Academic literature on the topic 'Erythroid Kruppel-Like Factor'

Abstract GATA and CACC elements commonly are codistributed within the regulatory domains of a variety of erythroid genes. Using Drosophila S2 cells, the actions of GATA1, Sp1, and erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) at these elements within model erythroid promoters have been assessed. For each promoter studied (erythroid pyruvate kinase, glycophorin B, and a murine betamaj globin-derived construct, GCT) Sp1 and EKLF each activated transcription despite differences in CACC element sequence, orientation, and positioning. However, GATA1 acted in apparent cooperativity with Sp1 at the pyruvate kinase promoter; with EKLF at the betamaj globin-derived GCT promoter; and with either Sp1 or EKLF at the glycophorin B promoter. Thus, GATA1 may functionally interact with each of these Kruppel-like factors depending on promoter context; and at the GCT promoter, transcriptional activation by GATA1 and EKLF was > or = 10-fold higher than levels attributable to additive effects. The possibility that interactions between these activators may be direct was supported by the specific binding of baculoviral-expressed EKLF to GATA1. This report underlines the likelihood that discrete roles exist for Sp1 and EKLF in erythroid gene activation, and supports a mechanism of direct cooperativity for EKLF and GATA1 as coregulators.

GATA and CACC elements commonly are codistributed within the regulatory domains of a variety of erythroid genes. Using Drosophila S2 cells, the actions of GATA1, Sp1, and erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) at these elements within model erythroid promoters have been assessed. For each promoter studied (erythroid pyruvate kinase, glycophorin B, and a murine betamaj globin-derived construct, GCT) Sp1 and EKLF each activated transcription despite differences in CACC element sequence, orientation, and positioning. However, GATA1 acted in apparent cooperativity with Sp1 at the pyruvate kinase promoter; with EKLF at the betamaj globin-derived GCT promoter; and with either Sp1 or EKLF at the glycophorin B promoter. Thus, GATA1 may functionally interact with each of these Kruppel-like factors depending on promoter context; and at the GCT promoter, transcriptional activation by GATA1 and EKLF was > or = 10-fold higher than levels attributable to additive effects. The possibility that interactions between these activators may be direct was supported by the specific binding of baculoviral-expressed EKLF to GATA1. This report underlines the likelihood that discrete roles exist for Sp1 and EKLF in erythroid gene activation, and supports a mechanism of direct cooperativity for EKLF and GATA1 as coregulators.

Abstract Krüppel-like factors (KLF) are a group of 17 transcription factors with highly conserved DNA-binding domains that contain three C-terminal C2H2-type zinc fingers and a variable N-terminal domain responsible for recruiting cofactors 1. KLFs participate in diverse roles in stem cell renewal, early patterning, organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Krüppel-like factor 1 (KLF1) is an erythroid-specific KLF responsible for coordinating many aspects of terminal erythroid differentiation 2. It functions as a transcriptional activator by recruiting cofactors such as p300 and chromatin modifiers such as Brg1 via N-terminal transactivation domains 3. Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3) acts as a transcriptional repressor via recruitment of C-terminal binding proteins 4. In erythropoiesis, KLF1 directly activates KLF3 via an erythroid-specific promoter 5. Some KLF1 target genes are upregulated in Klf3-/- fetal liver suggesting possible competition between the two factors for promoter/enhancer occupancy. We generated three independent clones of the erythroid cell line, J2E, by retroviral transduction of a tamoxifen-inducible version of Klf3 (Klf3-ERTM) as previously described 6. Using next-generation sequencing of newly synthesised RNA (4sU-labeling), we show KLF3 induction leads to immediate repression of a set of ~580 genes; a subset of these (54) are also directly induced by KLF1 in K1-ER cells, suggesting antagonistic regulation. Indeed, ChIP-seq revealed KLF1 and KLF3 bind many of the same regulatory sites within the erythroid cell genome. KLF3 also binds an independent set of promoters which are not bound by KLF1, suggesting it also plays a KLF1-independent role in maintenance of gene repression. By de novo motif discovery we confirm KLF3 binds preferably to a extended CACCC motif, R-CCM-CRC-CCN, so the DNA-binding specificity in vivo is indistinguishable from the KLF1 binding specificity 7, and is independent of co-operating DNA-binding proteins or cofactors. Using Q-PCR of KLF1 ChIPed DNA in J2E-Klf3ER cells, we show that overexpression of KLF3 directly displaces KLF1 from many key target sites such as the E2f2 enhancer and this leads to down regulation of gene expression. This is the first proof that KLF1 and KLF3 directly compete for key promoters and enhancers which drive erythroid cell proliferation and differentiation. We propose KLF3 acts to 'fine-tune' transcription in erythropoiesis by repressing genes activated by KLF1 and that this negative feedback system is necessary for precise control over the generation of erythrocytes. It also works independently of KLF1 perhaps via competition for binding with other KLF/SP factors. References: 1. van Vliet J, Crofts LA, Quinlan KG, Czolij R, Perkins AC, Crossley M. Human KLF17 is a new member of the Sp/KLF family of transcription factors. Genomics. 2006;87(4):474-482. 2. Tallack MR, Magor GW, Dartigues B, et al. Novel roles for KLF1 in erythropoiesis revealed by mRNA-seq. Genome Res. 2012. 3. Perkins A, Xu X, Higgs DR, et al. "Kruppeling" erythropoiesis: an unexpected broad spectrum of human red blood cell disorders due to KLF1 variants unveiled by genomic sequencing. Blood. 2016. 4. Dewi V, Kwok A, Lee S, et al. Phosphorylation of Kruppel-like factor 3 (KLF3/BKLF) and C-terminal binding protein 2 (CtBP2) by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) modulates KLF3 DNA binding and activity. J Biol Chem. 2015;290(13):8591-8605. 5. Funnell AP, Maloney CA, Thompson LJ, et al. Erythroid Kruppel-like factor directly activates the basic Kruppel-like factor gene in erythroid cells. Mol Cell Biol. 2007;27(7):2777-2790. 6. Coghill E, Eccleston S, Fox V, et al. Erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) coordinates erythroid cell proliferation and hemoglobinization in cell lines derived from EKLF null mice. Blood. 2001;97(6):1861-1868. 7. Tallack MR, Whitington T, Yuen WS, et al. A global role for KLF1 in erythropoiesis revealed by ChIP-seq in primary erythroid cells. Genome Res. 2010;20(8):1052-1063. Disclosures Perkins: Novartis Oncology: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria.

Abstract Erythroid Kruppel-Like Factor (EKLF) is a zinc finger transcription factor which is essential for β-globin gene expression. Knockout mice die from anemia at E15, but restoration of globin chain imbalance does not rescue anemia or increase survival. Cell lines derived from EKLF null mice undergo proliferation arrest upon reactivation of a conditional EKLF-ER fusion protein, suggesting a role in cell cycle control. A transcriptional profiling experiment comparing the global gene expression in EKLF null and wild type fetal liver identified many differentially expressed genes, a number of which function in G1 and at the G1/S checkpoint of the cell cycle. The Cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor, p18, and the S phase transcription factor E2F4 were both found to be significantly down regulated in EKLF null mice and this result was confirmed by real-time PCR. Interestingly, E2F4 knockout mice have a similar phenotype to EKLF knockout mice. Bioinformatic searches of the p18 and E2F4 genes shows that each contains phylogenetically conserved CACC box motifs capable of binding EKLF within longer regions of conservation in promoter and intron regions. The p18 gene contains two conserved CACCC sites upstream of the start of transcription, which are required for EKLF dependent promoter activity in luciferase reporter assays. The transcription factor E2F4 contains a conserved EKLF-binding CACC site within an intron that is closely associated with two conserved GATA1 binding sites. We show by a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays that the E2F4 intron and p18 promoter are occupied by EKLF in vivo. Together, these results suggest that EKLF is likely to directly regulate expression of key cell cycle genes in vivo to drive the switch from proliferation to differentiation of erythrocytes. The loss of EKLF is likely to result in aberrant proliferation and predisposition to leukemia.

Gene expression is known to be regulated at the level of transcription. Recently, however, there has been a growing realisation of the importance of gene regulation at the post-transcriptional level, namely at the level of pre-mRNA processing (5’ capping, splicing and polyadenylation), nuclear export, mRNA localisation and translation. Erythroid krüppel-like factor (Eklf) is the founding member of the Krüppel-like factor (Klf) family of transcription factors and plays an important role in erythropoiesis. In addition to its nuclear presence, Eklf was recently found to localise to the cytoplasm and this observation prompted us to examine whether this protein has a role as an RNA-binding protein, in addition to its well-characterised DNA-binding function. In this thesis we demonstrate that Eklf displays RNA-binding activity in an in vitro and in vivo context through the use of its classical zinc finger (ZF) domains. Furthermore, using two independent in vitro assays, we show that Eklf has a preference for A and U RNA homoribopolymers. These results represent the first description of RNA-binding by a member of the Klf family. We developed a dominant negative mutant of Eklf by expressing its ZF region in murine erythroleukaemia (MEL) cells. We used this to investigate the importance of this protein in haematopoietic lineage decisions by examining its effect on the multipotent K562 cell line. We provide evidence that Eklf appears to be critical not only for the promotion of erythropoiesis, but also for the inhibition of megakaryopoiesis.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Gene expression is known to be regulated at the level of transcription. Recently, however, there has been a growing realisation of the importance of gene regulation at the post-transcriptional level, namely at the level of pre-mRNA processing (5’ capping, splicing and polyadenylation), nuclear export, mRNA localisation and translation. Erythroid krüppel-like factor (Eklf) is the founding member of the Krüppel-like factor (Klf) family of transcription factors and plays an important role in erythropoiesis. In addition to its nuclear presence, Eklf was recently found to localise to the cytoplasm and this observation prompted us to examine whether this protein has a role as an RNA-binding protein, in addition to its well-characterised DNA-binding function. In this thesis we demonstrate that Eklf displays RNA-binding activity in an in vitro and in vivo context through the use of its classical zinc finger (ZF) domains. Furthermore, using two independent in vitro assays, we show that Eklf has a preference for A and U RNA homoribopolymers. These results represent the first description of RNA-binding by a member of the Klf family. We developed a dominant negative mutant of Eklf by expressing its ZF region in murine erythroleukaemia (MEL) cells. We used this to investigate the importance of this protein in haematopoietic lineage decisions by examining its effect on the multipotent K562 cell line. We provide evidence that Eklf appears to be critical not only for the promotion of erythropoiesis, but also for the inhibition of megakaryopoiesis.

Les domaines de transactivation (TAD) acides sont présents dans plusieurs protéines oncogéniques, virales et dans des facteurs de différenciation de cellules souches. Ces domaines acides contrôlent la transcription à travers une myriade d’interactions avec divers partenaires ce qui provoque l’activation de la transcription ou leur propre élimination. Cependant, dans la dernière décennie, de plus en plus de recherches ont démontré que les TAD possédaient un sous-domaine activation/dégradation (DAD) responsable pour une fonction d'activation de la transcription dépendante de la dégradation de la protéine. Un tel phénomène peut être accompli par plusieurs moyens tels que des modifications post-traductionnelles, l’association à des cofacteurs ou la formation d’un réseau d’interaction complexe en chaînes. Or, aucune preuve concrète n’a pu clairement démontrer le fonctionnement de la dépendance paradoxale entre ces deux fonctions sur un activateur de transcription. Le DAD, a été observé dans plusieurs facteurs de transcription incluant la protéine suppresseur de tumeur p53 et le facteur de différenciation érythrocyte EKLF. Un aspect particulier des DAD est que la composition de leur séquence d’acide aminé est fortement similaire à celle des domaines de liaison à l’ubiquitine (UBD) qui jouent un rôle clé dans le contrôle de la transcription à travers leur interaction non-covalente avec l’ubiquitine. Ainsi, dans ce mémoire, nous avons étudié la possibilité que les TAD acides soient capables d’agir comme UBD pour réguler leur fonction paradoxale à travers des interactions non-covalentes avec l’ubiquitine. L’analyse est faite en utilisant la résonnance magnétique nucléaire (RMN) ainsi qu’avec des essais fonctionnels de dégradation. En somme, cette étude amène une plus grande compréhension des protéines impliquées dans le contrôle des TAD et caractérise le tout premier exemple de TAD capable d’interagir avec l’ubiquitine.
Acidic transactivating domains have been shown to be potential targets for a number of different therapies but their dynamic nature and their ability to bind many interacting partners has made it difficult to fully understand their functioning mechanisms. What we do know about these domains is that they readily control transcription through a myriad of interactions capable of either activating specific aspects of their function or simply, signal for their own demise. Within the acidic TADs lies an unusual degradation/activation domain (DAD) capable of activating transcription at the cost of its degradation. In other words, DAD transcriptional activation is dependent on the degradation of the protein. Such a phenomenon could be explained by a wide variety of hypotheses like the play of post-translational modifications, co-factors, or maybe just a really sophisticated time scaled network of interactions. However, no concrete explanation of how this dual dependent functioning domain works has yet to surface. The DAD has been observed within acidic TADs of several transcription factors including the tumor suppressor p53 and the red blood cell differentiation factor EKLF. Interestingly though, the amino acid sequence composition of DADs share a strong similarity with several types of sequences from domains that bind ubiquitin (UBDs). These domains have been shown in the past to, in addition to their role in degradation, play a key role in regulating transcription through non-covalent interaction with ubiquitin. Hence, in this project, we investigated weather acidic TADs had the ability to function as UBDs and form non-covalent interactions with ubiquitin and also to determine the functional significance of this interaction in regards to the dual function of acidic TADs.