DNA-binding specificity and in vivo targets of Caenorhabditis elegans nuclear factor I.

ABSTRACT: The conserved nuclear factor I (NFI) family of transcription factors is unique to animals and essential for mammalian development. The Caenorhabditis elegans genome encodes a single NFI family member, whereas vertebrate genomes encode 4 distinct NFI protein subtypes (A, B, C, and X). NFI-1-deficient worms exhibit abnormalities, including reduced lifespan, defects in movement and pharyngeal pumping, and delayed egg-laying. To explore the functional basis of these phenotypes, we sought to comprehensively identify NFI-1-bound loci in C. elegans. We first established NFI-1 DNA-binding specificity using an in vitro DNA-selection strategy. Analysis yielded a consensus motif of TTGGCA(N)(3)TGCCAA, which occurs 586 times in the genome, a 100-fold higher frequency than expected. We next asked which

SUBMITTER: Whittle CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2715542 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature