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Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 1999, p. 594-601, Vol. 19, No. 1
0270-7306/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
The Oncogenic Potential of the Pax3-FKHR Fusion
Protein Requires the Pax3 Homeodomain Recognition Helix but Not the
Pax3 Paired-Box DNA Binding Domain
Paula Y. P.
Lam,1,
Jack E.
Sublett,2
Andrew D.
Hollenbach,3 and
Martine F.
Roussel4,*
Departments of Experimental
Oncology,1
Developmental
Neurobiology,2
Genetics,3 and
Tumor Cell
Biology,4 St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105
Received 4 February 1998/Returned for modification 17 March
1998/Accepted 1 October 1998
The chimeric transcription factor Pax3-FKHR, produced by the
t(2;13)(q35;q14) chromosomal translocation in alveolar
rhabdomyosarcoma, consists of the two Pax3 DNA binding domains (paired
box and homeodomain) fused to the C-terminal forkhead (FKHR) sequences
that contain a potent transcriptional activation domain. To determine
which of these domains are required for cellular transformation, Pax3, Pax3-FKHR, and selected mutants were retrovirally expressed in NIH 3T3
cells and evaluated for their capacity to promote anchorage-independent cell growth. Mutational analysis revealed that both the third
-helix
of the homeodomain and a small region of the FKHR transactivation domain are absolutely required for efficient transformation by the
Pax3-FKHR fusion protein. Surprisingly, point mutations in the paired
domain that abrogate sequence-specific DNA binding retained
transformation potential equivalent to that of the wild-type protein.
This finding suggests that DNA binding mediated through the Pax3 paired
box is not required for transformation. Our results demonstrate that
the integrity of the Pax3 homeodomain recognition helix and the FKHR
transactivation domain is necessary for efficient cellular
transformation by the Pax3-FKHR fusion protein.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Tumor Cell Biology, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105. Phone:
(901) 495-3481. Fax: (901) 495-2381. E-mail:
martine.roussel{at}stjude.org.

Present address: Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Departments of
Neurology and Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA
02129.
Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 1999, p. 594-601, Vol. 19, No. 1
0270-7306/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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