Project description:The Leucine-responsive Regulatory Protein (Lrp) family is a widespread family of regulatory transcription factors in prokaryotes. BarR is an Lrp-like transcription factor in the model archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius that activates the expression of a -alanine aminotransferase gene, which is involved in -alanine degradation. In contrast to classical Lrp-like transcription factors, BarR is not responsive to any of the -amino acids but interacts specifically with -alanine. Besides the juxtaposed -alanine aminotransferase gene, other regulatory targets of BarR have not yet been identified although -alanine is the precursor of coenzyme A and thus an important central metabolite. The aim of this study is to extend the knowledge of the DNA-binding characteristics of BarR and of its corresponding regulon from a local to a genome-wide perspective.
Project description:The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1) protein is required for the establishment of EBV latent infection in proliferating B-lymphocytes. EBNA1 is a multifunctional DNA-binding protein that stimulates DNA replication at the viral origin of plasmid replication (OriP), regulates transcription of viral and cellular genes, and tethers the viral episome to the cellular chromosome. EBNA1 also provides a survival function to B-lymphocytes, potentially through its ability to alter cellular gene expression. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) combined with massively parallel deep-sequencing (ChIP-Seq) was used to identify cellular sites bound by EBNA1. Sites identified by ChIP-Seq were validated by conventional real-time PCR, and ChIP-Seq provided quantitative, high-resolution detection of the known EBNA1 binding sites on the EBV genome at OriP and Qp. We identified at least one cluster of unusually high-affinity EBNA1 binding sites on chromosome 11, between the divergent FAM55D and FAM55B genes. A consensus for all cellular EBNA1 binding sites is distinct from those derived from the known viral binding sites, suggesting that some of these sites are indirectly bound by EBNA1. We conclude that EBNA1 can interact with a large number of cellular genes and chromosomal loci in latently infected cells, but that these sites are likely to represent a complex ensemble of direct and indirect EBNA1 binding sites. Study of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
Project description:The CCAAT-binding complex (CBC) is a heterotrimetric transcription factor conserved in all eukaryotes. The CBC specifically interacts with the pentanucleotide motif known as the CCAAT box, which is one of the most ubiquitous cis-acting elements on the eukaryotic promoters. In Aspergillus fumigatus, the CBC consists of three subunits HapB, HapC, and HapE, which are all required for specific binding to the target sequences. This regulatory complex has been shown to be involved in the regulation of a wide range of cellular processes, including primary and secondary metabolism, iron homeostasis, as well as azole drug resistance and virulence in mammalian hosts. In this study, we investigated the genome-wide binding profile of the CBC using the chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq). We identified over 1,000 peak regions, which showed more than 5-fold enrichment compared to the input control in steady-state iron-replete (+Fe) and iron-starvation (-Fe) conditions. Bioinformatic analysis of the peak regions revealed the 5’-CSAATVR-3’ sequence as the most enriched nucleotide motif, suggesting that this motif acts as the consensus binding sequence for the CBC in vivo.
Project description:To examine the effect of DNA from the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) on the transcriptional profile of mouse peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), BALB/c mouse cells were isolated and cultured in the presence or absence of EBV DNA. RNA was extracted from these cells and then subjected to sequencing. We observed significantly enhanced expression of genes that play roles in proinflammatory processes including ones involved in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.