Repressive transcription factor

The histone deacetylases are found in large protein complexes, often together with repressive transcription factors. By this token, interactions of the repressive heterodi-meric transcription factor Mad-Max and a complex with the histone deacetylase HDAC I and the mSinSA protein have been demonstrated. A complex of HDAC I and the nuclear receptor-corepressor (see chapter 4) binds to unliganded nuclear receptors and is believed to exercise a repressive effect. A further example is the tumor suppressor protein pRb (see chapters 13,14), which can occur as a transcription repressor in the hypo-phosphorylated form and transcriptionally activating in the hyperphosphorylated form. The repressive form of the pRb protein recruits the histone deacetylase HDAC 1 to the DNA and thereby initiates an active repression of the gene (see 13.3.2). 

Muliprotein complexes that do not directly bind DNA, but are recruited by sequence-specific transcription factors and mediate their capacity to activate genes (coactivators) and to repress genes (corepressors). 

Repression of genes is associated with reversal of this process under the control of histone deacetylases (HDACs). Deacetylation of histones increases the winding of DNA round histone residues, resulting in a dense chromatin structure and reduced access of transcription factors to their binding sites, thereby leading to repressed transcription of inflammatory genes. 

Instead of activating transcription the cortisol-induced GR represses IL-6 synthesis and, even more surprisingly, repression does not involve the GRE elements, but rather the kB site (Fig. 1). It appeals that of a monomeric GR protein without itself touching the DNA interacts with the RelA component of NF-kB [3]. As a result GR blocks the action of NF-kB. The negative interference by this crosstalk is not restricted to NF-kB, it occurs also with AP-1 and CREB, and with several other transcription factors not relevant for IL-6 expression. A nuclear isoform of the LIM protein Trip6 mediates the interaction between these factors and is required for the inhibitory GR function. This interesting negative crosstalk is part of the immune-suppressive action of cortisol. 

The genetic basis of at least some aspects of the proliferation response has recently been uncovered. Work with Arahidopsis mutants has shown that a nitrate-inducible gene (ANRI) encodes a member of the MADS box family of transcription factors (87). Repression of this gene resulted in plants that no longer responded to nitrate-rich patches. 

Jenkins T (2000) Targeting multi-stranded DNA structures. Curr Med Chem 7 99-115 Jenuwein T, AlUs CD (2001) Translating the histone code. Science 293(5532) 1074-1080 Juan LJ, Utley RT, Adams CC, Vettese-Dadey M, Workman JL (1994) Differential repression of transcription factor binding by histone HI is regulated by the core histone amino termini. EMBO J 15 6031-6040... 

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