A single amino acid change converts an inhibitory transcription factor into an activator

The closely related POU family transcription factors Brn-3a and Brn-3b differ in their functional activity with Brn-3a activating several target promoters, which are repressed by Brn-3b. Brn-3b also prevents promoter activation by Brn-3a. Here we have altered a single isoleucine residue in the POU homeodomain of Brn-3b to the valine residue found at the equivalent position in Brn-3a. This change not only abolishes the ability of Brn-3b to repress basal and Brn-3a-stimulated promoter activity but also converts it to an activator of similar potency to Brn-3a. Hence a single amino acid difference determines the difference between an activator and a repressor in the Brn-3 family.