Skip to main content
PMC home page
The EMBO Journal logoLink to The EMBO Journal
. 1990 Apr;9(4):1299–1308. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08239.x

An upstream transcription factor, USF (MLTF), facilitates the formation of preinitiation complexes during in vitro chromatin assembly.

J L Workman 1, R G Roeder 1, R E Kingston 1
PMCID: PMC551808  PMID: 2323340

Abstract

During in vitro chromatin assembly the formation of transcription complexes is in direct competition with the assembly of promoter sequences into nucleosomes. Under these conditions the fold stimulation of transcription by an upstream transcription factor (USF) was greater than that observed in the absence of nucleosome assembly. Function of USF during nucleosome assembly required the simultaneous presence of the TATA box binding protein TFIID. Unlike TFIID, USF alone was unable to prevent repression of the promoter during nucleosome assembly. Furthermore, USF displayed reduced or no transcriptional stimulatory activity when added to previously assembled minichromosomes. Under conditions of nucleosome assembly, USF increased the number of assembled minichromosomes which contained stable preinitiation complexes. Subsequent to assembly, the rate at which preformed complexes initiated transcription appeared to be independent of the presence of USF. Thus USF potentiated the subsequent transcriptional activity of the promoter indirectly, apparently by increasing the rate or stability of TFIID binding. This activity resulted in the promoter becoming resistant to nucleosome mediated repression. These observations suggest that some ubiquitous upstream factors, e.g. USF, may play an important role in establishing the transcriptional potential of cellular genes during chromatin assembly.

Full text

PDF
1299

Images in this article

1300Fig. 1.
on p.1300
1301Fig. 2.
on p.1301
1302Fig. 3.
on p.1302
1303Fig. 4.
on p.1303
1304Fig. 5.
on p.1304
1305Fig. 6.
on p.1305
1305Fig. 7.
on p.1305

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abmayr S. M., Workman J. L., Roeder R. G. The pseudorabies immediate early protein stimulates in vitro transcription by facilitating TFIID: promoter interactions. Genes Dev. 1988 May;2(5):542–553. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.5.542. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Almer A., Rudolph H., Hinnen A., Hörz W. Removal of positioned nucleosomes from the yeast PHO5 promoter upon PHO5 induction releases additional upstream activating DNA elements. EMBO J. 1986 Oct;5(10):2689–2696. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04552.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buratowski S., Hahn S., Guarente L., Sharp P. A. Five intermediate complexes in transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II. Cell. 1989 Feb 24;56(4):549–561. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90578-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cai H., Luse D. S. Transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II in vitro. Properties of preinitiation, initiation, and elongation complexes. J Biol Chem. 1987 Jan 5;262(1):298–304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carcamo J., Lobos S., Merino A., Buckbinder L., Weinmann R., Natarajan V., Reinberg D. Factors involved in specific transcription by mammalian RNA polymerase II. Role of factors IID and MLTF in transcription from the adenovirus major late and IVa2 promoters. J Biol Chem. 1989 May 5;264(13):7704–7714. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Carthew R. W., Chodosh L. A., Sharp P. A. An RNA polymerase II transcription factor binds to an upstream element in the adenovirus major late promoter. Cell. 1985 Dec;43(2 Pt 1):439–448. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90174-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Chodosh L. A., Carthew R. W., Sharp P. A. A single polypeptide possesses the binding and transcription activities of the adenovirus major late transcription factor. Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Dec;6(12):4723–4733. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.12.4723. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Clark-Adams C. D., Norris D., Osley M. A., Fassler J. S., Winston F. Changes in histone gene dosage alter transcription in yeast. Genes Dev. 1988 Feb;2(2):150–159. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.2.150. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Cordingley M. G., Riegel A. T., Hager G. L. Steroid-dependent interaction of transcription factors with the inducible promoter of mouse mammary tumor virus in vivo. Cell. 1987 Jan 30;48(2):261–270. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90429-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Cromlish W. A., Abmayr S. M., Workman J. L., Horikoshi M., Roeder R. G. Transcriptionally active immediate-early protein of pseudorabies virus binds to specific sites on class II gene promoters. J Virol. 1989 May;63(5):1869–1876. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.5.1869-1876.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Davison B. L., Egly J. M., Mulvihill E. R., Chambon P. Formation of stable preinitiation complexes between eukaryotic class B transcription factors and promoter sequences. Nature. 1983 Feb 24;301(5902):680–686. doi: 10.1038/301680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Elgin S. C. The formation and function of DNase I hypersensitive sites in the process of gene activation. J Biol Chem. 1988 Dec 25;263(36):19259–19262. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Fire A., Samuels M., Sharp P. A. Interactions between RNA polymerase II, factors, and template leading to accurate transcription. J Biol Chem. 1984 Feb 25;259(4):2509–2516. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Glikin G. C., Ruberti I., Worcel A. Chromatin assembly in Xenopus oocytes: in vitro studies. Cell. 1984 May;37(1):33–41. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(84)90298-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Greene J. M., Larin Z., Taylor I. C., Prentice H., Gwinn K. A., Kingston R. E. Multiple basal elements of a human hsp70 promoter function differently in human and rodent cell lines. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Oct;7(10):3646–3655. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.10.3646. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Gross D. S., Garrard W. T. Nuclease hypersensitive sites in chromatin. Annu Rev Biochem. 1988;57:159–197. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.57.070188.001111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Han M., Grunstein M. Nucleosome loss activates yeast downstream promoters in vivo. Cell. 1988 Dec 23;55(6):1137–1145. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90258-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Han M., Kim U. J., Kayne P., Grunstein M. Depletion of histone H4 and nucleosomes activates the PHO5 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. EMBO J. 1988 Jul;7(7):2221–2228. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03061.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hawley D. K., Roeder R. G. Functional steps in transcription initiation and reinitiation from the major late promoter in a HeLa nuclear extract. J Biol Chem. 1987 Mar 15;262(8):3452–3461. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Hawley D. K., Roeder R. G. Separation and partial characterization of three functional steps in transcription initiation by human RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem. 1985 Jul 5;260(13):8163–8172. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Hen R., Sassone-Corsi P., Corden J., Gaub M. P., Chambon P. Sequences upstream from the T-A-T-A box are required in vivo and in vitro for efficient transcription from the adenovirus serotype 2 major late promoter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Dec;79(23):7132–7136. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.23.7132. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kim U. J., Han M., Kayne P., Grunstein M. Effects of histone H4 depletion on the cell cycle and transcription of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. EMBO J. 1988 Jul;7(7):2211–2219. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03060.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Knezetic J. A., Jacob G. A., Luse D. S. Assembly of RNA polymerase II preinitiation complexes before assembly of nucleosomes allows efficient initiation of transcription on nucleosomal templates. Mol Cell Biol. 1988 Aug;8(8):3114–3121. doi: 10.1128/mcb.8.8.3114. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Knezetic J. A., Luse D. S. The presence of nucleosomes on a DNA template prevents initiation by RNA polymerase II in vitro. Cell. 1986 Apr 11;45(1):95–104. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90541-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Ladiges W. C., Raff R. F., Brown S., Deeg H. J., Storb R. The canine major histocompatibility complex. Supertypic specificities defined by the primed lymphocyte test (PLT). Immunogenetics. 1984;19(4):359–365. doi: 10.1007/BF00345410. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Laskey R. A., Earnshaw W. C. Nucleosome assembly. Nature. 1980 Aug 21;286(5775):763–767. doi: 10.1038/286763a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Laskey R. A., Honda B. M., Mills A. D., Finch J. T. Nucleosomes are assembled by an acidic protein which binds histones and transfers them to DNA. Nature. 1978 Oct 5;275(5679):416–420. doi: 10.1038/275416a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Laskey R. A., Mills A. D., Morris N. R. Assembly of SV40 chromatin in a cell-free system from Xenopus eggs. Cell. 1977 Feb;10(2):237–243. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90217-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Lorch Y., LaPointe J. W., Kornberg R. D. Nucleosomes inhibit the initiation of transcription but allow chain elongation with the displacement of histones. Cell. 1987 Apr 24;49(2):203–210. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90561-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Matsui T., Segall J., Weil P. A., Roeder R. G. Multiple factors required for accurate initiation of transcription by purified RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem. 1980 Dec 25;255(24):11992–11996. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Matsui T. Transcription of adenovirus 2 major late and peptide IX genes under conditions of in vitro nucleosome assembly. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Apr;7(4):1401–1408. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.4.1401. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Miyamoto N. G., Moncollin V., Egly J. M., Chambon P. Specific interaction between a transcription factor and the upstream element of the adenovirus-2 major late promoter. EMBO J. 1985 Dec 16;4(13A):3563–3570. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb04118.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Miyamoto N. G., Moncollin V., Wintzerith M., Hen R., Egly J. M., Chambon P. Stimulation of in vitro transcription by the upstream element of the adenovirus-2 major late promoter involves a specific factor. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Dec 11;12(23):8779–8799. doi: 10.1093/nar/12.23.8779. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Moncollin V., Miyamoto N. G., Zheng X. M., Egly J. M. Purification of a factor specific for the upstream element of the adenovirus-2 major late promoter. EMBO J. 1986 Oct;5(10):2577–2584. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04537.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Mueller P. R., Salser S. J., Wold B. Constitutive and metal-inducible protein:DNA interactions at the mouse metallothionein I promoter examined by in vivo and in vitro footprinting. Genes Dev. 1988 Apr;2(4):412–427. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.4.412. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Pederson D. S., Thoma F., Simpson R. T. Core particle, fiber, and transcriptionally active chromatin structure. Annu Rev Cell Biol. 1986;2:117–147. doi: 10.1146/annurev.cb.02.110186.001001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Perlmann T., Wrange O. Specific glucocorticoid receptor binding to DNA reconstituted in a nucleosome. EMBO J. 1988 Oct;7(10):3073–3079. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03172.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Razvi F., Gargiulo G., Worcel A. A simple procedure for parallel sequence analysis of both strands of 5'-labeled DNA. Gene. 1983 Aug;23(2):175–183. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(83)90049-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Reinberg D., Horikoshi M., Roeder R. G. Factors involved in specific transcription in mammalian RNA polymerase II. Functional analysis of initiation factors IIA and IID and identification of a new factor operating at sequences downstream of the initiation site. J Biol Chem. 1987 Mar 5;262(7):3322–3330. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Richard-Foy H., Hager G. L. Sequence-specific positioning of nucleosomes over the steroid-inducible MMTV promoter. EMBO J. 1987 Aug;6(8):2321–2328. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02507.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Rougvie A. E., Lis J. T. The RNA polymerase II molecule at the 5' end of the uninduced hsp70 gene of D. melanogaster is transcriptionally engaged. Cell. 1988 Sep 9;54(6):795–804. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(88)91087-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Saltzman A. G., Weinmann R. Promoter specificity and modulation of RNA polymerase II transcription. FASEB J. 1989 Apr;3(6):1723–1733. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.3.6.2649403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Samuels M., Fire A., Sharp P. A. Separation and characterization of factors mediating accurate transcription by RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem. 1982 Dec 10;257(23):14419–14427. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Sawadogo M. Multiple forms of the human gene-specific transcription factor USF. II. DNA binding properties and transcriptional activity of the purified HeLa USF. J Biol Chem. 1988 Aug 25;263(24):11994–12001. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Sawadogo M., Roeder R. G. Factors involved in specific transcription by human RNA polymerase II: analysis by a rapid and quantitative in vitro assay. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jul;82(13):4394–4398. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.13.4394. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. Sawadogo M., Roeder R. G. Interaction of a gene-specific transcription factor with the adenovirus major late promoter upstream of the TATA box region. Cell. 1985 Nov;43(1):165–175. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90021-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. Sawadogo M., Van Dyke M. W., Gregor P. D., Roeder R. G. Multiple forms of the human gene-specific transcription factor USF. I. Complete purification and identification of USF from HeLa cell nuclei. J Biol Chem. 1988 Aug 25;263(24):11985–11993. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  48. Taylor I. C., Kingston R. E. Factor substitution in a human HSP70 gene promoter: TATA-dependent and TATA-independent interactions. Mol Cell Biol. 1990 Jan;10(1):165–175. doi: 10.1128/mcb.10.1.165. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  49. Thomas G. H., Elgin S. C. Protein/DNA architecture of the DNase I hypersensitive region of the Drosophila hsp26 promoter. EMBO J. 1988 Jul;7(7):2191–2201. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03058.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  50. Van Dyke M. W., Roeder R. G., Sawadogo M. Physical analysis of transcription preinitiation complex assembly on a class II gene promoter. Science. 1988 Sep 9;241(4871):1335–1338. doi: 10.1126/science.3413495. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  51. Van Dyke M. W., Sawadogo M., Roeder R. G. Stability of transcription complexes on class II genes. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Jan;9(1):342–344. doi: 10.1128/mcb.9.1.342. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  52. Weintraub H. Assembly and propagation of repressed and depressed chromosomal states. Cell. 1985 Oct;42(3):705–711. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90267-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  53. Wolffe A. P., Brown D. D. Developmental regulation of two 5S ribosomal RNA genes. Science. 1988 Sep 23;241(4873):1626–1632. doi: 10.1126/science.241.4873.1626. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  54. Workman J. L., Abmayr S. M., Cromlish W. A., Roeder R. G. Transcriptional regulation by the immediate early protein of pseudorabies virus during in vitro nucleosome assembly. Cell. 1988 Oct 21;55(2):211–219. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90044-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  55. Workman J. L., Roeder R. G. Binding of transcription factor TFIID to the major late promoter during in vitro nucleosome assembly potentiates subsequent initiation by RNA polymerase II. Cell. 1987 Nov 20;51(4):613–622. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90130-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  56. Wu C. Two protein-binding sites in chromatin implicated in the activation of heat-shock genes. Nature. 1984 May 17;309(5965):229–234. doi: 10.1038/309229a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  57. Yu Y. T., Manley J. L. Generation and functional analyses for base-substitution mutants of the adenovirus 2 major late promoter. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Dec 21;12(24):9309–9321. doi: 10.1093/nar/12.24.9309. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The EMBO Journal are provided here courtesy of Nature Publishing Group

RESOURCES