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Cloning and functional characterization of chicken p160 coactivator family members

S Arai1, K Ogawa, S Yamachika

  • 1Laboratory of Environmental Biochemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, 565-0871, Osaka, Japan.

Insights

Researchers cloned chicken p160 coactivators, revealing conserved interactions with nuclear receptors. A novel NR box 4 sequence is crucial for efficient receptor binding, highlighting its evolutionary importance.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • p160 coactivators (SRC-1, TIF2, ACTR) interact with nuclear receptors in a ligand-dependent manner.
  • These coactivators, approximately 160 kDa, have been identified in humans, mice, and Xenopus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clone and characterize chicken homologues of p160 coactivator members.
  • To investigate the interaction properties of chicken p160 coactivators with nuclear receptors.
  • To identify and analyze novel conserved sequences within p160 coactivators.

Main Methods:

  • Gene cloning of chicken p160 coactivator members.
  • Amino acid sequence analysis and comparison with human and mouse homologues.
  • Functional assays to assess interaction with liganded nuclear receptors.

Main Results:

  • Three chicken p160 coactivator genes were cloned, encoding ~160 kDa proteins with 70-80% sequence identity to mammalian counterparts.
  • Chicken p160 coactivators demonstrated interaction with various liganded nuclear receptors.
  • A conserved, imperfect LXXLL motif, termed NR box 4, was identified downstream of NR box 3.
  • Disruption of NR box 4 significantly reduced nuclear receptor interaction, indicating its functional importance.

Conclusions:

  • Chicken possesses three p160 coactivators homologous to those in mammals, underscoring conserved coactivator function across species.
  • NR box 4 is a functionally significant motif required for efficient nuclear receptor binding, conserved across diverse species.

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