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T Heinzel

Publications and source records attributed to T Heinzel.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

P-Lim, a LIM homeodomain factor, is expressed during pituitary organ and cell commitment and synergizes with Pit-1.

A pituitary LIM homeodomain factor, P-Lim, is expressed as Rathke's pouch forms and as specific pituitary cell phenotypes are established, suggesting functional roles throughout pituitary development. While selectively expressed in both anterior and intermediate pituitary in mature mice, P-Lim is also transiently expressed in the developing ventral neural cord and brainstem. P-Lim binds to and activates the promoter of the alpha-glycoprotein subunit gene, a marker of early pituitary development, and synergizes with Pit-1 in transcriptional activation of genes encoding terminal differentiation markers. The LIM domain of P-Lim specifically interacts with the Pit-1 POU domain and is required for synergistic interactions with Pit-1, but not for basal transcriptional activation events.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

C1 repressor-mediated DNA looping is involved in C1 autoregulation of bacteriophage P1.

C1 repressor is required to repress the lytic functions of a P1 prophage in vivo. Transcription of the c1 gene is autoregulated via the C1-controlled operator Op99a,b which overlaps the promoter of the c1 gene. It is negatively affected by Lxc corepressor and the DNA region upstream of c1, which contains the additional operators Op99c, d, and e. We have explored these effects by constructing a set of lacZ reporter plasmids with Op99a,b and varying parts of the upstream DNA region. Transcription levels were measured in vivo with a two-plasmid system containing the lacZ reporter and a c1+ lxc+ or c1+ lxc- plasmid. Compared to the C1+Lxc-repressed lacZ reporter with all operators present, the basal level of beta-galactosidase activity increases successively when (i) upstream operators were deleted or inactivated, (ii) Lxc corepressor was removed, and (iii) C1 and Lxc were absent. By that means a 2 x 2 x 15-fold stepwise increase in enzyme activity was found. Using electron microscopy to visualize the interaction of C1 repressor with the operators in vitro, looped DNA molecules were observed. Although all operators can participate in C1-mediated DNA looping, loops between Op99a,b and Op99d occurred predominantly. Lxc is not required but increases drastically the frequency of loop formation. The results indicate that C1-mediated DNA looping may be a second element besides Lxc for fine-tuning the autoregulation of c1 transcription.

Bacteriophage P1↗
PubMed1992

The Bof protein of bacteriophage P1 exerts its modulating function by formation of a ternary complex with operator DNA and C1 repressor.

Bacteriophage P1 encodes several regulatory elements for the lytic or lysogenic response, which are located in the immC, immI, and immT regions. Their products are the C1 repressor of lytic functions with the C1 inactivator protein Coi, the C4 repressor of antirepressor synthesis and the modulator protein Bof, respectively. We have studied in vitro the interaction of the components of the immC and immT regions with C1-controlled operators using highly purified Bof, C1, and Coi proteins. Bof protein (M(r) = 9,800) does not interact with C1 repressor alone, but as shown by DNA mobility shift experiments, in the presence of C1 repressor Bof binds to all operators tested by forming a C1.Bof-operator DNA ternary complex. The effect of this complex formation was studied in more detail with the operator of the c1 gene. Here, Bof only marginally alters the C1 repressor footprint at Op99a,b, but nevertheless considerably influences the repressibility of the operator.promoter element: (i) the autoregulated c1 mRNA synthesis is further down-regulated and (ii) the ability of Coi protein to dissociate the C1.operator DNA complex is strongly inhibited. We suggest that Bof protein functions by modulating C1 repression of many widely dispersed operators on the prophage genome.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1992

C1 repressor of phage P1 is inactivated by noncovalent binding of P1 Coi protein.

The temperate phage P1 encodes two genes whose products antagonize the action of the phage's C1 repressor of lytic functions, namely a distantly linked antirepressor gene, ant, and a closely linked c1 inactivator gene, coi. Starting with an inducible coi-recombinant plasmid, Coi protein was overproduced and purified to near homogeneity. By using a DNA mobility shift assay we demonstrate that Coi protein inhibits the operator binding of the C1 repressors of the closely related P1 and P7 phages. Coi protein (Mr = 7,600) exerts its C1-inactivating function by forming a complex with the C1 repressor (Mr = 32,500) at a molar ratio of about 1:1, as shown by density gradient centrifugation and gel filtration. C1 repressor and Coi protein are recovered in active form from the complex, suggesting that noncovalent interactions are the sole requirements for complex formation. The interplay of repressor and antagonists operating in the life cycle of P1 is discussed.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1990

The c1 repressor inactivator protein coi of bacteriophage P1. Cloning and expression of coi and its interference with c1 repressor function.

The immC region of bacteriophage P1 contains the c1 repressor gene and its upstream region with four c1-controlled operators and four open reading frames. A c1 inactivator gene, coi, was defined by mutations in immC that suppress the virulence of the P1virC mutation. The exact location of the coi gene was not known (Scott, J.R. (1980) Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 90, 49-65). When a variety of P1 immC fragments were inserted into an expression vector, a gene product was inducible for the open reading frame 4 only. We identify this product as the c1 inactivator protein, coi by the following criteria: (a) expression of coi from a recombinant plasmid induces the P1 prophage and inhibits lysogenization of sensitive bacteria by P1; (b) all c1-controlled operator-promoter elements tested in vivo are derepressed by coi; (c) a partially purified coi protein (apparent molecular weight = 4800) interacts with c1 repressor and inhibits its binding to the operator in vitro. Based on these results we refine a model for the regulation of those genes and elements within immC which participate in the decision of P1 to enter the lytic or lysogenic pathway.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1989

ban operon of bacteriophage P1. Mutational analysis of the c1 repressor-controlled operator.

The repressor of bacteriophage P1, encoded by the c1 gene, represses the phage lytic functions and is responsible for maintaining the P1 prophage in the lysogenic state. The c1 repressor interacts with at least 11 binding sites or operators widely scattered over the P1 genome. From these operators, a 17 base-pair asymmetric consensus sequence, ATTGCTCTAATAAATTT, was derived. Here, we show that the operator, Op72 of the P1ban operon consists of two overlapping 17 base-pair sequences a and b forming an incomplete palindrome. Op72a matches the consensus sequence, whereas Op72b contains two mismatches. The evidence is based on the sequence analysis of 27 operator mutants constitutive for ban expression. They were identified as single-base substitutions at positions 2 to 10 of Op72a (26 mutants) and at position 8 of Op72b (one mutant). We conclude from gel retardation and footprinting studies that two repressor molecules bind to the operator and that positions 4, 5 and 7 to 10 of the operator play an essential role in repressor recognition.

Bacteriophages↗