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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Nov 16.
Published in final edited form as: Mol Cell. 2009 Sep 24;35(6):755–768. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2009.09.015

Figure 7. A model for dynamic PGC-1α interactions that facilitate integrated functions in chromatin remodeling and transcription initiation.

Figure 7

The following sequential steps are proposed. First, PGC-1α is recruited to a target nuclear receptor-enhancer complex through a ligand-dependent interaction of one of its N-terminal LXXLL motifs with the nuclear receptor AF2 domain. Second, binding of p300 (or another chromatin modifying factor) to PGC-1α leads to histone modifications (e.g., acetylation) and/or chromatin remodeling events that make the promoter/enhancer more accessible to Mediator and general transcription factors. Third, MED1/Mediator interactions, through LXXLL motifs, with the liganded nuclear receptor AF2 domain leads to PGC-1α displacement, concomitant with stabilizing interactions between C-terminal domains in PGC-1α and MED1 that result in persistent (or enhanced) PGC-1α recruitment. Fourth, PGC-1α enhances the Mediator-dependent formation and/or function of a preinitiation complex (and may ultimately be transferred to an elongating RNA polymerase II complex for specific RNA processing events). For further details see text.