Whole-genome analysis reveals a strong positional bias of conserved dMyc-dependent E-boxes

Mol Cell Biol. 2005 May;25(9):3401-10. doi: 10.1128/MCB.25.9.3401-3410.2005.

Abstract

Myc is a transcription factor with diverse biological effects ranging from the control of cellular proliferation and growth to the induction of apoptosis. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional targets of the sole Myc ortholog in Drosophila melanogaster, dMyc. We show that the genes that are down-regulated in response to dmyc inhibition are largely identical to those that are up-regulated after dMyc overexpression and that many of them play a role in growth control. The promoter regions of these targets are characterized by the presence of the E-box sequence CACGTG, a known dMyc binding site. Surprisingly, a large subgroup of (functionally related) dMyc targets contains a single E-box located within the first 100 nucleotides after the transcription start site. The relevance of this E-box and its position was confirmed by a mutational analysis of a selected dMyc target and by the observation of its evolutionary conservation in a different Drosophila species, Drosophila pseudoobscura. These observations raise the possibility that a subset of Myc targets share a distinct regulatory mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Conserved Sequence
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Drosophila Proteins / physiology*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology
  • E-Box Elements / genetics*
  • E-Box Elements / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Genes, Insect / genetics*
  • Genome
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription Initiation Site
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Myc protein, Drosophila
  • Transcription Factors