Site-specific heterodimerization by paired class homeodomain proteins mediates selective transcriptional responses

Alx4 is a paired class homeodomain protein involved in defining anterior/posterior polarity in the developing limb bud. The paired class of homeodomain proteins cooperatively bind palindromic DNA elements as homodimers or as heterodimers with other paired homeodomain proteins. Previous characterization demonstrates that the strength of the cooperativity as well as the preference for targets is dictated largely by the identity of amino acid 50 of the homeodomain. Here we compare and contrast the DNA binding properties of a glutamine 50 paired homeodomain protein, Alx4, and a lysine 50 paired homeodomain protein, Goosecoid. We demonstrate that Alx4 homodimers, Gsc homodimers, and Alx4/Gsc heterodimers each have distinct DNA binding properties, and each can discriminate between highly related palindromic elements. Using reporter gene assays, we show that Alx4 activates transcription in a site-specific manner, and that Gsc is capable of antagonizing Alx4-mediated activation only from promoter elements that support heterodimer formation. These data demonstrate that paired homeodomain proteins with different DNA binding properties are able to form heterodimeric complexes with unique DNA binding and transcriptional activities. Thus, heterodimerization regulates the DNA binding specificity of these transcription factors and may partially explain how paired homeodomain proteins direct specific developmental functions.