Project description:We identified the binding site of the transcription factor CAMT-1/CAMTA in C. elegans by ChIP-seq and examined the changes of binding sites in egl-19(lf) and egl-19(gf) mutants
Project description:Screening of cDNA expression libraries with labelled calmodulin (CaM) as a probe resulted in the isolation of cDNA encoding proteins designated CAMTA (for calmodulin-binding transcription activators). The Arabidopsis genome contains 6 members of this protein family (AtCAMTA1-6) all containing in addition to a defined CaM-binding domain a DNA-binding domain and ankyrin-repeat motifs. RT-PCR analysis revealed that all 6 genes are expressed in all organ throughout plant development. Therefore functional regulation of AtCAMTA proteins is likely mediated by second messengers (e.g. calcium/calmodulin signalling) and protein levels rather than by or in addition to gene expression levels. Based on domain organisation and sequence homologies we identified putative members of this protein family in C. elegans and in human. A yeast system was used to express chimeric fusion proteins comprised of the DNA-binding domain of the bacterial LexA protein with various segments of AtCAMTA1. This analysis revealed a distinct domain of AtCAMTA1 capable of activating transcription. Similar results were obtained with two human CAMTA homologues. To identify the gene targets of CAMTA proteins in Arabidopsiswe plan to analyse the transcriptome in loss_of_function and gain_of_function AtCAMTA mutants. For this we have already isolated a T-DNA insertion mutant of AtCAMTA1 (two alleles) and have requested two other insertion mutants of AtCAMTA2 and AtCAMTA3 identified in other labs. Screening for insertion mutants in the three remaining genes is underway. In addition we have initiated a gain_of_function approach in which DL10 proteins are expressed under the control of the dexamethasone-inducible promoter. Genes whose expression will be found modulated in the mutant plants will be considered candidate targets of AtCAMTA proteins. This analysis will complement an in vitro study of DNA-protein interactions to identify target-binding sites (part of the BBSRC funded project). As a first step in the project proposed to GARNet we suggest to compare the transcriptome in WT whole plants (2 weeks old) with that of three T-DNA insertion AtCAMTA mutants and one line expressing AtCAMTA1 under the control of an inducible promoter.
Project description:Screening of cDNA expression libraries with labelled calmodulin (CaM) as a probe resulted in the isolation of cDNA encoding proteins designated CAMTA (for calmodulin-binding transcription activators). The Arabidopsis genome contains 6 members of this protein family (AtCAMTA1-6) all containing in addition to a defined CaM-binding domain a DNA-binding domain and ankyrin-repeat motifs. RT-PCR analysis revealed that all 6 genes are expressed in all organ throughout plant development. Therefore functional regulation of AtCAMTA proteins is likely mediated by second messengers (e.g. calcium/calmodulin signalling) and protein levels rather than by or in addition to gene expression levels. Based on domain organisation and sequence homologies we identified putative members of this protein family in C. elegans and in human. A yeast system was used to express chimeric fusion proteins comprised of the DNA-binding domain of the bacterial LexA protein with various segments of AtCAMTA1. This analysis revealed a distinct domain of AtCAMTA1 capable of activating transcription. Similar results were obtained with two human CAMTA homologues. To identify the gene targets of CAMTA proteins in Arabidopsiswe plan to analyse the transcriptome in loss_of_function and gain_of_function AtCAMTA mutants. For this we have already isolated a T-DNA insertion mutant of AtCAMTA1 (two alleles) and have requested two other insertion mutants of AtCAMTA2 and AtCAMTA3 identified in other labs. Screening for insertion mutants in the three remaining genes is underway. In addition we have initiated a gain_of_function approach in which DL10 proteins are expressed under the control of the dexamethasone-inducible promoter. Genes whose expression will be found modulated in the mutant plants will be considered candidate targets of AtCAMTA proteins. This analysis will complement an in vitro study of DNA-protein interactions to identify target-binding sites (part of the BBSRC funded project). As a first step in the project proposed to GARNet we suggest to compare the transcriptome in WT whole plants (2 weeks old) with that of three T-DNA insertion AtCAMTA mutants and one line expressing AtCAMTA1 under the control of an inducible promoter. Keywords: strain_or_line_design
Project description:Calcium signaling is a central regulator of cardiomyocyte growth and function. Calmodulin is a critical mediator of calcium signals. Because the amount of calmodulin within cardiomyocytes is limiting, precise regulation of calmodulin expression may be an important for regulation of calcium signaling. In this study, we show for the first time that calmodulin levels are regulated post-transcriptionally in heart failure. The cardiomyocyte-restricted microRNA miR-1 inhibited translation of calmodulin-encoding mRNAs via highly conserved target sites within their 3â-untranslated regions. In keeping with its effect on calmodulin expression, miR-1 downregulated calcium-calmodulin signaling through the calcineurin to NFAT. miR-1 also negatively regulated expression of Mef2a and Gata4, key transcription factors that mediate calcium-dependent changes in gene expression. Consistent with downregulation of these hypertrophy-associated genes, miR-1 attenuated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and in the intact adult heart. Our data indicate that miR-1 regulates cardiomyocyte growth responses by negatively regulating the calcium-signaling components calmodulin, Mef2a, and Gata4. We show that miR-1 is downregulated in a murine heart failure model. miRNAs expression changes were measured in calcineurin transgenic model of heart failure and control mice using a Luminex platform. Reduced miR-1 expression was associated with broad alteration in expression of predicted target genes. To test this, we measured miRs including miR-1 and genome wide transcriptome changes in vivo and in vitro system. Calcineurin transgenic heart was compared to nontransgenic heart (NTg vs. CNTg). We also investigated the gene expression changes during the course of cardiomyocytes differentiation using DMSO treated P19CL6 cell lines. Two time points (day 6 and day 10) were compared to identified the gene expression changes of predicted miR-1 targets (Day 6 vs. Day 10).
Project description:Calcium signaling is a central regulator of cardiomyocyte growth and function. Calmodulin is a critical mediator of calcium signals. Because the amount of calmodulin within cardiomyocytes is limiting, precise regulation of calmodulin expression may be an important for regulation of calcium signaling. In this study, we show for the first time that calmodulin levels are regulated post-transcriptionally in heart failure. The cardiomyocyte-restricted microRNA miR-1 inhibited translation of calmodulin-encoding mRNAs via highly conserved target sites within their 3’-untranslated regions. In keeping with its effect on calmodulin expression, miR-1 downregulated calcium-calmodulin signaling through the calcineurin to NFAT. miR-1 also negatively regulated expression of Mef2a and Gata4, key transcription factors that mediate calcium-dependent changes in gene expression. Consistent with downregulation of these hypertrophy-associated genes, miR-1 attenuated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and in the intact adult heart. Our data indicate that miR-1 regulates cardiomyocyte growth responses by negatively regulating the calcium-signaling components calmodulin, Mef2a, and Gata4.
Project description:The formation of long-term memory requires signaling from the synapse to the nucleus to mediate neuronal activity-dependent gene transcription. Synapse-to-nucleus communication is initiated by influx of calcium ions through synaptic NMDA receptors and/or L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and involves the activation of transcription factors by calcium/calmodulin signaling in the nucleus. Recent studies have drawn attention to a new family of transcriptional regulators, the so-called calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) proteins. CAMTAs are expressed at particularly high levels in the mouse and human brain, and we reasoned that, as calmodulin-binding transcription factors, CAMTAs may regulate the formation of long-term memory by coupling synaptic activity and calcium/calmodulin signaling to memory-related transcriptional responses. This hypothesis is supported by genetic studies that reported a correlation between CAMTA gene polymorphisms or mutations and cognitive capability in humans. Here, we show that acute knock-down of CAMTA1, but not CAMTA2, in the hippocampus of adult mice results in impaired performance in two memory tests, contextual fear conditioning and object-place recognition test. Short-term memory and neuronal morphology were not affected by CAMTA knock-down. Gene expression profiling in the hippocampus of control and CAMTA knock-down mice revealed a number of putative CAMTA1 target genes related to synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. Patch clamp recordings in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures provided further evidence for CAMTA1-dependent changes in electrophysiological properties. In summary, our study provides experimental evidence that confirms previous human genetic studies and establishes CAMTA1 as a regulator of long-term memory formation.