FLASH acts as a co-activator of the transcription factor c-Myb and localizes to active RNA polymerase II foci

Oncogene. 2008 Aug 7;27(34):4644-56. doi: 10.1038/onc.2008.105. Epub 2008 Apr 14.

Abstract

The c-Myb oncoprotein is a DNA-binding transcription factor with a key role in early stages of hematopoiesis. To expand our knowledge of partners cooperating with c-Myb, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screening with full-length c-Myb as bait. Here, we report FLICE-associated huge protein (FLASH)/CASP8AP2 as a novel Myb-interacting protein. We show that FLASH interacts with the DNA-binding domain of c-Myb and enhances c-Myb-dependent reporter activity and expression of endogenous c-Myb target genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that FLASH and c-Myb both associate with the MYC promoter region as well as with the intronic enhancer of the c-Myb target gene ADA. Furthermore, siRNA knock-down of FLASH or c-Myb both result in a reduction of MYC and ADA expression. The co-activator effect is mediated through the C-terminal part of FLASH, which binds c-Myb. The FLASH-induced enhancement is comparable with the increase seen with the c-Myb co-activator p300. We find FLASH localized in discrete nuclear speckles in several cell lines, co-localized with c-Myb in active RNA polymerase II foci. These results imply a novel molecular mechanism of regulation of c-Myb activity. We propose that c-Myb cooperates with FLASH in foci associated with active RNA polymerase II, leading to enhancement of Myb-dependent gene activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / chemistry
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / physiology*
  • COS Cells
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Mice
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / physiology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / physiology
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Trans-Activators / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / physiology
  • Transcriptional Activation / physiology

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CASP8AP2 protein, human
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • RNA Polymerase II