Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase is down-regulated by AP-1-like regulatory elements in human lymphoid cells

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is a template-independent DNA polymerase that catalyses the incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides into the 3′-hydroxyl end of DNA templates and is thought to increase junctional diversity of antigen receptor genes. TdT is expressed only on immature lymphocytes and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells and its transcriptional expression is tightly regulated. We had previously found that protein kinase C (PKC) activation down-regulates TdT expression. PKC-activation induces the synthesis of the Fos and Jun proteins, known as the major components of activation protein 1 (AP-1) transcriptional factor implicated in transcriptional control. Here we report the identification of several DNA–protein interactions within the TdT promoter region in non-TdT expressing human cells. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of a putative AP-1-like DNA-binding site, suggesting that AP-1 may play a relevant role in TdT transcriptional regulation. Using a different source of nuclear extracts and the AP-1–TdT motif as a probe we identified several DNA-protein retarded complexes in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Super-band shifting analysis using an antibody against c-Jun protein confirmed that the main interaction is produced by a nuclear factor that belongs to the AP-1 family transcription factors. Our findings suggest that the TdT gene expression is down-regulated, at least in part, through AP-1-like transcription factors

Atomic structure of single-stranded DNA bacteriophage ΦX174 and its functional implications

The mechanism of DNA ejection, viral assembly and evolution are related to the structure of bacteriophage ΦX174. The F protein forms a T = 1 capsid whose major folding motif is the eight-stranded antiparallel β barrel found in many other icosahedral viruses. Groups of 5 G proteins form 12 dominating spikes that enclose a hydrophilic channel containing some diffuse electron density. Each G protein is a tight β barrel with its strands running radially outwards and with a topology similar to that of the F protein. The 12 ‘pilot’ H proteins per virion may be partially located in the putative ion channel. The small, basic J protein is associated with the DNA and is situated in an interior cleft of the F protein. Tentatively, there are three regions of partially ordered DNA structure, accounting for about 12% of the total genome