Domains of ERRgamma that mediate homodimerization and interaction with factors stimulating DNA binding

The estrogen receptor-related receptor gamma (ERRgamma/ERR3/NR3B3) is an orphan member of the nuclear receptor superfamily closely related to the estrogen receptors. To explore the DNA binding characteristics, the protein-DNA interaction was studied in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). In vitro translated ERRgamma binds as a homodimer to direct repeats (DR) without spacing of the nuclear receptor half-site 5'-AGGTCA-3' (DR-0), to extended half-sites, and to the inverted estrogen response element. Using ERRgamma deletion constructs, binding was found to be dependent on the presence of sequences in the ligand binding domain (LBD). A far-Western analysis revealed that ERRgamma forms dimers even in the absence of DNA. Two elements, located in the hinge region and in the LBD, respectively, are necessary for DNA-independent dimerization. DNA binding of bacterial expressed ERRgamma requires additional factors present in the serum and in cellular extracts. Fusion proteins of the germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF/NR6A1) with ERRgamma showed that the characteristic feature to be stimulated by additional factors can be transferred to a heterologous protein. The stimulating activity was further characterized and its target sequence narrowed down to a small element in the hinge region.