Opening of compacted chromatin by early developmental transcription factors HNF3 (FoxA) and GATA-4

Mol Cell. 2002 Feb;9(2):279-89. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(02)00459-8.

Abstract

The transcription factors HNF3 (FoxA) and GATA-4 are the earliest known to bind the albumin gene enhancer in liver precursor cells in embryos. To understand how they access sites in silent chromatin, we assembled nucleosome arrays containing albumin enhancer sequences and compacted them with linker histone. HNF3 and GATA-4, but not NF-1, C/EBP, and GAL4-AH, bound their sites in compacted chromatin and opened the local nucleosomal domain in the absence of ATP-dependent enzymes. The ability of HNF3 to open chromatin is mediated by a high affinity DNA binding site and by the C-terminal domain of the protein, which binds histones H3 and H4. Thus, factors that potentiate transcription in development are inherently capable of initiating chromatin opening events.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / metabolism
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Chromatin / ultrastructure*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Endoderm / metabolism
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic / physiology
  • Fetal Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Fetal Proteins / genetics
  • Fetal Proteins / physiology*
  • GATA4 Transcription Factor
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology*
  • Gene Silencing
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha
  • Histones / physiology*
  • Liver / embryology
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Mice
  • Models, Genetic
  • Neurofibromin 1 / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Nucleosomes / physiology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / physiology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / physiology
  • Serum Albumin / biosynthesis
  • Serum Albumin / genetics
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology*

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta
  • Chromatin
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fetal Proteins
  • Foxa1 protein, mouse
  • GATA4 Transcription Factor
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha
  • Histones
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Neurofibromin 1
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nucleosomes
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Serum Albumin
  • Transcription Factors