• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 1997

The present study was performed to analyze the molecular mechanism which dictates the transcription regulation of the $O^6$-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Previously we identified one possible upstream repressing sequence (URS) in MGMT promoter by promoter deletion and competition analysis. In this paper we report another regulatory element (UAS: upstream activating sequence. -213 to -136) which affects the transcription activity of MGMT promoter. Gel mobility shift assay and Southwestern blot analysis using UAS probe showed several specific proteins which were able to bind to this sequence.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.271-275
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• 2002

Rph1 and Gisl are damage-responsive repressors involved in PHR1 expression. They have two $C_{2}$H/ sub 2/ zinc finger motifs as putative DNA binding domains and N-terminal conserved domain with unknown function. They are also found in the human retinoblastoma binding protein 2 and the mouse jumonji- encoded protein. The repressors are able to bind to A $G_{4}$ sequence within a 39-bp sequence called upstream repressing sequence of PHR1 promoter (UR $S_{PHR1}$) responsible for the damage-response of PHR1. We report here that Rph1 is predominantly localized in the nucleus as examined by fluorescence microscopic analysis with GFP-Rph1 fusion protein. On the basis of the fact that the A $G_{4}$ sequence that is recognized by Rph1 and Gisl is also recognized by Msn2 and Msn4 in a process of stress response, we a1so tried to examine the in vivo function of A $G_{4}$ and the role of Msn2 and Msn4 in PHR1 expression. Our results demonstrate that Msn2 and Msn4 are actually required for the basal transcription of PHR1 expression but not for its damage induction. When A $G_{4}$ sequence was inserted into the minimal promoter of the cyc1-LacZ reporter, the increased LacZ expression was observed indicating its involvement in transcriptional activation. The data suggest that the A $G_{4}$ is primarily required for basal transcriptional activation of PHR1 or CYC1 promoter through the possible involvement of Msn2 and Msn4. However, since the A $G_{4}$ is also involved in the repression of PHR1 via Rphl and Gisl, it is proposed that A $G_{4}$ functions as either URS or upstream activating sequence (UAS) depending on the promoter context.t.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2002

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are the chemicals that affect endocrine systems through activation or inhibition of steroid hormone response. It is necessary to have a good system to evaluate rapidly and accurately endocrine-disrupting activities of suspected chemicals and their degradation products. The key targets of EDs are nuclear hormone receptors, which bind to steroid hormones and regulate their gene transcription. We constructed a co-expression system of Gal4p DNA binding domain (DBD)- ligand binding domain of human estrogen receptor $\alpha$ or $\beta$, and Gal4p transactivation domain (TAD)-co-activator AIB-1, SRC-1 or TIF-2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a chromosome-integrated lacZ reporter gene under the control of CYC1 promoter and Gal4p binding site (GAL4 upstream activating sequence, GAL4$_{UAS}$). Expression of this reporter gene was dependent on the presence of estrogen or EDs in the culture medium. We found that the two-hybrid system with combination of the hER$\beta$ LBD and co-activator SRC-1 was most effective in the xenoestrogen-dependent induction of reporter activity. The extent of transcriptional activation by those chemicals correlated with their estrogenic activities measured by other assay systems, indicating that this assay system is efficient and reliable for measuring estrogenic activity. The data in this research demonstrated that the yeast detection system using steroid hormone receptor and co-activator is a useful tool for identifying chemicals that interact with steroid receptors.s.