Cloning and characterisation of a nuclear, site specific ssDNA binding protein

Estradiol inducible, liver-specific expression of the apoVLDL II gene is mediated through the estrogen receptor and a variety of other DNA-binding proteins. In the present study we report the cloning and characterisation of a single-strand DNA binding protein that interacts with the lower strand of a complex regulatory site, which includes the major estrogen responsive element and a site that resembles the rat albumin site D (apoVLDL II site D). Based on its binding specificity determined with electro-mobility shift assays, the protein is named single-strand D-box binding factor (ssDBF). Analysis of the deduced 302 amino acid sequence revealed that the protein belongs to the heteronuclear ribonucleoprotein A/B family (hnRNP A/B) and resembles other known eukaryotic single-strand DNA binding proteins. Transient transfection experiments in a chicken liver cell-line showed that the protein represses estrogen-induced transcription. A protein with similar binding characteristics is present in liver nuclear extract. The relevance of the occurrence of this protein to the expression of the apoVLDL II gene is discussed.