Transcription (biology)

About: Transcription (biology) is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 56532 publications have been published within this topic receiving 2952782 citations. The topic is also known as: genetic transcription & transcription, genetic.

Sequence of the notch locus of Drosophila melanogaster: relationship of the encoded protein to mammalian clotting and growth factors.

Abstract: The Notch locus is essential for proper differentiation of the ectoderm in Drosophila melanogaster. Notch corresponds to a 37-kilobase transcription unit that codes for a major 10.4-kilobase polyadenylated RNA. The DNA sequence of this transcription unit is presented, except for portions of the two largest intervening sequences. DNA sequences also were obtained from three Notch cDNA clones, allowing the 5' and 3' ends of the gene to be mapped, and the structures and locations of nine RNA coding regions to be determined. The major Notch transcript encodes a protein of 2,703 amino acids. The protein is probably associated with cell surfaces and carries an extracellular domain composed of 36 cysteine-rich repeating units, each of about 38 amino acids. The gene appears to have evolved by repeated tandem duplications of the DNA coding for the 38-amino-acid-long protein segments, followed by insertion of intervening sequences. These repeating protein segments are quite homologous to portions of mammalian clotting factors IX and X and to the product of the Caenorhabditis elegans developmental gene lin-12. They are also similar to mammalian growth hormones, typified by epidermal growth factor.

A Myb-related transcription factor is involved in the phytochrome regulation of an Arabidopsis Lhcb gene.

Abstract: We have isolated the gene for a protein designated CCA1. This protein can bind to a region of the promoter of an Arabidopsis light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein gene, Lhcb1*3, which is necessary for its regulation by phytochrome. The CCA1 protein interacted with two imperfect repeats in the Lhcb1*3 promoter, AAA/cAATCT, a sequence that is conserved in Lhcb genes. A region near the N terminus of CCA1, which has some homology to the repeated sequence found in the DNA binding domain of Myb proteins, is required for binding to the Lhcb1*3 promoter. Lines of transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing antisense RNA for CCA1 showed reduced phytochrome induction of the endogenous Lhcb1*3 gene, whereas expression of another phytochrome-regulated gene, rbcS-1A, which encodes the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, was not affected. Thus, the CCA1 protein acts as a specific activator of Lhcb1*3 transcription in response to brief red illumination. The expression of CCA1 RNA was itself transiently increased when etiolated seedlings were transferred to light. We conclude that the CCA1 protein is a key element in the functioning of the phytochrome signal transduction pathway leading to increased transcription of this Lhcb gene in Arabidopsis.

The Ebola Virus VP35 Protein Inhibits Activation of Interferon Regulatory Factor 3

Abstract: The Ebola virus VP35 protein was previously found to act as an interferon (IFN) antagonist which could complement growth of influenza delNS1 virus, a mutant influenza virus lacking the influenza virus IFN antagonist protein, NS1. The Ebola virus VP35 could also prevent the virus- or double-stranded RNA-mediated transcriptional activation of both the beta IFN (IFN-β) promoter and the IFN-stimulated ISG54 promoter (C. Basler et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97:12289-12294, 2000). We now show that VP35 inhibits virus infection-induced transcriptional activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3)-responsive mammalian promoters and that VP35 does not block signaling from the IFN-α/β receptor. The ability of VP35 to inhibit this virus-induced transcription correlates with its ability to block activation of IRF-3, a cellular transcription factor of central importance in initiating the host cell IFN response. We demonstrate that VP35 blocks the Sendai virus-induced activation of two promoters which can be directly activated by IRF-3, namely, the ISG54 promoter and the ISG56 promoter. Further, expression of VP35 prevents the IRF-3-dependent activation of the IFN-α4 promoter in response to viral infection. The inhibition of IRF-3 appears to occur through an inhibition of IRF-3 phosphorylation. VP35 blocks virus-induced IRF-3 phosphorylation and subsequent IRF-3 dimerization and nuclear translocation. Consistent with these observations, Ebola virus infection of Vero cells activated neither transcription from the ISG54 promoter nor nuclear accumulation of IRF-3. These data suggest that in Ebola virus-infected cells, VP35 inhibits the induction of antiviral genes, including the IFN-β gene, by blocking IRF-3 activation.