Adenovirus DNA binding protein interacts with the SNF2-related CBP activator protein (SrCap) and inhibits SrCap-mediated transcription.

The SNF2-related CBP activator protein, SrCap (pronounced "sir cap"), shares homology with the SNF2/SWI2 protein family. SrCap was cloned through its ability to bind CBP. SrCap can function as a CBP coactivator and can activate transcription in a reporter assay when expressed as a Gal-SrCap fusion protein. A monoclonal antibody raised against the carboxyl terminus of SrCap coimmunoprecipitates CBP/p300, supporting the model that SrCap is a CBP binding protein and that these proteins can be found together in a cellular protein complex. In addition, several cellular proteins are coimmunoprecipitated by the SrCap-specific antibody. Since adenovirus E1A proteins interact with CBP/p300 proteins, we examined what proteins could be copurified in a SrCap-specific coimmunoprecipitation assay from lysates of adenovirus-infected cells. While E1A proteins were not detected in this complex, to our surprise, we observed the presence of an infected-cell-specific band of 72 kDa, which we suspected might be the adenovirus DNA binding protein, DBP. The adenovirus DBP is a multifunctional protein involved in several aspects of the adenovirus life cycle, including an ability to modulate transcription. The identity of DBP was confirmed by DBP-specific Western blot analysis and by reimmunoprecipitating DBP from denatured SrCap-specific protein complexes. Using in vitro-translated DBP and SrCap proteins, we demonstrated that these proteins interact. To determine whether this interaction could affect SrCap-mediated transcription, we tested whether increasing amounts of DBP could modulate the Gal-SrCap transcription activity. We observed that DBP inhibited Gal-SrCap transcription activity in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest a novel mechanism of adenovirus host cell control by which DBP binds to and inactivates SrCap, a member of the SNF2 chromatin-remodeling protein family.

Regulation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein-mediated transcription by the SNF2/SWI-related protein, SRCAP.

SRCAP (SNF2-related CPB activator protein) belongs to the SNF2 family of proteins whose members participate in various aspects of transcriptional regulation, including chromatin remodeling. It was identified by its ability to bind to cAMP-responsive-binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP), and it increases the transactivation function of CBP. The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) promoter was used as a model system to explore the role of SRCAP in the regulation of transcription mediated by factors that utilize CBP as a coactivator. We show that transcription of a PEPCK chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene activated by protein kinase A (PKA) is enhanced 7-fold by SRCAP. In the absence of PKA this SRCAP-mediated enhancement does not occur, suggesting that SRCAP functions as a coactivator for PKA-activated factors such as CREB. Replacing the PEPCK promoter binding site for CREB with a binding site for Gal4 (DeltaCRE (cAMP-responsive element) Gal4 PEPCK-CAT reporter gene) blocks the ability of SRCAP to activate transcription despite the presence of PKA. Expression of a Gal-CREB chimera restores the ability of PKA to regulate transcription of the DeltaCRE Gal4 PEPCK gene and restored the ability of SRCAP to stimulate PKA-activated transcription. In addition, SRCAP in the presence of PKA enhances the ability of the Gal-CREB chimera to activate transcription of a Gal-CAT reporter gene that contains only binding sites for Gal4. SRCAP binds to CBP amino acids 280-460, a region that is important for CBP to function as a coactivator for CREB. Overexpression of a SRCAP peptide corresponding to this CBP binding domain acts as a dominant negative inhibitor of CREB-mediated transcription. Structure-function studies were done to explore the mechanism(s) by which SRCAP regulates transcription. These studies indicate that the N-terminal region of SRCAP, which contains five of the seven regions that comprise the ATPase domain, is not needed for activation of CREB-mediated transcription. SRCAP apparently has several domains that participate in the activation of transcription.

Hepatitis C virus NS5A protein modulates transcription through a novel cellular transcription factor SRCAP.

Hepatitis C virus NS5A protein transcriptionally modulates cellular genes and promotes cell growth. NS5A is likely to exert its activity in concert with cellular factor(s). Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we have demonstrated that NS5A interacts with the C-terminal end of a newly identified cellular transcription factor, SRCAP. The authenticity of this interaction was verified by a mammalian two-hybrid assay, in vitro pull-down experiment, and an in vivo coimmunoprecipitation assay in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. An in vitro transient transfection assay demonstrated that SRCAP can efficiently activate transcription when recruited by the Gal4 DNA-binding domain to the promoter. However, down-regulation of p21 promoter activity by NS5A was enhanced following ectopic expression of SRCAP. Together these results suggest that the interaction of NS5A and SRCAP may be one of the mechanisms by which NS5A exerts its effect on cell growth regulation contributing to hepatitis C virus-mediated pathogenesis.

Identification of a novel SNF2/SWI2 protein family member, SRCAP, which interacts with CREB-binding protein.

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.

Regulation of CBP-mediated transcription by neuronal calcium signaling.

The transcription factor CREB is involved in mediating many of the long-term effects of activity-dependent plasticity at glutamatergic synapses. Here, we show that activation of NMDA receptors and voltage-sensitive calcium channels leads to CREB-mediated transcription in cortical neurons via a mechanism regulated by CREB-binding protein (CBP). Recruitment of CBP to the promoter is not sufficient for transactivation, but calcium influx can induce CBP-mediated transcription via two distinct transactivation domains. CBP-mediated transcription is stimulus strength-dependent and can be induced by activation of CaM kinase II, CaM kinase IV, and protein kinase A, but not by activation of the Ras-MAP kinase pathway. These observations indicate that CBP can function as a calcium-sensitive transcriptional coactivator that may act as a regulatory switch for glutamate-induced CREB-mediated transcription.

Nerve growth factor up-regulates the transcriptional activity of CBP through activation of the p42/p44(MAPK) cascade.

Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein-binding protein (CBP) functions as a transcriptional coactivator through interactions with a number of cellular and viral transcription factors. It has been suggested to play a central integrative role in gene regulation. However, little is known about signal cascades that can regulate CBP activity. Here we show that either nerve growth factor (NGF) or cAMP treatment led to enhanced activity of CBP in PC12 cells. The C-terminal glutamine-rich activation domain of CBP was shown to be responsible for induction by NGF and cAMP. NGF-induced enhancement of CBP activity was also observed in protein kinase A (PKA)-deficient PC12 cells, whereas cAMP failed to increase the transcriptional activity of CBP in these cells. Moreover, the specific PKA inhibitor H-89 blocked cAMP-induced but not NGF-induced up-regulation of CBP activity. The up-regulation of CBP transcriptional activity in response to NGF was, however, prevented by the specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase (p42/44(MAPK)) activation, PD98059, which had no effect on the up-regulation induced by cyclic AMP, indicating that activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal pathway is specifically involved in the NGF-induced activation of CBP. In addition, expression of a dominant-negative interfering mutant of p42/44(MAPK) can prevent the NGF-mediated induction of the CBP activity, whereas expression of a p42/44(MAPK) constitutively active mutant can enhance the transcriptional activity of CBP. These data indicate that activation of the p42/p44(MAPK) cascade mediates the up-regulation of the transcriptional activity of CBP by NGF, whereas the similar up-regulation induced by cyclic AMP is mediated by PKA activation.

CREB-binding protein activates transcription through multiple domains.

CREB-binding protein (CBP) functions as a coactivator molecule for a number of transcription factors including CREB, c-Fos, c-Jun, c-Myb, and several nuclear receptors. Although binding sites for these factors within CBP have been identified, the regions of CBP responsible for transcriptional activation are unknown. In this report, we show that the N-terminal half of CBP is sufficient for activation of CREB-mediated transcription and that this region contains a strong transcriptional activation domain (TAD). Both deletion of this TAD or sequestering of factors that the TAD binds using a squelching assay were found to greatly decrease the ability of CBP to activate CREB-mediated transcription. In vivo studies by others have shown that p300/CBP associates with TBP; using an in vitro approach, we show the N-terminal TAD binds TBP. We also examined the ability of the C terminus of CBP to activate transcription using GAL-CBP chimeras. With this approach, we identified two C-terminal TADs located adjacent to the c-Fos binding site. In previous studies, cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) increased the transcriptional activity of a GAL full-length CBP chimera in F9 cells, and of the C terminus in PC-12 cells. Here, we demonstrate that PKA also increased the ability of the N-terminal TADs of CBP to activate transcription in PC-12 but not F9 or COS-7 cells, suggesting that this PKA-responsiveness is cell type-specific.

Nuclear protein CBP is a coactivator for the transcription factor CREB.

The transcription factor CREB binds to a DNA element known as the cAMP-regulated enhancer (CRE). CREB is activated through phosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA), but precisely how phosphorylation stimulates CREB function is unknown. One model is that phosphorylation may allow the recruitment of coactivators which then interact with basal transcription factors. We have previously identified a nuclear protein of M(r)265K, CBP, that binds specifically to the PKA-phosphorylated form of CREB. We have used fluorescence anisotropy measurements to define the equilibrium binding parameters of the phosphoCREB:CBP interaction and report here that CBP can activate transcription through a region in its carboxy terminus. The activation domain of CBP interacts with the basal transcription factor TFIIB through a domain that is conserved in the yeast coactivator ADA-1 (ref. 8). Consistent with its role as a coactivator, CBP augments the activity of phosphorylated CREB to activate transcription of cAMP-responsive genes.

Phosphorylated CREB binds specifically to the nuclear protein CBP.

Cyclic AMP-regulated gene expression frequently involves a DNA element known as the cAMP-regulated enhancer (CRE). Many transcription factors bind to this element, including the protein CREB, which is activated as a result of phosphorylation by protein kinase A. This modification stimulates interaction with one or more of the general transcription factors or, alternatively, allows recruitment of a co-activator. Here we report that CREB phosphorylated by protein kinase A binds specifically to a nuclear protein of M(r) 265K which we term CBP (for CREB-binding protein). Fusion of a heterologous DNA-binding domain to the amino terminus of CBP enables the chimaeric protein to function as a protein kinase A-regulated transcriptional activator. We propose that CBP may participate in cAMP-regulated gene expression by interacting with the activated phosphorylated form of CREB.

A dominant repressor of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated enhancer-binding protein activity inhibits the cAMP-mediated induction of the somatostatin promoter in vivo.

The transactivation of genes through the cAMP-regulated enhancer (CRE) is proposed to occur by the binding and phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB (CRE-binding protein). Originally believed to be a single protein, more than 10 different CREB proteins have been cloned. The contributions of each of these factors to gene regulation have yet to be determined unambiguously. We have isolated a CREB cDNA that contains a mutation of a single amino acid in the DNA-binding domain. In gel shift assays, this mutant, designated KCREB, is unable to bind to the somatostatin (SS) CRE. In addition, KCREB acts as a dominant repressor of the wild-type factor, blocking the ability of wild-type CREB to bind to the CRE when present as a KCREB:CREB heterodimer. The KCREB mutant also acts as a dominant repressor in vivo, completely blocking the ability of wild-type CREB to mediate induction by protein kinase-A of a SS CRE reporter gene in F9 teratocarcinoma cells. We have used this mutant to analyze the participation of CREB in the induction of the SS promoter in CA-77 cells, a medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line that produces high levels of SS. Although KCREB can block a portion of the cAMP induction of the SS promoter in CA-77 cells, approximately 45% of the induction remains insensitive to the mutant. These data support the paradigm that CREB is involved in the cAMP induction of SS in vivo. Furthermore, the inability of KCREB to completely block cAMP-mediated SS expression in CA-77 cells suggests that additional factors may contribute to the cAMP regulation of CRE function.

A model of human cytokine regulation based on transfection of gamma interferon gene fragments directly into isolated peripheral blood T lymphocytes.

An approach has been optimized permitting measurement of human cytokine reporter gene expression after transient transfection directly into purified human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Comparing the expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) CAT with a series of specially engineered gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) constructs, a fundamental difference in the molecular mechanisms regulating these two cytokines has been suggested. A potent, tissue-specific, constitutive-acting positive regulatory element was located between sequences -215 and -53 in the human IFN-gamma gene. Deletion analyses suggested that sequences slightly upstream, between positions -251 to -215, exerted a powerful dominant suppressive influence over that positive element. Negative elements appear to play a major role in controlling the regulation of human IFN-gamma gene expression. We thus propose a model of cytokine gene regulation in which selective derepression may be an important fundamental mechanism of induction and/or positive modulation.

Identification of enhancer-like elements in human IFN-gamma genomic DNA.

We have previously shown that transfection of a plasmid clone containing full length human IFN-gamma genomic DNA into a murine T-lymphoblastoid line is followed by basal expression of the transfected gene, with increased transcription occurring upon stimulation of the cells with either phorbol ester or IL-2. In addition, upon transfection of this DNA into murine fibroblasts, high level constitutive transcription was observed. In contrast to the results obtained under tissue culture conditions, introduction of the same DNA into the mouse germline resulted in tissue-specific expression of the transgene. We now report identification of a region 500-bp 5' of the human IFN-gamma TATAA box that has strong, PMA-inducible, enhancer-like activity when linked to a reporter gene (CAT) and transfected into a murine T cell line. However, when the same region of IFN-gamma genomic DNA was introduced into NIH-3T3 cells, no enhancer activity was detected either in the presence or absence of PMA. We have further found that an intronic region of the IFN-gamma genomic DNA (nucleotides 405-674) also contains enhancer activity that is functional in either fibroblasts or T cells. Enhancer activity of the intronic region is also PMA-inducible in the mouse T cells but constitutive in fibroblasts. Collectively, our observations suggest that control of human IFN-gamma gene expression is complex, involving noncontiguous regulatory domains in both 5' flanking and intronic regions of that gene.

Catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine heart: several isoforms demonstrated by high resolution focusing in immobilized pH gradient.

The catalytic subunit (C) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase holoenzyme type II from bovine cardiac muscle was separated by isoelectric focusing in Immobiline polyacrylamide gels into 9 protein forms. The major forms (i) appeared at pH 7.1, 7.4, 7.5, and 7.7, (ii) exhibited protein kinase activity and were inhibited by heat and acid stable inhibitor, (iii) represented approx. 30%, 4%, 64%, and 1% of the protein respectively, (iv) refocused in the same position from which they had been eluted from the first gel. Antibodies against C detected additional proteins at approx. pH 7.55, 7.75, and 7.8. Two more bands became detectable at approx. pH 7.3 and 7.45 by application of antibody against C beta (Uhler, M.D. & McKnight G.S. 1987, J.Biol.Chem. 262, 15202-15207). The relation of the different forms of C to the fractions CA and CB (Kinzel V. et al. 1987 Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 253, 341-349) is demonstrated.

Characterization of genomic clones coding for the C alpha and C beta subunits of mouse cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Mouse genes for two isozymes of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (C alpha, C beta) were isolated and characterized. The C alpha gene is divided into 10 exons contained on three overlapping clones. Genomic clones containing the 5' end of the C beta gene were also isolated, and sequence analysis demonstrated that the positions of the three introns examined are identical in the C alpha and C beta genes. S1 mapping and primer extension experiments indicate that transcription initiated from multiple sites in both genes and that neither contain recognizable TATA or CAAT homologies. The 5' flanking regions of both genes are remarkably high in GC content (80% for C alpha and 72% for C beta) and are similar to the "HTF" (HpaII tiny fragment fraction) island sequences which have recently been found to flank several other mammalian transcriptional units.

Evidence for a second isoform of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

We have used a previously characterized mouse cDNA clone for the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Uhler, M. D., Carmichael, D. F., Lee, D. C., Chrivia, J. C., Krebs, E. G., and McKnight, G. S. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 83, 1300-1304), which we designate C alpha, to isolate cDNA clones coding for a second isoform of the C subunit, C beta. C alpha cDNA clones hybridize to a 2.4-kilobase mRNA on Northern blots whereas C beta cDNA clones detect a 4.3-kilobase mRNA. Nucleotide sequence comparison between C alpha and C beta cDNA clones shows that the C beta cDNA codes for a protein which shows 91% identity with C alpha. Determination of mRNA levels for C beta in various tissues shows that it is most highly expressed in brain although it is detectable in all tissues examined. The presence of two genes coding for the C subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase may explain past reports of heterogeneity in C subunit protein preparations.

Isolation of cDNA clones coding for the catalytic subunit of mouse cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

mRNA coding for the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (ATP: protein phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.37) was partially purified from bovine testis by polysome immunoadsorption and oligo(dT)-chromatography. This enriched mRNA preparation was used to prepare and differentially screen a cDNA library. One of the selected cDNA clones was shown to hybrid-select mRNA coding for a 40-kDa protein that was specifically precipitated with antibodies to the C subunit. This bovine cDNA clone was then used to isolate a series of mouse cDNA clones that are complementary to the entire mouse C subunit mRNA. The mouse clones code for a protein of 351 amino acids that shows 98% homology to the bovine C subunit and hybridize to a single mRNA of 2.4 kilobases in mouse heart and brain. Southern blot analysis of total genomic DNA suggests that there is a single mouse gene coding for the C subunit. mRNA levels for both the C subunit and the type I regulatory subunit in various mouse tissues and cell lines were quantitated and compared by using single-stranded RNA probes prepared with SP6 polymerase.

Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate and cytosolic calcium exert opposing effects on biosynthesis of tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels in rat muscle cells.

We have previously presented evidence that electrical activity and increased cytosolic calcium reduce the density of sarcolemmal tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive sodium channels in cultured rat muscle cells (Sherman, S. J., and W. A. Catterall (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 81: 262-266). We show here that growth of cells in ryanodine has a biphasic effect on sodium channel number. At low concentrations (0.3 to 10 microM) where this drug releases calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the cytoplasm, sodium channel number is reduced 62%; whereas, at higher concentrations where total cellular calcium is depleted, the density of sodium channels is increased 40% above control. These results provide further evidence for modulation of sodium channel number by cytosolic calcium. Growth of muscle cells in the presence of agents that mimic cyclic AMP (cAMP) action or increase intracellular cAMP levels including 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (8-BrcAMP), cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and forskolin increased sodium channel density up to 125%. This action did not involve changes in spontaneous electrical activity. Dibutyryl cGMP had no effect. Measurement of the turnover rate of sodium channels after block of channel accumulation by tunicamycin (1.5 micrograms/ml) gave a half-time of 18 hr for exponential decay of TTX-sensitive sodium channels in cultured rat muscle cells after an initial 6-hr lag period. Treatments which modulate sodium channel number through changes in cytosolic calcium or cAMP had no effect on the rate of channel turnover. The increase of sodium channel number after inhibiton of electrical activity or treatment with 8-BrcAMP was half-maximal at 17 hr, consistent with an increase in the rate of sodium channel biosynthesis and/or incorporation into the sarcolemma without a change in channel turnover time. We conclude that cytosolic calcium decreases and cAMP increases sodium channel number by modulating the rate of biosynthesis and/or processing of channel components. The biochemical mechanisms of these regulatory effects are considered.

Interaction of a fluorescent acyldicholine with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and acetylcholinesterase.

A fluorescent acyldicholine, bis-(choline)N-[4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-7-yl]-iminodiprop ionate (BCNI), was synthesized and its capacity to associate with acetylcholinesterase and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor examined. The fluorescent bisquaternary diester competitively inhibits acetylcholinesterase with a Ki of 0.46 microM. Binding is accompanied by a large decrease in BCNI fluorescence and a 40% reduction in enzyme tryptophanyl fluorescence due to spectral overlap between BCNI absorption and the fluorescence emission of tryptophanyl residues on the enzyme. BCNI titrations show a stoichiometry of one site per subunit and a dissociation constant of 0.2 microM. BCNI also inhibits the initial rate of alpha-toxin binding to the membrane-associated nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and yields a protection constant (Kp) of 0.26 microM. Prior exposure of BCNI to the receptor increases the affinity of the complex, and after equilibration Kp is found to be 0.11 microM. Fluorescence titrations reveal that BCNI binds with 1:1 stoichiometry to alpha-toxin sites on the receptor with a dissociation constant of 0.22 microM. Agonists and antagonists, but not local anesthetics, compete with BCNI binding. BCNI behaves as a competitive antagonist on receptors from the snake neuromuscular junction and from BC3H-1 cells. The 4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole fluorophore in BCNI shows a hypsochromatic shift and an enhancement of quantum yield when bound to the receptor but is quenched when associated with acetylcholinesterase. Thus, despite the similarity in dissociation constants, the fluorophore exists in very different environments when bound to the two proteins.