Nuclear Localization of DP and E2F Transcription Factors by Heterodimeric Partners and Retinoblastoma Protein Family Members
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Journal of Cell Science 109, 1717-1726 (1996) 1717 Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 1996 JCS7086 Nuclear localization of DP and E2F transcription factors by heterodimeric partners and retinoblastoma protein family members Junji Magae1, Chin-Lee Wu2, Sharon Illenye1, Ed Harlow2 and Nicholas H. Heintz1,* 1Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington VT 05405, USA 2Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Charlestown MA 02129, USA *Author for correspondence SUMMARY E2F is a family of transcription factors implicated in the showed that regions of E2F-1 and DP-1 that are required regulation of genes required for progression through G1 for stable association of the two proteins were also required and entry into the S phase. The transcriptionally active for nuclear localization of DP-1. Unlike E2F-1, -2, and -3, forms of E2F are heterodimers composed of one polypep- E2F-4 did not accumulate in the nucleus unless it was coex- tide encoded by the E2F gene family and one polypeptide pressed with DP-2. p107 and p130, but not pRb, stimulated encoded by the DP gene family. The transcriptional activity nuclear localization of E2F-4, either alone or in combina- of E2F/DP heterodimers is influenced by association with tion with DP-2. These results indicate that DP proteins the members of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor preferentially associate with specific E2F partners, and protein family (pRb, p107, and p130). Here the intracellu- suggest that the ability of specific E2F/DP heterodimers to lar distribution of E2F and DP proteins was investigated in localize in the nucleus contributes to the regulation of E2F transiently transfected Chinese hamster and human cells. activity. In transfected cells, DP-1 did not accumulate in the nucleus unless it was coexpressed with the heterodimeric partners E2F-1, E2F-2, or E2F-3. Domain mapping experiments Key words: Gene expression, Cell cycle, Protein trafficking INTRODUCTION by cyclin-dependent kinases inhibits E2F DNA binding activity and E2F-dependent transcription (Krek et al., 1994; First identified as a cellular factor required for the transcrip- Dynlacht et al., 1994; Xu et al., 1994). Disruption of pRb/E2F tional activation of the adenovirus E2 gene promoter (reviewed complexes by viral oncoproteins is essential for cell transfor- by Moran, 1993; Nevins, 1992), E2F has been implicated in mation by DNA tumor viruses, and mutations in pRb that the periodic regulation of cellular genes required for transition disrupt interactions with E2F are implicated in both sporadic through G1 and entry into the S phase (reviewed by Farnham and inherited forms of human cancer (reviewed by Dyson, et al., 1993; Horowitz, 1993; La Thangue, 1994; Lam and 1994; Ewen, 1994; Lam and La Thangue, 1994; Wiman, 1993). LaThangue, 1994; Muller, 1995; Wiman, 1993). The evidence Moreover, deregulated expression of E2F genes leads to mor- that E2F plays a central role in regulating progression through phological changes (Logan et al., 1994; Shan and Lee, 1994; the cell cycle is compelling. E2F forms higher order complexes Xu et al., 1995), entry into the S phase (Almasan et al., 1995; with a number of proteins that regulate progression through the Johnson et al., 1993; Kowalik et al., 1995; Sardet et al., 1995; cell cycle, including the products of the retinoblastoma tumor Shan and Lee, 1994), and cell transformation (Singh et al., suppressor gene family (i.e. pRb, p107 and p130) (Chellappan 1994; Xu et al., 1995; Yang and Sladek, 1995), and, under et al., 1991; Chittenden et al., 1991; Cao et al., 1992; Cobrinik some conditions, apoptosis (Qin et al., 1994; Shan and Lee, et al., 1993; Dyson et al., 1993; Huang et al., 1993; Krek et al., 1994; Wu and Levine, 1994; Kowalik et al., 1995). 1993; Lees et al., 1993; Fagan et al., 1994; Kim et al., 1994; The regulation of E2F by pRb family members and cyclin- Qin et al., 1995) and several cyclin-dependent kinases (Mudryj dependent kinases is exceedingly complex. Although the asso- et al., 1991; Devoto et al., 1992; Lees et al., 1992; Pagano et ciation of regulatory factors with E2F is tightly regulated al., 1992; Ewen et al., 1993; Kato et al., 1993; Dynlacht et al., during the cell cycle (Lees et al., 1992; Pagano et al., 1992; 1994). Association of pRb family members with E2F sup- Shirodkar et al., 1992; Schwarz et al., 1993; Chittenden et al., presses E2F-dependent transcription (Hiebert et al., 1992; 1993; Cobrinik et al., 1993; Hijmans et al., 1995), the sequence Flemington et al., 1993; Helin et al., 1993a; Hiebert, 1993; of these interactions during the cell cycle does not appear to Zamanian and La Thangue, 1993; Qin et al., 1995; Smith and be the same for all cell types. In addition, E2F participates in Nevins, 1995) and cell growth (Hiebert, 1993; Zhu et al., 1993; the transcriptional regulation of genes encoding members of Vairo et al., 1995; Zhu et al., 1995a). Phosphorylation of E2F the E2F/pRb regulatory loop, including the pRb, p107 and 1718 J. Magae and others E2F-1 genes (Hsiao et al., 1994; Johnson et al., 1994b; al., 1981), and the human cell lines U2OS and HeLa were cultured in Neuman et al., 1994; Zhu et al., 1995b). a 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37°C using D-MEM supplemented with 5% The transcriptionally active forms of E2F are a collection of FBS (Gibco). For DNA transfections, 1×106 CHOC 400 cells were heterodimeric protein complexes (Girling et al., 1993; Helin et plated in 85 mm culture dishes in 10 ml DMEM with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), incubated overnight, changed into fresh culture al., 1993b; Huber et al., 1993; Wu et al., 1995; Zhang and Chel- µ lappan, 1995), each composed of one E2F protein family subunit medium, and 6 hours later were transfected with 24 g of DNA using the calcium phosphate precipitation method as described previously and one DP protein family subunit. (Here we use E2F to refer (Helin et al., 1993b; Wu et al., 1995). The E2F and DP pCMV to the collection of heterodimeric complexes formed by the asso- expression vectors (Helin et al., 1993b; Wu et al., 1995) were used at ciation of specific E2F and DP family members, with the indi- 8 µg/culture dish with pBSK as carrier DNA. After incubation vidual components of each complex identified by the name of overnight, cells were washed twice with phosphate buffered saline the cloned cDNA.) To date cDNA clones for seven members of (PBS, pH 7.5), incubated in fresh medium for 4 hours, trypsinized, the mammalian E2F and DP gene families have been isolated. plated on coverslips, and incubated for an additional 20 hours in Interaction with pRb was used to clone E2F-1 (Helin et al., 1992; culture medium. Kaelin et al., 1992; Shan et al., 1992; Li et al., 1994), and Immunostaining homology with E2F-1 was then used to isolate E2F-2, E2F-3, and E2F-4 (Ivey-Hoyle et al., 1993; Lees et al., 1993; Ginsberg Cells on coverslips were washed with PBS, fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS for 15 minutes, permeabilized with 0.2% et al., 1994). E2F-4 was also cloned by virtue of its specific inter- Triton-X in PBS for 15 minutes, and blocked in PBS containing 0.1% action with p107 (Beijersbergen et al., 1994), and both E2F-4 azide, 0.1% Tween-20 and 2% FBS for 60 minutes. Coverslips were and E2F-5 were isolated in a screen for proteins that interact with then incubated with primary murine antibodies at a 1:5 dilution of p130 (Hijmans et al., 1995; Sardet et al., 1995). DP-1 was cloned culture supernatant, or 1:200 dilution of polyclonal mouse serum, in as a protein component of DRTF, a developmentally-regulated blocking buffer for 60 minutes. The coverslips were then washed three E2F-like activity from mouse embryonal F9 cells (Girling et al., times in Tris-buffered saline (pH 7.5) containing 0.1% Tween-20 1993). Recently, homology with DP-1 was used to isolate DP- (TBS-T), and incubated with FITC-conjugated anti-mouse 2, a second member of the mammalian DP protein family (Wu immunoglobulin diluted 1:100 in blocking buffer for 60 minutes. After washing three times in TBS-T, coverslips were incubated in 1 et al., 1995; Zhang and Chellappan, 1995). Comparison of the µ amino acid sequences of mammalian E2F family members g/ml propidium iodide (PI) in TBS-T for 60 minutes at 50°C, washed with TBS-T, mounted and photographed with an Olympus BX50 suggests E2F-4 and E2F-5 are highly related to one another, and microscope using a WIBA filter for FITC, WG filter for PI, and MT represent a subclass of factors distinct from E2F-1, -2 and -3 filter for PI/FITC. (Sardet et al., 1995). Both DP-1 and DP-2 dimerize with several E2F family members to form an array of transcriptionally active Antibodies forms of E2F/DP heterodimers (Bandara et al., 1993; Girling et The primary antibodies were monoclonal antibody KH20 for E2F-1 al., 1993; Helin et al., 1993b; Huber et al., 1993; Wu et al., 1995; (Helin et al., 1993b), monoclonal antibody WTH10 for DP-1 (Wu et Zhang and Chellappan, 1995). al., 1995), polyclonal antibodies for E2F-2, E2F-3, or E2F-4, and The function of individual E2F/DP heterodimers is not either a polyclonal antibody against DP-2 or monoclonal antibody known. While all E2F/DP complexes stimulate transcription of 12CA5 for HA-tagged DP-2 and HA-tagged E2F-3. Polyclonal anti- reporter genes from consensus E2F binding sites, different E2F bodies for E2F-2, E2F-3, E2F-4 and DP-2 were made against His- tagged full length proteins in mice and characterized as described (Wu complexes may regulate E2F-dependent cellular promoters et al., 1995).