently the mechanisms of its actions are unclear. In this report, ER81 is shown to coimmunoprecipitate with the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP) and the related p300 protein (together referred to as CBP/p300). Moreover, confocal laser microscopic studies demonstrated that ER81 and p300 colocalized to nuclear speckles. In vitro and in vivo interaction studies revealed that ER81 amino acids 249 to 429, which encompass the ETS DNA-binding domain, are responsible for binding to CBP/p300. However, mutation of a putative protein-protein interaction motif, LXXLL, in the ETS domain of ER81 did not affect interaction with CBP/p300, whereas DNA binding of ER81 was abolished. Furthermore, two regions within CBP, amino acids 451 to 721 and 1891 to 2175, are capable of binding to ER81. Consistent with the physical interaction between ER81 and the coactivators CBP and p300, ER81 transcriptional activity was potentiated by CBP/p300 overexpression. Moreover, an ER81-associated protein kinase activity was enhanced upon p300 overexpression. This protein kinase phosphorylates ER81 on serines 191 and 216, and mutation of these phosphorylation sites increased ER81 transcriptional activity in Mv1Lu cells but not in HeLa cells. Altogether, our data elucidate the mechanism of how ER81 regulates gene transcription, through interaction with the coactivators CBP and p300 and an associated kinase that may cell type specifically modulate the ability of ER81 to activate gene transcription.

• Jakob U, Eser M, Bardwell JC
• Redox switch of hsp33 has a novel zinc-binding motif.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 38302-10
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• The chaperone activity of the heat shock protein Hsp33 is regulated by reversible disulfide bond formation. Oxidized Hsp33 is active, and reduced Hsp33 is inactive. We show that zinc binding is essential for the function of this redox switch. Our results reveal that Hps33 contains a new, high affinity (K(a) > 10(17) m(-)(1)), zinc-binding motif in the form Cys-X-Cys-X(27-32)-Cys-X-X-Cys. All four conserved cysteines within this motif act to coordinate a single zinc atom. Experiments where reduced wild type Hsp33 is reconstituted with cobalt or cadmium demonstrate that the metal-coordinating cysteines are present as highly reactive thiolate anions. This ionization may allow for the fast and successful activation of the chaperone function of Hsp33 upon incubation in oxidizing agents.

• Ozaki T et al.
• NFBD1/KIAA0170 is a novel nuclear transcriptional transactivator with BRCT domain.
• DNA Cell Biol. 2000; 19: 475-85
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• The BRCT (BRCA1 C-terminus) superfamily includes a large number of nuclear proteins closely involved in DNA repair, recombination, and cell-cycle control. The human cDNA clone NFBD1 (previously designated KIAA0170) encodes a novel protein (2089 amino acids in length; calculated molecular mass 226,440 D) with possible BRCT domains at its carboxy terminus (amino acid residues 1894-2089). This gene product has been described as one of the BRCT superfamily proteins. However, its biological significance has been unclarified. Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged full-length NFBD1 or a series of deletion mutants indicated that NFBD1 was localized to the nucleus in various mammalian cells, and a 197-amino acid segment near the amino terminus (amino acid residues 142-338) contained a nuclear targeting signal. In vitro DNA-binding experiments showed that the highly basic region of NFBD1 (amino acid residues 1841-1893) possessed DNA-binding activity. The region encoding amino acids 508-995 of NFBD1 fused inframe with GAL4 DNA-binding domain activated transcription in both yeast and mammalian cells, while the possible BRCT domains of NFBD1 failed to induce transcription in mammalian cells. Overexpression of antisense NFBD1 RNA in a p53-deficient human osteogenic sarcoma cell line (SAOS-2) resulted in remarkable suppression of SAOS-2 colony formation. These results suggest that NFBD1 is a nuclear transcriptional transactivator with possible BRCT domains and may contribute to cell growth control.

• Lavau C, Du C, Thirman M, Zeleznik-Le N
• Chromatin-related properties of CBP fused to MLL generate a myelodysplastic-like syndrome that evolves into myeloid leukemia.
• EMBO J. 2000; 19: 4655-64
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• As a result of the recurring translocation t(11;16) (q23;p13.3), MLL (mixed-lineage leukemia) is fused in frame to CBP (CREB binding protein). This translocation has been documented almost exclusively in cases of acute leukemia or myelodysplasia secondary to therapy with drugs that target DNA topo isomerase II. The minimal chimeric protein that is produced fuses MLL to the bromodomain, histone acetyltransferase (HAT) domain, EIA-binding domain and steroid-receptor coactivator binding domains of CBP. We show that transplantation of bone marrow retrovirally transduced with MLL-CBP induces myeloid leukemias in mice that are preceded by a long preleukemic phase similar to the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) seen in many t(11;16) patients but unusual for other MLL translocations. Structure-function analysis demonstrated that fusion of both the bromodomain and HAT domain of CBP to the amino portion of MLL is required for full in vitro transformation and is sufficient to induce the leukemic phenotype in vivo. This suggests that the leukemic effect of MLL-CBP results from the fusion of the chromatin association and modifying activities of CBP with the DNA binding activities of MLL.

• Frangioni JV, LaRiccia LM, Cantley LC, Montminy MR
• Minimal activators that bind to the KIX domain of p300/CBP identified by phage display screening.
• Nat Biotechnol. 2000; 18: 1080-5
• Display abstract

• Human gene therapy approaches involving transcription factors often rely on artificial activation domains for transcriptional activation. These domains are often large (e.g., 80 amino acids for VP16), recruit multiple co-activation complexes at once, and offer no fine control over the level of transcription. In an attempt to understand the sequence and structural requirements of a minimal mammalian activator, we employed a molecular diversity approach with a peptide phage display library composed of random eight-amino acid peptides. Using the KIX domain of the mammalian co-activators p300 and CBP as target, we discovered a family of synthetic binding peptides. These peptides share significant homology with natural KIX domain ligands, and are shown to bind an overlapping, yet distinct, surface of p300/CREB-binding protein (CBP). When fused to a heterologous DNA binding domain, these synthetic peptides function as titratable, modular, and potent transcriptional activators in living cells through specific recruitment of p300/CBP, with the level of transcriptional activation proportional to the affinity of the synthetic peptide for the KIX domain. Taken together, our data demonstrate that a molecular diversity approach can be used to discover minimal, co-activator domain-specific synthetic activators, and that transcriptional activation can be modulated as desired at the level of co-activator recruitment.

• Wolfe SA, Nekludova L, Pabo CO
• DNA recognition by Cys2His2 zinc finger proteins.
• Annu Rev Biophys Biomol Struct. 2000; 29: 183-212
• Display abstract

• Cys2His2 zinc fingers are one of the most common DNA-binding motifs found in eukaryotic transcription factors. These proteins typically contain several fingers that make tandem contacts along the DNA. Each finger has a conserved beta beta alpha structure, and amino acids on the surface of the alpha-helix contact bases in the major groove. This simple, modular structure of zinc finger proteins, and the wide variety of DNA sequences they can recognize, make them an attractive framework for attempts to design novel DNA-binding proteins. Several studies have selected fingers with new specificities, and there clearly are recurring patterns in the observed side chain-base interactions. However, the structural details of recognition are intricate enough that there are no general rules (a "recognition code") that would allow the design of an optimal protein for any desired target site. Construction of multifinger proteins is also complicated by interactions between neighboring fingers and the effect of the intervening linker. This review analyzes DNA recognition by Cys2His2 zinc fingers and summarizes progress in generating proteins with novel specificities from fingers selected by phage display.

• Lannoy VJ, Rodolosse A, Pierreux CE, Rousseau GG, Lemaigre FP
• Transcriptional stimulation by hepatocyte nuclear factor-6. Target-specific recruitment of either CREB-binding protein (CBP) or p300/CBP-associated factor (p/CAF).
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 22098-103
• Display abstract

• Transcription factors of the ONECUT class, whose prototype is HNF-6, contain a single cut domain and a divergent homeodomain characterized by a phenylalanine at position 48 and a methionine at position 50. The cut domain is required for DNA binding. The homeodomain is required either for DNA binding or for transcriptional stimulation, depending on the target gene. Transcriptional stimulation by the homeodomain involves the F48M50 dyad. We investigate here how HNF-6 stimulates transcription. We identify transcriptionally active domains of HNF-6 that are conserved among members of the ONECUT class and show that the cut domain of HNF-6 participates to DNA binding and, via a LXXLL motif, to transcriptional stimulation. We also demonstrate that, on a target gene to which HNF-6 binds without requirement for the homeodomain, transcriptional stimulation involves an interaction of HNF-6 with the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). This interaction depends both on the LXXLL motif of the cut domain and on the F48M50 dyad of the homeodomain. On a target gene for which the homeodomain is required for DNA binding, but not for transcriptional stimulation, HNF-6 interacts with the coactivator p300/CBP-associated factor but not with CBP. These data show that a transcription factor can act via different, sequence-specific, mechanisms that combine distinct modes of DNA binding with the use of different coactivators.

• Polesskaya A et al.
• CREB-binding protein/p300 activates MyoD by acetylation.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 34359-64
• Display abstract

• The myogenic protein MyoD requires two nuclear histone acetyltransferases, CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300 and PCAF, to transactivate muscle promoters. MyoD is acetylated by PCAF in vitro, which seems to increase its affinity for DNA. We here show that MyoD is constitutively acetylated in muscle cells. In vitro, MyoD is acetylated both by CBP/p300 and by PCAF on two lysines located at the boundary of the DNA binding domain. MyoD acetylation by CBP/p300 (as well as by PCAF) increases its activity on a muscle-specific promoter, as assessed by microinjection experiments. MyoD mutants that cannot be acetylated in vitro are not activated in the functional assay. Our results provide direct evidence that MyoD acetylation functionally activates the protein and show that both PCAF and CBP/p300 are candidate enzymes for MyoD acetylation in vivo.

• Shikama N et al.
• Functional interaction between nucleosome assembly proteins and p300/CREB-binding protein family coactivators.
• Mol Cell Biol. 2000; 20: 8933-43
• Display abstract

• The p300/CREB-binding protein (CBP) family of proteins consists of coactivators that influence the activity of a wide variety of transcription factors. Although the mechanisms that allow p300/CBP proteins to achieve transcriptional control are not clear, it is believed that the regulation of chromatin is an important aspect of the process. Here, we describe a new level of p300-dependent control mediated through the functional interaction between p300/CBP and members of the family of nucleosome assembly proteins (NAP), which includes NAP1, NAP2, and TAF1. We find that NAP proteins, which have previously been implicated in the regulation of transcription factor binding to chromatin, augment the activity of different p300 targets, including p53 and E2F, through a process that is likely to involve the physical interaction between p300 and NAP. NAP proteins can form oligomers, and the results show that NAP proteins can bind to both core histones and p300 coactivator proteins, perhaps in a multicomponent ternary complex. We also provide data in support of the idea that histones can influence the interaction between p300 and NAP protein. These results argue that NAP is a functionally important component of the p300 coactivator complex and suggest that NAP may serve as a point of integration between transcriptional coactivators and chromatin.

• Fu M et al.
• p300 and p300/cAMP-response element-binding protein-associated factor acetylate the androgen receptor at sites governing hormone-dependent transactivation.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 20853-60
• Display abstract

• The androgen receptor (AR) is a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein that plays a key role in prostate cancer cellular proliferation by dihydrotestosterone and the induction of secondary sexual characteristics. In this study we demonstrate that the AR can be modified by acetylation in vitro and in vivo. p300 and p300/cAMP-response element-binding protein acetylated the AR at a highly conserved lysine-rich motif carboxyl-terminal to the zinc finger DNA-binding domain. [(14)C]acetate-labeling experiments demonstrated that AR acetylation by p300 in cultured cells requires the same residues identified in vitro. Point mutation of the AR acetylation site (K632A/K633A) abrogated dihydrotestosterone-dependent transactivation of the AR in cultured cells. Mutation of the p300 CH3 region or the p300/cAMP-response element-binding protein histone acetylase domain reduced ligand-dependent AR function. The identification of the AR as a direct target of histone acetyltransferase co-activators has important implications for targeting inhibitors of AR function.

• Yahata T et al.
• The MSG1 non-DNA-binding transactivator binds to the p300/CBP coactivators, enhancing their functional link to the Smad transcription factors.
• J Biol Chem. 2000; 275: 8825-34
• Display abstract

• The MSG1 nuclear protein has a strong transcriptional activating activity but does not bind directly to DNA. When cotransfected, MSG1 enhances transcription mediated by the Smad transcription factors in mammalian cells in a manner dependent on ligand-induced Smad hetero-oligomerization. However, the mechanism of this MSG1 effect has been unknown. We now show that MSG1 directly binds to the p300/cAMP-response element-binding protein-binding protein (CBP) transcriptional coactivators, which in turn bind to the Smads, and enhances Smad-mediated transcription in a manner dependent on p300/CBP. The C-terminal transactivating domain of MSG1 is required for binding to p300/CBP and enhancement of Smad-mediated transcription; the viral VP16 transactivating domain could not substitute for it. In the N-terminal region of MSG1, we identified a domain that is necessary and sufficient to direct the specific interaction of MSG1 with Smads. We also found that the Hsc70 heat-shock cognate protein also forms complex with MSG1 in vivo, suppressing both binding of MSG1 to p300/CBP and enhancement of Smad-mediated transcription by MSG1. These results indicate that MSG1 interacts with both the DNA-binding Smad proteins and the p300/CBP coactivators through its N- and C-terminal regions, respectively, and enhances the functional link between Smads and p300/CBP.

• Zhang Q, Yao H, Vo N, Goodman RH
• Acetylation of adenovirus E1A regulates binding of the transcriptional corepressor CtBP.
• Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000; 97: 14323-8
• Display abstract

• Adenovirus E1A mediates its effects on cellular transformation and transcription by interacting with critical cellular proteins involved in cell growth and differentiation. The amino terminus of E1A binds to CBP/p300 and associated histone acetyltransferases such as P/CAF. The carboxyl terminus binds to the carboxyl-terminal binding protein (CtBP), which associates with histone deacetylases. We show that 12S E1A can be acetylated by p300 and P/CAF and map one of the acetylation sites to Lys-239. This Lys residue is adjacent to the consensus CtBP binding motif, PXDLS. Mutation of Lys-239 to Gln or Ala blocks CtBP binding in vitro and disrupts the E1A-CtBP interaction in vivo. Peptide competition assays demonstrated that the interaction of E1A with CtBP is also blocked by Lys-239 acetylation. Supporting a functional role for Lys-239 in CtBP binding, mutation of this residue to Ala decreases the ability of E1A to block cAMP-regulated enhancer (CRE)-binding protein (CREB)-stimulated gene expression. Finally, we demonstrate that Lys-239 is acetylated in cells by using an antibody directed against an acetyl-Lys-239 E1A peptide. CtBP interacts with a wide variety of other transcriptional repressors through the PXDLS motif, and, in many instances, this motif is followed by a Lys residue. We suggest that acetylation of this residue by histone acetyltransferases, and the consequent disruption of repressor complexes, might be a general mechanism for gene activation.

• Pearson KL, Hunter T, Janknecht R
• Activation of Smad1-mediated transcription by p300/CBP.
• Biochim Biophys Acta. 1999; 1489: 354-64
• Display abstract

• Smad1 is the intracellular effector of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), a growth factor family well known to stimulate bone and cartilage formation. Smad1 becomes phosphorylated by the cognate BMP transmembrane receptor protein kinases, associates with the common mediator Smad4 and translocates to the nucleus where it is involved in regulation of gene transcription. In this report we demonstrate that Smad1 interacts with the paralogous coactivators p300 and CBP both in vitro and in vivo. The N- and C-termini of Smad1 negatively interfere with binding to p300/CBP, and the C-terminal half of Smad1 harbors two interaction domains both binding to the same region near the C-terminus of p300/CBP. We show that Smad1 as well as a Gal4 fusion with the C-terminal half of Smad1 stimulate gene transcription in a cooperative fashion with p300/CBP. Phosphorylation of Smad1 enhances its binding to CBP and thereby further stimulates Smad1-dependent transcription. These results provide a mechanism how phosphorylated Smad1 regulates gene activity by interaction with p300/CBP, and factors associated with these bridging coactivators.

• Billon N et al.
• Cooperation of Sp1 and p300 in the induction of the CDK inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 during NGF-mediated neuronal differentiation.
• Oncogene. 1999; 18: 2872-82
• Display abstract

• Addition of nerve growth factor (NGF) to PC12 cells promotes neuronal differentiation while inhibiting cell proliferation. In order to understand how NGF exerts its antimitogenic effect during differentiation, we have studied the mechanism by which this factor activates the promoter of the CDK inhibitor p21W4F1/CIP1. The minimal region of the p21 promoter required for the NGF-induction was mapped to a contiguous stretch of 10 bp located 83 bases upstream of the transcription initiation site. This GC-rich region was shown to interact specifically with the transcription factor Sp1 and the related protein Sp3, in either exponentially-growing or NGF-treated PC12 cells. The addition of NGF resulted in an accumulation of the transcriptional co-activator p300 in complexes associated with the NGF-responsive region. Transcriptional activity of Sp1, Sp3 and p300 was specifically induced by NGF in a Gal4-fusion assay, indicating that induction of p21 during neuronal differentiation may involve regulation of the activity of these factors by NGF. Furthermore, p300 was able to act as a co-activator for Sp1-mediated transcriptional activation in PC12 cells, suggesting that p300 and Sp1 may cooperate in activating p21 transcription during the withdrawal of neuronal precursors from the cell cycle. This hypothesis is supported by experiments showing that p300 and Sp1 form complexes in PC12 cells.

• Lee SK, Kim HJ, Kim JW, Lee JW
• Steroid receptor coactivator-1 and its family members differentially regulate transactivation by the tumor suppressor protein p53.
• Mol Endocrinol. 1999; 13: 1924-33
• Display abstract

• The tumor suppressor protein p53 exerts its cell cycle-regulatory effects through its ability to function as a sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factor. Herein, we show that p53 physically interacts with specific subregions of steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and its family members, p/CIP (p300/CBP interacting protein), xSRC-3, and AIB1 (amplified in breast cancer), originally isolated as transcription coactivators of nuclear receptors, as demonstrated by the yeast and mammalian two-hybrid tests as well as glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays. Interestingly, cotransfection of HeLa cells with SRC-1- or p/CIP expression vector potentiated the p53-mediated transactivation, whereas AIB1 and xSRC-3 were repressive. All of these SRC-1 members, however, similarly stimulated transactivation mediated by nuclear receptors and AP-1, as previously described. These results suggest that SRC-1 and its family members may differentially modulate the p53 transactivation in vivo.

• Johnston H, Kneer J, Chackalaparampil I, Yaciuk P, Chrivia J
• Identification of a novel SNF2/SWI2 protein family member, SRCAP, which interacts with CREB-binding protein.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 16370-6
• Display abstract

• The ability of cAMP response-element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) to function as a co-activator for a number of transcription factors appears to be mediated by its ability to act as a histone acetyltransferase and through its interaction with a number of other proteins (general transcription factors, histone acetyltransferases, and other co-activators). Here we report that CBP also interacts with a novel ATPase termed Snf2-Related CBP Activator Protein (SRCAP). Consistent with this activity, SRCAP contains the conserved ATPase domain found within members of the Snf2 family. Transfection experiments demonstrate that SRCAP is able to activate transcription when expressed as a Gal-SRCAP chimera and that SRCAP also enhances the ability of CBP to activate transcription. The adenoviral protein E1A was found to disrupt interaction between SRCAP and CBP possibly representing a mechanism for E1A-mediated transcriptional repression.

• Ho TY, Wu SL, Chang TJ, Hsiang CH, Chang SH, Hsiang CY
• Pseudorabies virus early protein 0 trans-activates the TATA-associated promoter by stimulating the transcription initiation.
• Virus Res. 1999; 61: 77-86
• Display abstract

• Pseudorabies virus (PRV) early protein 0 (EP0) is a transactivator containing a RING finger domain. To assess the transactivation mechanism of PRV EP0, we performed the in vitro transcription by combining HeLa nuclear extract, purified recombinant EP0 and simple promoter constructs, and evaluated the results by primer extension. The data showed that EP0 could significantly activate the TATA-containing synthetic promoters. Moreover, EP0 activated transcription by stabilizing the formation of transcription initiation complex instead of enhancing the elongation rate. To further understand the role of EP0 on assembling the transcription initiation complex, we performed the pull-down assay using affinity precipitation of proteins from HeLa nuclear extracts and bacterially expressed glutathione-S-transferase EP0 RING finger fusion. The data showed that at least six nuclear proteins physically interacted with the EP0 RING finger. Overall, the transactivation of PRV EP0 is accomplished by enhancing the transcription initiation and is associated with at least six nuclear proteins.

• Blom N, Gammeltoft S, Brunak S
• Sequence and structure-based prediction of eukaryotic protein phosphorylation sites.
• J Mol Biol. 1999; 294: 1351-62
• Display abstract

• Protein phosphorylation at serine, threonine or tyrosine residues affects a multitude of cellular signaling processes. How is specificity in substrate recognition and phosphorylation by protein kinases achieved? Here, we present an artificial neural network method that predicts phosphorylation sites in independent sequences with a sensitivity in the range from 69 % to 96 %. As an example, we predict novel phosphorylation sites in the p300/CBP protein that may regulate interaction with transcription factors and histone acetyltransferase activity. In addition, serine and threonine residues in p300/CBP that can be modified by O-linked glycosylation with N-acetylglucosamine are identified. Glycosylation may prevent phosphorylation at these sites, a mechanism named yin-yang regulation. The prediction server is available on the Internet at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/NetPhos/or via e-mail to NetPhos@cbs. dtu.dk.

• Kumar R, Baskakov IV, Srinivasan G, Bolen DW, Lee JC, Thompson EB
• Interdomain signaling in a two-domain fragment of the human glucocorticoid receptor.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 24737-41
• Display abstract

• Studies of individual domains or subdomains of the proteins making up the nuclear receptor family have stressed their modular nature. Nevertheless, these receptors function as complete proteins. Studies of specific mutations suggest that in the holoreceptors, intramolecular domain-domain interactions are important for complete function, but there is little knowledge concerning these interactions. The important transcriptional transactivation function in the N-terminal part of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) appears to have little inherent structure. To study its interactions with the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the GR, we have expressed the complete sequence from the N-terminal through the DBD of the human GR. Circular dichroism analyses of this highly purified, multidomain protein show that it has a considerable helical content. We hypothesized that binding of its DBD to the cognate glucocorticoid response element would confer additional structure upon the N-terminal domain. Circular dichroism and fluorescence emission studies suggest that additional helicity as well as tertiary structure occur in the two-domain protein upon DNA binding. In sum, our data suggest that interdomain interactions consequent to DNA binding imparts structure to the portion of the GR that contains a major transactivation domain.

• Kim JB, Yamaguchi Y, Wada T, Handa H, Sharp PA
• Tat-SF1 protein associates with RAP30 and human SPT5 proteins.
• Mol Cell Biol. 1999; 19: 5960-8
• Display abstract

• The potent transactivator Tat recognizes the transactivation response RNA element (TAR) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and stimulates the processivity of elongation of RNA polymerase (Pol) II complexes. The cellular proteins Tat-SF1 and human SPT5 (hSPT5) are required for Tat activation as shown by immunodepletion with specific sera and complementation with recombinant proteins. In nuclear extracts, small fractions of both hSPT5 and Pol II are associated with Tat-SF1 protein. Surprisingly, the RAP30 protein of the heterodimeric transcription TFIIF factor is associated with Tat-SF1, while the RAP74 subunit of TFIIF is not coimmunoprecipitated with Tat-SF1. Overexpression of Tat-SF1 and hSPT5 specifically stimulates the transcriptional activity of Tat in vivo. These results suggest that Tat-SF1 and hSPT5 are indispensable cellular factors supporting Tat-specific transcription activation and that they may interact with RAP30 in controlling elongation.

• Perissi V et al.
• Factor-specific modulation of CREB-binding protein acetyltransferase activity.
• Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999; 96: 3652-7
• Display abstract

• CREB-binding proteins (CBP) and p300 are essential transcriptional coactivators for a large number of regulated DNA-binding transcription factors, including CREB, nuclear receptors, and STATs. CBP and p300 function in part by mediating the assembly of multiprotein complexes that contain additional cofactors such as p300/CBP interacting protein (p/CIP), a member of the p160/SRC family of coactivators, and the p300/CBP associated factor p/CAF. In addition to serving as molecular scaffolds, CBP and p300 each possess intrinsic acetyltransferase activities that are required for their function as coactivators. Here we report that the adenovirus E1A protein inhibits the acetyltransferase activity of CBP on binding to the C/H3 domain, whereas binding of CREB, or a CREB/E1A fusion protein to the KIX domain, fails to inhibit CBP acetyltransferase activity. Surprisingly, p/CIP can either inhibit or stimulate CBP acetyltransferase activity depending on the specific substrate evaluated and the functional domains present in the p/CIP protein. While the CBP interaction domain of p/CIP inhibits acetylation of histones H3, H4, or high mobility group by CBP, it enhances acetylation of other substrates, such as Pit-1. These observations suggest that the acetyltransferase activities of CBP/p300 and p/CAF can be differentially modulated by factors binding to distinct regions of CBP/p300. Because these interactions are likely to result in differential effects on the coactivator functions of CBP/p300 for different classes of transcription factors, regulation of CBP/p300 acetyltransferase activity may represent a mechanism for integration of diverse signaling pathways.

• McDonald C, Reich NC
• Cooperation of the transcriptional coactivators CBP and p300 with Stat6.
• J Interferon Cytokine Res. 1999; 19: 711-22
• Display abstract

• Interleukin-4 (IL-4) functions as a critical regulatory cytokine of the immune response. A major effect of IL-4 is the induction of specific gene expression mediated by activation of a latent transcription factor, Stat6. To understand the mechanism by which Stat6 induces gene transcription, the effects of two histone acetylase coactivators, CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300, were evaluated. Both CBP and p300 were found to cooperate with Stat6 for induction of Stat6-dependent transcription. This cooperation does not appear to be due to acetylation of Stat6. The adenoviral E1A oncoprotein, known to bind CBP and p300, can inhibit the ability of CBP and p300 to function as coactivators of Stat6. The cooperative effect of CBP and p300 depends on the presence of a carboxyl-terminal region of Stat6. Stat6 molecules lacking this region behave as negative interfering molecules for Stat6-dependent transcription. Point mutations within this region also affect transcription by Stat6 in response to IL-4, identifying a motif that appears to be required for transcription, possibly through functional cooperation with CBP/p300.

• Lipinski KS, Fax P, Wilker B, Hennemann H, Brockmann D, Esche H
• Differences in the interactions of oncogenic adenovirus 12 early region 1A and nononcogenic adenovirus 2 early region 1A with the cellular coactivators p300 and CBP.
• Virology. 1999; 255: 94-105
• Display abstract

• Association with the cellular coactivators p300 and CBP is required for the growth-regulatory function of adenoviral (Ad) early region 1A (E1A) proteins. E1A regions necessary for these interactions overlap with domains involved in the induction of tumours in immunocompetent rodents through highly oncogenic Ad12. Differences in the association of cellular factors with the respective E1A domains of Ad12 and nononcogenic Ad2 might therefore be involved in serotype-specific oncogenicity. We analyzed the interaction of the Ad12 E1A 235R protein with p300 and CBP. Here we demonstrate that in the case of Ad12, but not Ad2/5, amino acids (aa) 1-29 of E1A proteins are sufficient to bind the p300-C/H3 domain in vivo and wild-type p300 in vitro. The conserved arginine-2, which is essential for the interaction between Ad2 E1A and p300, was dispensable for the Ad12 E1A 235R-p300 interaction in vitro. In addition to the p300-C/H3 region, we identified a second domain within p300 (aa 1999-2200) binding to the 235R protein. Contrary to p300, the amino-terminus and CR1 are necessary to associate with CBP. The aa 1-29 of the 235R protein but not CR1 are essential for the repression of colTRE-driven gene expression. This repression function is strictly dependent on p300 but not on CBP.

• Gingras S, Simard J, Groner B, Pfitzner E
• p300/CBP is required for transcriptional induction by interleukin-4 and interacts with Stat6.
• Nucleic Acids Res. 1999; 27: 2722-9
• Display abstract

• Interleukin-4 (IL-4) induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the latent transcription factor Stat6, which mediates the transcriptional responses of IL-4. The transactivation domain of Stat6 has recently been mapped to the C-terminal region of Stat6. We have investigated the mechanism by which Stat6, through its transactivation domain, induces transcription. Previous studies have shown that diverse regulated transcription factors interact with coactivators such as p300 and CBP. We report that Stat6 used the interaction with p300/CBP to exert its stimulatory effects. Overexpression of p300/CBP increased IL-4-induced transcription of Stat6 activated reporter genes. The requirement of p300/CBP for Stat6-mediated transactivation is shown by coexpression of the adenovirus E1A protein. E1A repressed the IL-4-induced reporter gene activity, while mutants of E1A, which do not interact with p300/CBP, failed to block the IL-4-induced response. In addition, we found that the minimal transactivation domain of Stat6, when fused to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain, was repressed by E1A, whereas the fusion protein p300-VP16 increased the transcriptional activity. In two-hybrid protein interaction assays in mammalian cells, we mapped the interaction domain of CBP to a C-terminal region between amino acids 1850 and 2176, a region distinct from the interaction domain of CBP with Stat1, Stat2 or Stat5. Finally, we show that antibodies raised against p300 coimmunoprecipitated Stat6 and p300 from transfected COS7 cells and antibodies against Stat6 coimmunprecipitated endogenous Stat6 and CBP from Ba/F3 cells. Our data suggest that the transactivation domain of Stat6 makes contact with the basal transcription machinery by binding to p300/CBP.

• Davison TS, Vagner C, Kaghad M, Ayed A, Caput D, Arrowsmith CH
• p73 and p63 are homotetramers capable of weak heterotypic interactions with each other but not with p53.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 18709-14
• Display abstract

• Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are the most frequent genetic alterations found in human cancers. Recent identification of two human homologues of p53 has raised the prospect of functional interactions between family members via a conserved oligomerization domain. Here we report in vitro and in vivo analysis of homo- and hetero-oligomerization of p53 and its homologues, p63 and p73. The oligomerization domains of p63 and p73 can independently fold into stable homotetramers, as previously observed for p53. However, the oligomerization domain of p53 does not associate with that of either p73 or p63, even when p53 is in 15-fold excess. On the other hand, the oligomerization domains of p63 and p73 are able to weakly associate with one another in vitro. In vivo co-transfection assays of the ability of p53 and its homologues to activate reporter genes showed that a DNA-binding mutant of p53 was not able to act in a dominant negative manner over wild-type p73 or p63 but that a p73 mutant could inhibit the activity of wild-type p63. These data suggest that mutant p53 in cancer cells will not interact with endogenous or exogenous p63 or p73 via their respective oligomerization domains. It also establishes that the multiple isoforms of p63 as well as those of p73 are capable of interacting via their common oligomerization domain.

• Bhattacharya S, Michels CL, Leung MK, Arany ZP, Kung AL, Livingston DM
• Functional role of p35srj, a novel p300/CBP binding protein, during transactivation by HIF-1.
• Genes Dev. 1999; 13: 64-75
• Display abstract

• Recruitment of p300/CBP by the hypoxia-inducible factor, HIF-1, is essential for the transcriptional response to hypoxia and requires an interaction between the p300/CBP CH1 region and HIF-1alpha. A new p300-CH1 interacting protein, p35srj, has been identified and cloned. p35srj is an alternatively spliced isoform of MRG1, a human protein of unknown function. Virtually all endogenous p35srj is bound to p300/CBP in vivo, and it inhibits HIF-1 transactivation by blocking the HIF-1alpha/p300 CH1 interaction. p35srj did not affect transactivation by transcription factors that bind p300/CBP outside the CH1 region. Endogenous p35srj is up-regulated markedly by the HIF-1 activators hypoxia or deferoxamine, suggesting that it could operate in a negative-feedback loop. In keeping with this notion, a p300 CH1 mutant domain, defective in HIF-1 but not p35srj binding, enhanced endogenous HIF-1 function. In hypoxic cells, p35srj may regulate HIF-1 transactivation by controlling access of HIF-1alpha to p300/CBP, and may keep a significant portion of p300/CBP available for interaction with other transcription factors by partially sequestering and functionally compartmentalizing cellular p300/CBP.

• Wadgaonkar R, Collins T
• Murine double minute (MDM2) blocks p53-coactivator interaction, a new mechanism for inhibition of p53-dependent gene expression.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 13760-7
• Display abstract

• The ability of the p53 tumor suppressor to induce cell cycle arrest and cell death is closely regulated under normal conditions. The transcriptional activity of p53 is negatively controlled by murine double minute (MDM2). p53 requires the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP), or its structural homolog, p300, to stimulate transcription of responsive genes. Here we find that the transactivation domain of p53 selectively interacts with the N- and C-terminal regions of CBP/p300. A mutant CBP lacking the N terminus failed to stimulate p53-dependent transactivation. In both p53 null Saos2 cells, and in UV-irradiated MCF7 cells, we observed that MDM2 associates with the N-terminal region of CBP/p300. Because p53 interacts with both MDM2 and CBP/p300 through its trans-activation domain, we examined the role of MDM2 in p53-coactivator interactions. MDM2 blocked CBP/p300 recruitment in vitro and inhibited the interaction of the transactivating region of p53 with both the N- or C-terminal regions of CBP/p300 in a mammalian two-hybrid assay. These observations suggest that MDM2 may be inhibiting p53 trans-activation by shielding its activation domain from the coactivators, a new mechanism for the inhibition of p53-dependent gene expression.

• Giordano A, Avantaggiati ML
• p300 and CBP: partners for life and death.
• J Cell Physiol. 1999; 181: 218-30
• Display abstract

• p300 and CBP are highly related nuclear proteins, which have been implicated in transcriptional responses to disparate extracellular and intracellular signals. There are at least two very good reasons for which p300 and CBP have attracted the attention of the scientific world. First, they belong to an unique class of transcription co-activators possessing histone acetyltransferase activity and therefore have the potential to reveal basic aspects pertaining to regulation of chromatin structure. Second, p300 and CBP deliver essential functions in virtually all known cellular programs, including the decision to grow, to differentiate, or to commit suicide by apoptosis. Consistent with the complexity of these processes, a multitude of intracellular factors physically interact with p300 and CBP. Thus, the task of many investigations has been the understanding of how these proteins receive signals in the cells, what induces their recruitment in a given signal transduction pathway, and what determines the final outcome of their individual activity. This review will focus on mechanistic and theoretical questions pertaining to the mode of action of p300 and CBP posed by works performed in animal and in vitro model systems.

• Massimi P, Pim D, Bertoli C, Bouvard V, Banks L
• Interaction between the HPV-16 E2 transcriptional activator and p53.
• Oncogene. 1999; 18: 7748-54
• Display abstract

• The HPV-16 E2 protein is a major regulator of viral DNA replication and gene expression. Through interactions with the viral origin binding protein, E1, it localizes E1 to the origin of replication and stimulates the initiation of viral DNA replication. However, several recent reports have described a number of diverse activities of E2 relating to the induction of apoptosis through both p53 dependent and independent mechanisms, and to induction of growth arrest in both the G1 and G2M phases of the cell cycle. Recent studies have also shown that p53 can specifically inhibit HPV DNA replication, albeit through an unknown mechanism. Since p53 has been described in the replication centres of Herpes Viruses, Adenovirus and SV40 we decided to investigate whether any of the above activities of E2 may be related to an association with p53. We show, in a series of in vitro assays, specific interaction between p53 and HPV-16 E2 via residues in the carboxy terminal half of the E2 protein. Mutational analysis of p53 indicates that sequences in both the DNA binding and oligomerization domains are essential for the interaction, and a mutant of p53 which is unable to bind E2 is also unable to inhibit HPV DNA replication. Finally, using an inducible system of p53 expression we also show that E2 will complex with p53 in vivo. These results raise the intriguing possibility that p53 may also be involved in HPV DNA replication centres, and also provides explanations for some of the diverse activities reported for the HPV E2 proteins.

• Chakravarti D et al.
• A viral mechanism for inhibition of p300 and PCAF acetyltransferase activity.
• Cell. 1999; 96: 393-403
• Display abstract

• Nucleosomal histone modification is believed to be a critical step in the activation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. p300/CBP and PCAF histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are coactivators for several transcription factors, including nuclear hormone receptors, p53, and Stat1alpha, and participate in transcription by forming an activation complex and by promoting histone acetylation. The adenoviral E1A oncoprotein represses transcriptional signaling by binding to p300/CBP and displacing PCAF and p/CIP proteins from the complex. Here, we show that E1A directly represses the HAT activity of both p300/CBP and PCAF in vitro and p300-dependent transcription in vivo. Additionally, E1A inhibits nucleosomal histone modifications by the PCAF complex and blocks p53 acetylation. These results demonstrate the modulation of HAT activity as a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation.

• Hamamori Y et al.
• Regulation of histone acetyltransferases p300 and PCAF by the bHLH protein twist and adenoviral oncoprotein E1A.
• Cell. 1999; 96: 405-13
• Display abstract

• Histone acetyltransferases (HAT) play a critical role in transcriptional control by relieving repressive effects of chromatin, and yet how HATs themselves are regulated remains largely unknown. Here, it is shown that Twist directly binds two independent HAT domains of acetyltransferases, p300 and p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF), and directly regulates their HAT activities. The N terminus of Twist is a primary domain interacting with both acetyltransferases, and the same domain is required for inhibition of p300-dependent transcription by Twist. Adenovirus E1A protein mimics the effects of Twist by inhibiting the HAT activities of p300 and PCAF. These findings establish a cogent argument for considering the HAT domains as a direct target for acetyltransferase regulation by both a cellular transcription factor and a viral oncoprotein.

• Forsberg EC, Johnson K, Zaboikina TN, Mosser EA, Bresnick EH
• Requirement of an E1A-sensitive coactivator for long-range transactivation by the beta-globin locus control region.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 26850-9
• Display abstract

• Four erythroid-specific DNase I-hypersensitive sites at the 5'-end of the beta-globin locus confer high-level transcription to the beta-globin genes. To identify coactivators that mediate long-range transactivation by this locus control region (LCR), we assessed the influence of E1A, an inhibitor of the CBP/p300 histone acetylase, on LCR function. E1A strongly inhibited transactivation of Agamma- and beta-globin promoters by the HS2, HS2-HS3, and HS1-HS4 subregions of the LCR in human K562 and mouse erythroleukemia cells. Short- and long-range transactivation mediated by the LCR were equally sensitive to E1A. The E1A sensitivity was apparent in transient and stable transfection assays, and E1A inhibited expression of the endogenous gamma-globin genes. Only sites for NF-E2 within HS2 were required for E1A sensitivity in K562 cells, and E1A abolished transactivation mediated by the activation domain of NF-E2. E1A mutants defective in CBP/p300 binding only weakly inhibited HS2-mediated transactivation, whereas a mutant defective in retinoblastoma protein binding strongly inhibited transactivation. Expression of CBP/p300 potentiated HS2-mediated transactivation. Moreover, expression of GAL4-CBP strongly increased transactivation of a reporter containing HS2 with a GAL4 site substituted for the NF-E2 sites. Thus, we propose that a CBP/p300-containing coactivator complex is the E1A-sensitive factor important for LCR function.

• Van Orden K, Giebler HA, Lemasson I, Gonzales M, Nyborg JK
• Binding of p53 to the KIX domain of CREB binding protein. A potential link to human T-cell leukemia virus, type I-associated leukemogenesis.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 26321-8
• Display abstract

• The pleiotropic cellular coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP) plays a critical role in supporting p53-dependent tumor suppressor functions. p53 has been shown to directly interact with a carboxyl-terminal region of CBP for recruitment of the coactivator to p53-responsive genes. In this report, we identify the KIX domain as a new p53 contact point on CBP. We show that both recombinant and endogenous forms of p53 specifically interact with KIX. We demonstrate that the activation domain of p53 participates in KIX binding and provide evidence showing that this interaction is critical for p53 transactivation function. The human T-cell leukemia virus, type-I-encoded oncoprotein Tax is a well established repressor of p53 transcription function. Like p53, Tax also binds to KIX. The finding that both transcription factors bind to a common region of CBP suggests that coactivator competition may account for the observed repression. We demonstrate reciprocal repression between Tax and p53 in transient transfection assays, supporting the idea of intracellular coactivator competition. We biochemically confirm coactivator competition by directly showing that both transcription factors bind to KIX in a mutually exclusive fashion. These data provide molecular evidence for the observed intracellular competition and suggest that Tax inhibits p53 function by abrogating a novel p53-KIX interaction. Thus, Tax competition for the p53-KIX complex may be a pivotal event in the human T-cell leukemia virus, type I transformation pathway.

• Suzuki T, Uchida-Toita M, Yoshida M
• Tax protein of HTLV-1 inhibits CBP/p300-mediated transcription by interfering with recruitment of CBP/p300 onto DNA element of E-box or p53 binding site.
• Oncogene. 1999; 18: 4137-43
• Display abstract

• Tax protein of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a potent transcriptional regulator which can activate or repress specific cellular genes and has been proposed to contribute to leukemogenic processes in adult T-cell leukemia. The molecular mechanism of Tax-mediated trans-activation has been well investigated. However, trans-repression by Tax remains to be studied in detail, although it is known to require a specific DNA element such as E-box or p53 binding site. Examining possible mechanisms of trans-repression, we found that co-expression of E47 and p300 activated E-box dependent transcription and this activation was efficiently repressed by Tax. In this system, Tax bound to p300 and decreased the level of p300 complexed on the E-box element. Similarly, Tax inhibited transcription directed by p53 and CBP, reducing the level of CBP on the p53 binding site. These results indicate that Tax interferes with recruitment of CBP/p300 into protein complexes on E-box and p53 binding site through its binding to CBP/p300. In contrast to these findings, we observed that Tax increased the level of CBP on the viral 21-bp enhancer which is trans-activated by Tax. From these observations, we propose a universal mechanism for Tax-mediated trans-repression and trans-activation of transcription in which Tax binds to CBP/p300 and determines the accessibility of CBP/p300 to protein complexes on specific DNA element.

• Patel D, Huang SM, Baglia LA, McCance DJ
• The E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 16 binds to and inhibits co-activation by CBP and p300.
• EMBO J. 1999; 18: 5061-72
• Display abstract

• The co-activators CBP and p300 are important for normal cell differentiation and cell cycle progression and are the targets for viral proteins that dysregulate these cellular processes. We show here that the E6 protein from the oncogenic human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) binds to three regions (C/H1, C/H3 and the C-terminus) of both CBP and p300. The interaction of E6 with CBP/p300 was direct and independent of proteins known to bind the co-activators, such as p53. The E6 protein from low-risk HPV type 6 did not interact with C/H3 or the C-terminus but associated with the C/H1 domain at 50% of the level of HPV-16. HPV-16 E6 inhibited the intrinsic transcriptional activity of CBP/p300 and decreased the ability of p300 to activate p53- and NF-kappaB-responsive promoter elements. Interestingly, some mutations in HPV-16 E6 abrogated C/H3-E6 interactions, but did not alter the ability of E6 to associate with the C/H1 domain, suggesting that these modified proteins could be used to delineate the functional significance of the C/H1 and C/H3 domains of CBP/p300.

• Yuan ZM et al.
• Role for p300 in stabilization of p53 in the response to DNA damage.
• J Biol Chem. 1999; 274: 1883-6
• Display abstract

• The nuclear p300/CBP proteins function as coactivators of gene transcription. Here, using cells deficient in p300 or CBP, we show that p300, and not CBP, is essential for ionizing radiation-induced accumulation of the p53 tumor suppressor and thereby p53-mediated growth arrest. The results demonstrate that deficiency of p300 results in increased degradation of p53. Our findings suggest that p300 contributes to the stabilization and transactivation function of p53 in the cellular response to DNA damage.

• Kraus WL, Manning ET, Kadonaga JT
• Biochemical analysis of distinct activation functions in p300 that enhance transcription initiation with chromatin templates.
• Mol Cell Biol. 1999; 19: 8123-35
• Display abstract

• To investigate the mechanisms of transcriptional enhancement by the p300 coactivator, we analyzed wild-type and mutant versions of p300 with a chromatin transcription system in vitro. Estrogen receptor, NF-kappaB p65 plus Sp1, and Gal4-VP16 were used as different sequence-specific activators. The CH3 domain (or E1A-binding region) was found to be essential for the function of each of the activators tested. The bromodomain was also observed to be generally important for p300 coactivator activity, though to a lesser extent than the CH3 domain/E1A-binding region. The acetyltransferase activity and the C-terminal region (containing the steroid receptor coactivator/p160-binding region and the glutamine-rich region) were each found to be important for activation by estrogen receptor but not for that by Gal4-VP16. The N-terminal region of p300, which had been previously found to interact with nuclear hormone receptors, was not seen to be required for any of the activators, including estrogen receptor. Single-round transcription experiments revealed that the functionally important subregions of p300 contribute to its ability to promote the assembly of transcription initiation complexes. In addition, the acetyltransferase activity of p300 was observed to be distinct from the broadly essential activation function of the CH3 domain/E1A-binding region. These results indicate that specific regions of p300 possess distinct activation functions that are differentially required to enhance the assembly of transcription initiation complexes. Interestingly, with the estrogen receptor, four distinct regions of p300 each have an essential role in the transcription activation process. These data exemplify a situation in which a network of multiple activation functions is required to achieve gene transcription.

• Yan JP, Garrus JE, Giebler HA, Stargell LA, Nyborg JK
• Molecular interactions between the coactivator CBP and the human T-cell leukemia virus Tax protein.
• J Mol Biol. 1998; 281: 395-400
• Display abstract

• The oncoprotein Tax, encoded by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I), is required for high-level viral transcription and is strongly linked to HTLV-I-associated malignant transformation. Recent evidence suggests that Tax stimulates HTLV-I transcription through recruitment of the cellular coactivator protein CBP to the HTLV-I promoter, promoting high-level viral replication via the transcriptional activation properties associated with CBP. Tax directly contacts the KIX domain of CBP to stably anchor the coactivator to nucleoprotein complexes at the promoter. Here, we identify KIX amino acid residues 588 to 683 as the minimal region sufficient for interaction with Tax. This region is similar to the minimal KIX amino acid residues necessary for strong interaction with phosphorylated CREB, and is composed of a structural domain that forms an extensive hydrophobic core. We further show that a double point mutation in KIX differentially affects the binding of Tax and phosphorylated CREB, suggesting that these transcription factors may recognize unique amino acid residues within the KIX domain. These observations suggest that Tax directly contacts the hydrophobic core of KIX, and provides a structural framework to further define the molecular interactions between Tax and CBP.

• Yoshida E, Nakajima T, Murakami K, Fukamizu A
• Identification of N-terminal minimal transactivation domain of CBP, p300 and caenorhabditis elegans homologues.
• Gene. 1998; 208: 307-14
• Display abstract

• CBP/p300 is a multidomain transcriptional cofactor that acts in junction with other factors to regulate transcription. To elucidate the domain function of CBP, we fused its dissected fragments to Ga14 DNA-binding domain and transfected the deletion mutants into several cell lines. First, we found that the minimal transactivation domain (MTD) at the N-terminal portion maps to between 344 and 451 aa, and shows activity in a cell-type dependent manner. Second, we cloned C. elegans homologues corresponding to the MTD by RT-PCR and identified the three related products, two of which exhibited weak transcriptional activity. Finally, by means of the yeast two hybrid screening using MTD as a bait, we cloned hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 alpha and Stat2 cDNAs. These results suggested a functional role of MTD located at the N-terminal region of CBP/p300 in connecting to transcriptional factors.

• Lambert PF, Kashanchi F, Radonovich MF, Shiekhattar R, Brady JN
• Phosphorylation of p53 serine 15 increases interaction with CBP.
• J Biol Chem. 1998; 273: 33048-53
• Display abstract

• p53 exerts its cell cycle regulatory effects through its ability to function as a sequence-specific DNA binding transcription factor. CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300, through its interaction with the N terminus of p53, acts as a coactivator for p53 and increases the sequence-specific DNA-binding activity of p53 by acetylating its C terminus. The same N-terminal domain of p53 has recently been shown to be phosphorylated at Ser15 in response to gamma-irradiation. Remarkably, we now demonstrate that phosphorylation of p53 at Ser15 increases its ability to recruit CBP/p300. The increase in CBP/p300 binding was followed by an increase in the overall level of acetylation of the C terminus of p53. These results provide a mechanism for the activation of p53-regulated genes following DNA damage, through a signaling pathway linking p53 N-terminal kinase and C-terminal acetyltransferase activities.

• Zhong H, Voll RE, Ghosh S
• Phosphorylation of NF-kappa B p65 by PKA stimulates transcriptional activity by promoting a novel bivalent interaction with the coactivator CBP/p300.
• Mol Cell. 1998; 1: 661-71
• Display abstract

• The transcriptional activity of NF-kappa B is stimulated upon phosphorylation of its p65 subunit on serine 276 by protein kinase A (PKA). The transcriptional coactivator CPB/p300 associates with NF-kappa B p65 through two sites, an N-terminal domain that interacts with the C-terminal region of unphosphorylated p65, and a second domain that only interacts with p65 phosphorylated on serine 276. Accessibility to both sites is blocked in unphosphorylated p65 through an intramolecular masking of the N terminus by the C-terminal region of p65. Phosphorylation by PKA both weakens the interaction between the N- and C-terminal regions of p65 and creates an additional site for interaction with CBP/p300. Therefore, PKA regulates the transcriptional activity of NF-kappa B by modulating its interaction with CBP/p300.

• Ravi R et al.
• p53-mediated repression of nuclear factor-kappaB RelA via the transcriptional integrator p300.
• Cancer Res. 1998; 58: 4531-6
• Display abstract

• The p53 tumor suppressor gene plays an instrumental role in transcriptional regulation of target genes involved in cellular stress responses. p53-dependent transactivation and transrepression require its interaction with p300/CBP, a coactivator that also interacts with the RelA subunit of nuclear factor-kappaB. We find that p53 inhibits RelA-dependent transactivation without altering RelA expression or inducible kappaB-DNA binding. p53-mediated repression of RelA is relieved by p300 overexpression and the increased RelA activity conferred by p53-deficiency is counteracted by either transactivation domain-deficient p300 fragments that bind RelA or a transdominant mutant of IkappaB alpha. Our results suggest that p53 can regulate diverse kappaB-dependent cellular responses.

• Sang N, Avantaggiati ML, Giordano A
• Roles of p300, pocket proteins, and hTBP in E1A-mediated transcriptional regulation and inhibition of p53 transactivation activity.
• J Cell Biochem. 1997; 66: 277-85
• Display abstract

• The conserved region 1 and the extreme N-terminus of adenoviral oncoprotein E1A are essential for transforming activity. They also play roles in the interaction of E1A with p300/CBP and pRb and are involved in both transactivation and repression of host gene expression. It was reported recently that p53-mediated transactivation is specifically repressed by E1A and that p53-induced apoptosis can be protected by pRb. In this report, we investigated the roles of pRb and p300 in the N-terminus of E1A-mediated transcriptional regulation. We demonstrate here that p300 and pRb have no effect on DBD.1-70 transactivation and that overexpression of p300 or pRb failed to relieve the repression by E1A. Repression of p53 transactivation requires both the extreme amino terminus and CR1 but not CR2. This repressive activity of E1A specifically correlates with E1A's ability to bind p300 and TBP. On the other hand, E1A inhibited the transactivation activity of a fusion construct containing the DNA binding domain of yeast Gal4 and the transactivation domain of p53. When p53 was contransfected with E1A, similar inhibition was found in Saos-2 cells that lack endogenous pRb and p53 activity. Introduction of pRb into Saos-2 cells did not affect p53 transcription activity. E1A-mediated repression can be relieved be overexpression of either p300, hTBP, or-TFIIB but cannot be released by overexpression of pocket proteins. Our data suggest that p300/CBP and TBP but not the pocket proteins, pRb, p107, and pRb2/p130 are functional targets of E1A in transcriptional regulation and that p53 transactivation requires the function of the p300/TBP/TFIIB complex, thus delineating a new pathway by which E1A may exert its transforming activity.

• Gu W, Shi XL, Roeder RG
• Synergistic activation of transcription by CBP and p53.
• Nature. 1997; 387: 819-23
• Display abstract

• The tumour suppressor p53 is a transcriptional regulator whose ability to inhibit cell growth is dependent upon its transactivation function. Here we demonstrate that the transcription factor CBP, which is also implicated in cell proliferation and differentiation, acts as a p53 coactivator and potentiates its transcriptional activity. The amino-terminal activation domain of p53 interacts with the carboxy-terminal portion of the CBP protein both in vitro and in vivo. In transfected SaoS-2 cells, CBP potentiates activation of the mdm-2 gene by p53 and, reciprocally, p53 potentiates activation of a Gal4-responsive target gene by a Gal4(1-147)-CBP(1678-2441) fusion protein. A double point mutation that destroys the transactivation function of p53 also abolishes its binding to CBP and its synergistic function with CBP. The ability of p53 to interact physically and functionally with a coactivator (CBP) that has histone acetyltransferase activity and with components (TAFs) of the general transcription machinery indicates that it may have different functions in a multistep activation pathway.

• Mazzarelli JM, Mengus G, Davidson I, Ricciardi RP
• The transactivation domain of adenovirus E1A interacts with the C terminus of human TAF(II)135.
• J Virol. 1997; 71: 7978-83
• Display abstract

• The CR3 activation domain of the human adenovirus E1A protein stimulates transcription by forming protein-protein interactions with DNA sequence-specific binding factors and components of the TFIID complex. Here, we demonstrate that CR3 can complex with the extreme C-terminal 105 amino acids of the human TATA box binding-factor-associated protein, hTAF(II)135. Furthermore, the C-terminal region of hTAF(II)135 can block transcriptional stimulation from an E1A-inducible promoter in vivo. This ability of the C terminus of hTAF(II)135 to bind CR3 and to inhibit E1A-inducible activation is highly specific. These results demonstrate for the first time that a discrete fragment of a mammalian TBP-associated factor which targets a specific activator can impair the stimulation of transcription.

• Koken MH, Saib A, de The H
• A C4HC3 zinc finger motif.
• C R Acad Sci III. 1995; 318: 733-9
• Display abstract

• Metal-binding cysteine and histidine residues are often used to stabilise a protein fold through coordination of zinc ions. These zinc fingers are either involved in nucleic acid binding (TFIIIA, GAL4, nuclear receptors, retroviral gag...) or in yet unidentified biochemical functions (LIM and RING domains). The latter characterized by a unique histidine residue in the zinc binding motif (C2HC5 and C3HC4 for the LIM and RING respectively) may constitute protein/protein interaction interfaces. We have identified a new C4HC3 motif in a variety of proteins including the Drosophila trithorax and its human homologue ALL-1 involved in oncogenic translocations in acute leukaemias. This domain, for which we propose the name TTC (for trithorax consensus) is found in many transcriptional regulators or DNA-binding proteins. Interestingly, TTC was found in several bromodomain containing transcriptional adaptors including the E1A-binding p300 and the CREB-binding CBP proteins. In CBP, this domain does not appear to be involved in DNA, CREB or TFIIB binding. In the chromosomal translocations that involve the 11q23 locus, the C-terminal end of ALL-1 (which contains 4 TTC fingers) is constantly lost. The absence of these motifs in the fusion genes may relate to their leukemogenic potential.

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