Identification of a novel basic helix-loop-helix-PAS factor, NXF, reveals a Sim2 competitive, positive regulatory role in dendritic-cytoskeleton modulator drebrin gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Sim2, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-PAS transcriptional repressor, is thought to be involved in some symptoms of Down's syndrome. In the course of searching for hypothetical Sim2 relatives, we isolated another bHLH-PAS factor, NXF. NXF was a novel gene and was selectively expressed in neuronal tissues. While no striking homolog of NXF was found in vertebrates, a Caenorhabditis elegans putative transcription factor, C15C8.2, showed similarity in the bHLH-PAS domain. NXF had an activation domain as a transcription activator, and Arnt-type bHLH-PAS subfamily members were identified as the heterodimer partners of NXF. The NXF/Arnt heterodimer was capable of binding and activating a subset of Sim2/Arnt target DNA variants, and Sim2 could compete with the NXF activity on the elements. We showe

SUBMITTER: Ooe N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC343817 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature