Structural highlights
Function
NFYA_HUMAN Component of the sequence-specific heterotrimeric transcription factor (NF-Y) which specifically recognizes a 5'-CCAAT-3' box motif found in the promoters of its target genes. NF-Y can function as both an activator and a repressor, depending on its interacting cofactors. NF-YA positively regulates the transcription of the core clock component ARNTL/BMAL1.[1]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
The sequence-specific transcription factor NF-Y binds the CCAAT box, one of the sequence elements most frequently found in eukaryotic promoters. NF-Y is composed of the NF-YA and NF-YB/NF-YC subunits, the latter two hosting histone-fold domains (HFDs). The crystal structure of NF-Y bound to a 25 bp CCAAT oligonucleotide shows that the HFD dimer binds to the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone, mimicking the nucleosome H2A/H2B-DNA assembly. NF-YA both binds to NF-YB/NF-YC and inserts an alpha helix deeply into the DNA minor groove, providing sequence-specific contacts to the CCAAT box. Structural considerations and mutational data indicate that NF-YB ubiquitination at Lys138 precedes and is equivalent to H2B Lys120 monoubiquitination, important in transcriptional activation. Thus, NF-Y is a sequence-specific transcription factor with nucleosome-like properties of nonspecific DNA binding and helps establish permissive chromatin modifications at CCAAT promoters. Our findings suggest that other HFD-containing proteins may function in similar ways.
Sequence-Specific Transcription Factor NF-Y Displays Histone-like DNA Binding and H2B-like Ubiquitination.,Nardini M, Gnesutta N, Donati G, Gatta R, Forni C, Fossati A, Vonrhein C, Moras D, Romier C, Bolognesi M, Mantovani R Cell. 2013 Jan 17;152(1-2):132-43. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.11.047. PMID:23332751[2]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
See Also
References
- ↑ Kawata H, Yamada K, Shou Z, Mizutani T, Yazawa T, Yoshino M, Sekiguchi T, Kajitani T, Miyamoto K. Zinc-fingers and homeoboxes (ZHX) 2, a novel member of the ZHX family, functions as a transcriptional repressor. Biochem J. 2003 Aug 1;373(Pt 3):747-57. PMID:12741956 doi:10.1042/BJ20030171
- ↑ Nardini M, Gnesutta N, Donati G, Gatta R, Forni C, Fossati A, Vonrhein C, Moras D, Romier C, Bolognesi M, Mantovani R. Sequence-Specific Transcription Factor NF-Y Displays Histone-like DNA Binding and H2B-like Ubiquitination. Cell. 2013 Jan 17;152(1-2):132-43. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.11.047. PMID:23332751 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.11.047
