Distinct modes of gene regulation by a cell-specific transcriptional activator

摘要

The architectural layout of a eukaryotic RNA polymerase Il core promoter plays a role in general transcriptional activation. However, its role in tissue-specific expression is not known. For example, differing modes of its recognition by general transcription machinery can provide an additional layer of control within which a single tissue-restricted transcription factor may operate. Ery-throtd Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) is a hematopoietic-specific transcription factor that is critical for the activation of subset of erythroid genes. We find that EKLF interacts with TATA binding protein-associated factor 9 (TAF9), which leads to important consequences for expression of adult β-globin. First, TAF9 functionally supports EKLF activity by enhancing its ability to activate the β-globin gene. Second, TAF9 interacts with a conserved β-globin downstream promoter element, and ablation of this interaction by β-thalassemia-causing mutations decreases its promoter activity and disables superactivation. Third, depletion of EKLF prevents recruitment of TAF9 to the β-globin promoter, whereas depletion of TAF9 drastically impairs β-promoter activity. However, a TAF9-independent mode of EKLF transcriptional activation is exhibited by the α-hemoglobin-stabilizing protein (AHSP) gene, which does not contain a discernable downstream promoter element. In this case, TAF9 does not enhance EKLF activity and depletion of TAF9 has no effect on AHSP promoter activation. These studies demonstrate that EKLF directs different modes of tissue-specific transcriptional activation depending on the architecture of its target core promoter.