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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists
Published on: November 15, 2013
Nuclear receptor and transcriptional complex cycles
Amy M Fowler1, Elaine T Alarid
1University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Physiology, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Abstract:
Transcriptional regulation by ligand-activated nuclear receptors, also known as steroid receptors, is a highly dynamic process. Nuclear receptors are intracellular proteins that reside in either the cytoplasm or nucleus in the inactive state. The interaction of this family of receptors with the promoters of target genes and with various proteins involved in stimulating gene expression is governed by binding to lipid soluble ligands. The animation, based on experiments following the dynamic interactions of the glucocorticoid receptor or the estrogen receptor with DNA, shows nuclear estrogen receptor and its interaction with a short two-nucleosome fragment of chromatin in the absence and presence of estrogen. The events that occur on the DNA are represented by the ordered recruitment of protein components to a larger macromolecular complex. The associated table describes the proteins and multimolecular complexes that participate in the nuclear receptor-chromatin cycles.
Insights
Ligand-activated nuclear receptors dynamically regulate gene expression. This study visualizes the estrogen receptor
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Nuclear receptors, or steroid receptors, are intracellular proteins crucial for transcriptional regulation.
- These receptors bind to lipid-soluble ligands, mediating interactions with gene promoters and co-regulators.
- The dynamic nature of nuclear receptor-mediated gene expression remains an area of active research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To visualize the dynamic interactions of nuclear receptors with DNA and chromatin.
- To illustrate the molecular events governing transcriptional regulation by ligand-activated receptors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized experimental data to create an animation depicting receptor-DNA dynamics.
- Focused on the glucocorticoid receptor and estrogen receptor interactions with DNA.
- Visualized the estrogen receptor's interaction with a two-nucleosome chromatin fragment.
Main Results:
- The animation demonstrates the ordered recruitment of protein components to form macromolecular complexes.
- Visual representation of nuclear estrogen receptor binding to chromatin in the presence and absence of estrogen.
- Detailed description of participating proteins and complexes in nuclear receptor-chromatin cycles provided in an associated table.
Conclusions:
- Ligand binding induces dynamic conformational changes and interactions of nuclear receptors with chromatin.
- The study provides a visual model for understanding the step-wise assembly of transcriptional machinery.
- Elucidates the molecular mechanisms underlying ligand-dependent transcriptional regulation by nuclear receptors.
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