Abstract
The highly conserved DNA-binding domains (DBDs) of eukaryotic GATA factors comprise one or two zinc binding modules with four cysteines embedded in the sequence Cys-X2-Cys-X17/18-Cys-X2-Cys and an adjacent basic region. The fold has been defined as a class IV zinc finger motif and belongs to the superfamily of glucocorticoid receptor-like DNA binding domains. Members of the GATA family are found in a wide range of organisms ranging from slime molds to fungi and plants to vertebrates and exhibit differing and complex roles in transcription regulation mediated by binding to regulatory DNA sequences of the form (A/T)GATA(A/G). Fungal GATA factors control nitrogen metabolism, light induction, siderophore biosynthesis and mating-type switching, while the prototypical animal factor GATA-1 is involved in the regulation of all erythroid cell-specific genes. A unique feature of the GATA DBDs is their ability to interact with DNA as well as with proteins, leading to a multitude of intricate functionalities. One important role is associated with dramatic chromatin rearrangement.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Orkin SH. GATA-Binding transcription factors in hematopoietic cells. Blood 1992; 80:575–581.
Scazzocchio C. The fungal GATA factors. Curr Op Microbiol 2000; 3:126–131.
Merika M, Orkin SH. DNA-binding specificity of GATA family transcription factors. Mol Cell Biol 1993; 13:3999–4010.
Ko LJ, Engel JD. DNA-binding specificities of the GATA transcription factor family. Mol Cell Biol 1993; 13:4011–4022.
Yang HY, Todd E. Distinct roles for the two cGATA-1 finger domains. Mol Cell Biol 1992; 12:4562–4570.
Fox AH, Kowalski K, King GF et al. Key residues characteristic of GATA N-fingers are recognized by FOG. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:33595–33603.
Ballario P, Vittorioso P, Magrelli A et al. White collar-1, a central regulator of blue light responses in Neurospora, is a zinc finger protein. EMBO J 1996; 15:1650–1657.
Chang WT, Newell PC, Gross JD. Identification of the cell fate gene stalky in Dictyostelium. Cell 1996; 87:471–481.
Teackle GR, Gilmartin PM. Two forms of type IV zinc-finger motif and their kingdom-specific distribution between the flora, fauna and fungi. Trends Biochem Sci 1998; 23:100–102.
Omichinski JG, Clore GM, Schaad O et al. NMR structure of a specific DNA complex of Zn-containing DNA binding domain of GATA-1. Science 1993; 261:438–446.
Starich MR, Wikström M, Arst Jr HN et al. The solution structure of a fungal AREA protein-DNA complex: An alternative binding mode for the basic carboxyl tail of GATA factors. J Mol Biol 1998; 277:605–620.
Gao X, Sedgwick T, Shi YB et al. Distinct functions are implicated for the GATA-4,-5 and-6 transcription factors in the regulation of intestine epithelial cell differentiation. Mol Cell Biol 1998; 18:2901–2911.
Zhu J, Hill RJ, Heid PJ et al. end-1 encodes an apparent GATA factor that specifies the endoderm precursor in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Genes Dev 1997; 11:2883–2896.
Petersen UM, Kadalayil L, Rehorn KP et al. Serpent regulates Drosophila immunity genes in the larval fat body through an essential GATA motif. EMBO J 1999; 18:4013–4022.
Lossky M, Wensink PC. Regulation of Drosophila yolk protein genes by an ovary-specific GATA factor. Mol Cell Biol 1995; 15:6943–6952.
Haenlin M, Cubadda Y, Blondeau F et al. Transcriptional activity of Pannier is regulated negatively by heterodimerization of the GATA DNA-binding domain with a cofactor encoded by the u-shaped gene of Drosophila. Genes Dev 1997; 11:3096–3108.
Rastogi R, Bate NJ, Sivasankar S et al. Footprinting of the spinach nitrite reductase gene promoter reveals the preservation of nitrate regulatory elements between fungi and higher plants. Plant Mol Biol 1997; 34:465–476.
Arst Jr HN, Cove DJ. Nitrogen metabolite repression in Aspergilus nidulans. Mol Gen Genet 1973; 126:111–141.
Muro-Pastor MI, Strauss J, González R et al. The GATA factor AreA isessential for chromatin remodelling in an eucaryotic bidirectional promoter. EMBO J 1999; 18:1584–1597.
Marzluf GA. Genetic regulation of nitrogen metabolism in the fungi. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 1997; 61:17–32.
Xiao X, Fu Y-H, Marzluf GA. The negative-acting NMR regulatory protein of Neurospora crassa binds to and inhibits the DNA-binding activity of the positive-acting nitrogen regulatory protein NIT2. Biochem 1995; 34:8861–8868.
Platt A, Langdon T, Arst Jr HN et al. Nitrogen metabolite signalling involves the C-terminus and the GATA domain of the Aspergillus transcription factor AREA and the 3′ untranslated region of its mRNA. EMBO J 1996; 15:2791–2801.
Voisard C, Wang J, McEvoy JL et al. urbs1, a gene regulating siderophore biosynthesis in Ustilago maydis, encodes a protein similar to the erythroid transcription factor GATA-1. Mol Cell Biol 1993; 13:7091–7100.
Haas H, Zadra I, Stoffler G et al. The Aspergillus nidulans GATA factor SREA is involved in regulation of siderophore biosynthesis and control of iron uptake. J Biol Chem 1999; 274:4613–4619.
Kudla B, Caddick MX, Langdon T et al. The regulatory gene areA mediating nitrogen metabolite repression in Aspergillus, nidulans. Mutations, affecting specific gene activation alter a loop residue of a putative zinc finger. EMBO J 1990; 9:1355–1364.
Starich MR, Wikström M, Schumacher S et al. The solution structure of the Leu22Val mutant AREA DNA binding domain complexed with a TGATAG core element defines a role for hydrophobic packing in the determination of specificity. J Mol Biol 1998; 277:621–634.
Mackay JP, Crossley M. Zinc fingers are sticking together. Trends Biochem Sc 1998; 23:1–4.
Stamatoyannopoulos JA, Goodwin A, Joyce T et al. NF-E2 and GATA binding motifs are required for the formation of Dnase I hypersensitive site 4 of the human-globin locus control region. EMBO J 1995; 14:106–116.
Boyes J, Felsenfeld G. Tissue-specific factors additively increase the probability of the all-or-none formation of a hypersensitive site. EMBO J 1996; 15:2496–2507.
Boyes J, Omichinski J, Clark D et al. Perturbation of nucleosome structure by the erythroid transcription factor GATA-1. J Mol Biol 1998; 279:529–544.
Boyes J, Byfield P, Nakatani Y et al. Regulation of activity of the transcription factor GATA-1 by acetylation. Nature 1998; 396:594–598.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Landes Bioscience/Eurekah.com and Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gronenborn, A.M. (2005). The DNA-Binding Domain of GATA Transcription Factors—A Prototypical Type IV Cys2-Cys2 Zinc Finger. In: Iuchi, S., Kuldell, N. (eds) Zinc Finger Proteins. Molecular Biology Intelligence Unit. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27421-9_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27421-9_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-306-48229-8
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-27421-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)