GAGA factor repression of transcription is a rare event but the negative regulation of Trl is conserved in Drosophila species

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Oct;1829(10):1056-65. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2013.07.002. Epub 2013 Jul 13.

Abstract

GAGA is a highly conserved Drosophila transcription factor encoded by the Trithorax-like (Trl) gene. While GAGA usually activates transcription, it represses its own promoter. Here we show that GAGA-mediated repression of Trl is conserved between two distant Drosophila species. A detailed promoter study showed that GAGA repressive activity can't be attributed to any discrete element in the Trl promoter. Genome-wide analysis of the transcriptome in S2 cells indicated that repression of Trl is very likely unique, being GAGA factor a transactivator for all the other promoters. Taken together, our results suggest a new mechanism to explain GAGA-mediated repression that involves a dose-dependent change in the architecture of the Trl promoter.

Keywords: Drosophila; GAGA factor; Mechanism of repression; Regulation of transcription.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • DNA Footprinting
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Trl protein, Drosophila