ALBERT

Description: In addition to orchestrating the expression of all erythroid-specific genes, GATA-1 controls the growth, differentiation, and survival of the erythroid lineage through the regulation of genes that manipulate the cell cycle and apoptosis. The stages of mammalian erythropoiesis include global gene inactivation, nuclear condensation, and enucleation to yield circulating erythrocytes, and some of the genes whose expression are altered by GATA-1 during this process are members of the p53 pathway. In this study, we demonstrate a specific in vitro interaction between the transactivation domain of p53 (p53TAD) and a segment of the GATA-1 DNA-binding domain that includes the carboxyl-terminal zinc-finger domain. We also show by immunoprecipitation that the native GATA-1 and p53 interact in erythroid cells and that activation of p53-responsive promoters in an erythroid cell line can be inhibited by the overexpression of GATA-1. Mutational analysis reveals that GATA-1 inhibition of p53 minimally requires the segment of the GATA-1 DNA-binding domain that interacts with p53TAD. This inhibition is reciprocal, as the activation of a GATA-1–responsive promoter can be inhibited by p53. Based on these findings, we conclude that inhibition of the p53 pathway by GATA-1 may be essential for erythroid cell development and survival.

Description: GATA1 is a transcription factor that coordinately regulates multiple target genes during the development and differentiation of erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages through binding to GATA motif (A/T)GATA(A/G). GATA1 has four functional domains, i.e., two transactivation domains reside in amino- and carboxyl- terminus, which transactivate GATA1 target genes redundantly and/or cooperatively, and two zinc-finger domains in the middle of the protein. The two zinc finger domains of GATA1 have been characterized extensively and their links to human diseases have also been identified. Carboxyl-terminal side zinc (C)-finger is essential for the DNA binding of GATA1, whereas amino-terminal side zinc (N)-finger retains insufficient binding activity to the GATA motifs by itself, but contributes to stabilize the binding of C-finger to a double GATA site arranged in a palindromic manner. Of note, while this two-finger structure is conserved in six distinct vertebrate GATA factors, there exist GATA factors with single zinc finger in non-vertebrates, indicating that only the C-finger and following basic tail region are evolutionary conserved in both vertebrate and non-vertebrate GATA factors. In our transgenic rescue analyses, GATA1 lacking the N-finger (ΔNF-GATA1) supports, if not completely, the erythropoiesis in mice, but mice without C-finger (ΔCF-GATA1) die in utero showing similar phenotype to the mice with complete loss-of-GATA1-function. Therefore, roles that the N-finger plays have been assumed to be evolutionally acquired features during molecular evolution. In this study, we have examined GATA-motif configuration-specific modulation of GATA1 function by using composite GATA elements in which two GATA motifs aligned side-by-side, either tandem or palindromic. We have defined changes in the GATA1 binding and transactivation activity in accordance with the arrangement of cis -acting GATA motifs. While GATA1 binds to Single-GATA in a monovalent way via C-finger without the influence of N-finger, the N-finger appears to contribute to specific bivalent binding of GATA1 to Pal-GATA, i.e., the N- and C-fingers in a single GATA1 molecule individually bind to two GATA motifs aligned in a palindromic orientation. Showing very good agreement with the human case analyses, the transgenic expression of G1R216Q that lacks N-finger-DNA interaction potential hardly rescues the GATA1-deficient mice due to defects in definitive erythropoiesis, indicating that roles owed by R216 residue are vital for the GATA1 activity in vivo. The N-finger also contributes to GATA1 homodimer formation, which is a prerequisite for two GATA1 binding to two GATA motifs aligned in a tandem orientation. Each GATA1 C-finger in the dimeric GATA1 protein binds to each GATA motif in Tandem-GATA. In this regard, we previously found in a transgenic complementation rescue assay that mutant GATA1 molecule G13KA, which lacks the dimerization potential but possesses most of the other N- and C-finger functions, hardly rescues the GATA1-deficient mice from embryonic lethality, indicating that the GATA1 dimerization is important to attain full GATA1 activity. We surmise based on these observations that the configuration of cis -acting GATA motifs located in the regulatory regions of the GATA1 target genes critically influences the DNA-binding of GATA1 and controls transcription of the genes. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Description: The β-hemoglobinopathies sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia are among the most common human genetic disorders worldwide. Hemoglobin A2 (HbA2, α2δ2) and fetal hemoglobin (HbF, α2γ2) both inhibit the polymerization of hemoglobin S, which results in erythrocyte sickling. Expression of erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) and GATA1 is critical for transitioning hemoglobin from HbF to hemoglobin A (HbA, α2β2) and HbA2. The lower levels of δ-globin expression compared with β-globin expression seen in adulthood are likely due to the absence of an EKLF-binding motif in the δ-globin proximal promoter. In an effort to up-regulate δ-globin to increase HbA2 expression, we created a series of EKLF-GATA1 fusion constructs composed of the transactivation domain of EKLF and the DNA-binding domain of GATA1, and then tested their effects on hemoglobin expression. EKLF-GATA1 fusion proteins activated δ-, γ-, and β-globin promoters in K562 cells, and significantly up-regulated δ- and γ-globin RNA transcript and protein expression in K562 and/or CD34+ cells. The binding of EKLF-GATA1 fusion proteins at the GATA1 consensus site in the δ-globin promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Our studies demonstrate that EKLF-GATA1 fusion proteins can enhance δ-globin expression through interaction with the δ-globin promoter, and may represent a new genetic therapeutic approach to β-hemoglobinopathies.  

Description: Human β-globin transgenes regulated by the locus control region (LCR) express at all integration sites in transgenic mice. For such LCR activity at ectopic sites, the 5′HS3 element requires the presence of the AT-rich region (ATR) in β-globin intron-2. Here, we examine the dependence of 5′HS3 LCR activity on transcription factor binding sites in the ATR. In vitro DNaseI footprint analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays of the ATR identified an inverted double Gata-1 site composed of 2 noncanonical sequences (GATT and GATG) and an Oct-1 consensus site. Mutant Oct-1, Gata-1, or double mutant sites were created in the ATR of the BGT50 construct composed of a 5′HS3 β/γ-globin hybrid transgene. Transgenes with double mutant sites expressed at all sites of integration, but mean expression levels in transgenic mice were reduced from 64% per copy (BGT50) to 37% (P 

Description: Abstract 3752 The β-hemoglobinopathies sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia are among the most common human genetic disorders worldwide. Hemoglobin A2 (HbA2, α2δ2) and fetal hemoglobin (HbF, a2γ2) both inhibit the polymerization of hemoglobin S that results in erythrocyte sickling. Expression of erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) and GATA1 is critical for transitioning hemoglobin from HbF to hemoglobin A (HbA, α2β2) and HbA2. The lower levels of δ-globin expression compared with β-globin expression seen in adulthood are likely due to the absence of an EKLF-binding motif in the δ-globin proximal promoter. In an effort to upregulate δ-globin to increase HbA2 expression, we created a series of EKLF-GATAl fusion constructs composed of the transactivation domain of EKLF and the DNA-binding domain of GATAl and then tested their effects on hemoglobin expression. EKLF-GATAl fusion proteins activated δ-, γ-, and β-globin promoters in K562 cells, and significantly upregulated δ- and γ-globin RNA transcripts and proteins expression in K562 and CD34+ cells. The binding of EKLF-GATA1 fusion proteins at the GATA1 consensus site in the δ-globin promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Our studies demonstrate that EKLF-GATA1 fusion proteins can enhance δ-globin expression through interaction with the δ-globin promoter, and may represent a potentially new genetic therapeutic approach to β-hemoglobinopathies. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Description: Association of GATA-1 and its cofactor Friend of GATA-1 (FOG-1) is essential for erythroid and megakaryocyte development. To assess functions of GATA-1–FOG-1 association during mouse development, we used the GATA-1 hematopoietic regulatory domain to generate transgenic mouse lines expressing a mutant GATA-1, which contains a substitution of glycine 205 for valine (V205G) that abrogates its association with FOG-1. We examined whether the transgenic expression of mutant GATA-1 rescues GATA-1 germ line mutants from embryonic lethality. In high-expressor lines we observed that the GATA-1V205G rescues GATA-1–deficient mice from embryonic lethality at the expected frequency, revealing that excess GATA-1V205G can eliminate the lethal anemia that is due to GATA-1 deficiency. In contrast, transgene expression comparable to the endogenous GATA-1 level resulted in much lower frequency of rescue, indicating that the GATA-1–FOG-1 association is critical for normal embryonic hematopoiesis. Rescued mice in these analyses exhibit thrombocytopenia and display dysregulated proliferation and impaired cytoplasmic maturation of megakaryocytes. Although anemia is not observed under steady-state conditions, stress erythropoiesis is attenuated in the rescued mice. Our findings reveal an indispensable role for the association of GATA-1 and FOG-1 during late-stage megakaryopoiesis and provide a unique model for X-linked thrombocytopenia with inherited GATA-1 mutation.