Activation of the Sarcophaga lectin gene promoter by (A + T)-stretch binding protein.

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033; Natori Special Laboratory, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.

Previously, we purified and isolated a cDNA for (A + T)-stretch binding protein (ATBP) that binds to (A + T)-stretches in the 5' upstream region of the Sarcophaga lectin gene [Nakanishi-Matsui, M., Kubo, T. & Natori, S. (1995) Eur. J. Biochem. 230, 396-400]. Here, we used a luciferase reporter to examine the effect of ATBP on transcription of the Sarcophaga lectin gene. Deletion experiments revealed that ATBP activates the Sarcophaga lectin gene in a 5' upstream sequence-dependent manner, and that at least the N-terminal 25 residues, the three Zn-finger domains, an acidic domain and the third hydrophobic domain of ATBP are indispensable for its function. Furthermore, a synergistic effect was detected between ATBP and Dif, suggesting that ATBP is involved in the activation of insect immunity genes.

PMID: 11298770 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]