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Molecular and Cellular Biology, July 2000, p. 5000-5009, Vol. 20, No. 14
Departments of Molecular Pharmacology and
Biochemistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of
Southern California School of Pharmacy and Keck School of Medicine, Los
Angeles, California 90089-9121
Received 1 December 1999/Returned for modification 6 January
2000/Accepted 19 April 2000
Our previous studies have demonstrated that the level of the
central transcription factor TATA-binding protein (TBP) is increased in
cells expressing the hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein through the
activation of the Ras signaling pathway, which serves to enhance both
RNA polymerase I and III promoter activities. To understand the
mechanism by which TBP is regulated, we have investigated whether
enhanced expression is modulated at the transcriptional level. Nuclear
run-on assays revealed that the HBV X protein increases the number of
active transcription complexes on the TBP gene. In
transient-transfection assays with both transformed and primary hepatocytes, the human TBP promoter was shown to be induced by expression of the HBV X protein in a Ras-dependent manner, requiring both Ral guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator (RalGDS) and Raf
signaling. Transient overexpression of TBP did not affect TBP promoter
activity. To further delineate the downstream Ras-mediated events
contributing to TBP promoter regulation in primary rat hepatocytes, the best-characterized Ras effectors, Raf,
phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase), and RalGDS, were examined.
Activation of either Raf or RalGDS, but not that of PI-3 kinase, was
sufficient to induce TBP promoter activity. Both Raf- and
RalGDS-mediated induction required the activation of mitogen-activated
protein kinase kinase (MEK). In addition, another distinct
Ras-activated pathway, which does not require MEK activation,
appears to induce TBP promoter activity. Analysis of the DNA sequence
requirement within the TBP promoter responsible for these regulatory
events defined three distinct regions that modulate the abilities of Raf, RalGDS, and the Ras-dependent, MEK-independent pathways to regulate human TBP promoter activity. Together, these results provide
new evidence that TBP can be regulated at the transcriptional level and
identify three distinct Ras-activated pathways that modulate this
central eukaryotic transcription factor.
0270-7306/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Transcriptional Regulation of the TATA-Binding
Protein by Ras Cellular Signaling
and
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Southern
California School of Pharmacy, 1985 Zonal Ave., PSC-402, Los Angeles,
CA 90089-9121. Phone: (323) 442-1446. Fax: (323) 442-1681. E-mail: johnsond{at}hsc.usc.edu.
Present address: Department of Biology, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
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