Cross-species analysis reveals evolving and conserved features of the nuclear factor ?B (NF-?B) proteins.

ABSTRACT: NF-?B is a key regulator of immune gene expression in metazoans. It is currently unclear what changes occurred in NF-?B during animal evolution and what features remained conserved. To address this question, we compared the biochemical and functional properties of NF-?B proteins derived from human and the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) in 1) a high-throughput assay of in vitro preferences for DNA sequences, 2) ChIP analysis of in vivo recruitment to the promoters of target genes, 3) a LUMIER-assisted examination of interactions with cofactors, and 4) a transactivation assay. We observed a remarkable evolutionary conservation of the DNA binding preferences of the animal NF-?B orthologs. We also show that NF-?B dimerization properties, nuclear localization signals, and binding to cytosolic I?Bs are conserved. Surprisingly, the Bcl3-type nuclear I?B proteins functionally pair up only with NF-?B derived from their own species. The basis of the differential NF-?B recognition by I?B subfamilies is discussed.

SUBMITTER: Ryzhakov G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3630861 | biostudies-other | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other