Open AccessThe B-cell and neuronal forms of the octamer-binding protein Oct-2 differ in DNA-binding specificity and functional activity.
Author(s) -
C L Dent,
Karen A. Lillycrop,
J K Estridge,
Nancy Thomas,
David S. Latchman
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.11.8.3925
Subject(s) - histone octamer , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , transcription (linguistics) , dna , gene , dna binding protein , pou domain , gene expression , messenger rna , in situ hybridization , biochemistry , histone , nucleosome , linguistics , philosophy , homeobox
B lymphocytes contain an octamer-binding transcription factor, Oct-2, that is absent in most other cell types and plays a critical role in the B-cell-specific transcription of the immunoglobulin genes. A neuronal form of this protein has also been detected in brain and neuronal cell lines by using a DNA mobility shift assay, and an Oct-2 mRNA is observed in these cells by Northern (RNA) blotting and in situ hybridization. We show that the neuronal form of Oct-2 differs from that found in B cells with respect to both DNA-binding specificity and functional activity. In particular, whereas the B-cell protein activates octamer-containing promoters, the neuronal protein inhibits octamer-mediated gene expression. The possible role of the neuronal form of Oct-2 in the regulation of neuronal gene expression and its relationship to B-cell Oct-2 are discussed.