Brachyury proteins regulate target genes through modular binding sites in a cooperative fashion.

ABSTRACT: Brachyury proteins, a conserved subgroup of the T domain transcription factors, specify gut and posterior mesoderm derivatives throughout the animal kingdom. The T domain confers DNA-binding properties to Brachyury proteins, but little is known how these proteins regulate their target genes. We characterized a direct target gene of the Drosophila Brachyury-homolog Brachyenteron. Brachyenteron activates the homeobox gene orthopedia in a dose-dependent manner via multiple binding sites with the consensus (A/G)(A/T)(A/T)NTN(A/G)CAC(C/T)T. The sites and their A/T-rich flanking regions are conserved between D. melanogaster and Drosophila virilis. Reporter assays and site-directed mutagenesis demonstrate that Brachyenteron binding sites confer in part additive, in part synergistic effects on otp

SUBMITTER: Kusch T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC155342 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature