Upstream activating sequence

About: Upstream activating sequence is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1633 publications have been published within this topic receiving 100112 citations.

Paired Stat6 C-terminal transcription activation domains required both for inhibition of an IFN-responsive promoter and trans-activation.

Abstract: The cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γ exert biologically antagonistic effects that in part reflect opposing influences on gene transcription. While the molecular mechanisms for IL-4-mediated transcription activation have been extensively studied, little is known about molecular mechanisms required for IL-4 inhibition of IFN-γ signaling. We have investigated IL-4 inhibition of the IFN-γ-inducible promoter for IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1). In a cell line with low endogenous Stat6, increasing levels of activated Stat6 at constant doses of IFN-γ and IL-4 leads to inhibition of the IRF-1 promoter. The Stat1-dependent IFN-γ activation sequence element of the IRF-1 promoter is a target for Stat6-mediated inhibition despite apparently normal Stat1 DNA binding. However, our data are inconsistent with competition between Stat1 and Stat6 for access to the IRF-1 IFN-γ activation sequence or for an essential coactivator as a mechanism for this Stat6-mediated inhibition. Instead, the data demonstrate that a threshold of Stat6 transcription activation domains is required for IL-4-dependent inhibition. The findings provide evidence of a novel mechanism in which the Stat6 transcription activation domains play a critical role in the IL-4-mediated inhibition of an IFN-γ-inducible promoter.

Structure of RNA polymerase II promoters. Conformational alterations and template properties of circularized Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL1-GAL10 divergent promoters.

Abstract: A DNA fragment encompassing the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL1--GAL10 divergent promoters (914 bp) has been circularized in vitro with T4 DNA ligase. We have defined a set of conditions that allows the production of a series of nine topoisomers covering a range from relaxed to highly negatively supercoiled DNA. Topoisomers were recovered in pure form from agarose gels and were analysed singly for the presence of sites sensitive to the single strand-specific endonuclease Pl. In this way, the occurrence of conformational alterations as a function of the linking deficiency of the closed DNA domain has been determined. Interestingly, sites of Pl hypersensitivity localize on the three sequences identified as relevant for the in vitro transcription of the GAL1 moiety of the divergent promoter: the upstream activator sequence (UAS), the TATA sequence, and the RNA initiation site (RIS). In vitro transcription with purified S. cerevisiae RNA polymerase II shows that activation of transcription parallels the appearance of conformational alterations on the UAS, the TATA and the RIS sequences.

Mutational analysis of the transcription start site of the yeast tRNALeu3 gene

Abstract: In addition to the well-known internal promoter elements of tRNA genes, 5' flanking sequences can also influence the efficiency of transcription by Saccharomyces cerevisiae extracts in vitro. A consensus sequence of yeast tRNA genes in the vicinity of the transcriptional start site can be derived. To determine whether the activity of this region can be attributed to particular sequence features we studied in vitro mutants of the start site region. We found that the start site can be shifted, but only to a limited extent, by moving the conserved sequence element. We found that both a pyrimidine-purine motif (with transcription initiating at the purine) and a small T:A base pair block upstream are important for efficient transcription in vitro. Thus the sequence surrounding the start site of transcription of the yeast tRNA(Leu3) gene does play a role in determining transcription efficiency and fixing the precise site of initiation by RNA polymerase III.