In vitro single molecule and bulk phase studies reveal the AP-1 transcription factor cFos binds to DNA without its partner cJun.

ABSTRACT: The AP-1 transcription factor family crucially regulates progression of the cell cycle, as well as playing roles in proliferation, differentiation, and the stress response. The two best described AP-1 family members, cFos and cJun, are known to dimerize to form a functional AP-1 heterodimer that binds to a consensus response element sequence. Although cJun can also homodimerize and bind to DNA, the canonical view is that cFos cannot bind DNA without heterodimerizing with cJun. Here, we show that cFos can actually bind to DNA in the absence of cJun in vitro. Using dual color single molecule imaging of cFos alone, we directly visualize binding to and movement on DNA. Of all these DNA-bound proteins, detailed analysis suggested 30 to 46% were homodimers. Furthermore, we constructed fluorescen

SUBMITTER: Leech JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9364023 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature