The identification of lysine acetylation of steroid hormone receptors has previously been based on the presence of consensus motif (K/R)XKK. This study reports the discovery by mass spectrometry of a novel progesterone receptor acetylation site at Lys-183 that is not in the consensus motif. In vivo acetylation and mutagenesis experiments revealed that Lys-183 is a primary site of progesterone receptor (PR) acetylation. Lys-183 acetylation is enhanced by p300 overexpression and abrogated by p300 gene silencing, suggesting that p300 is the major acetyltransferase for Lys-183 acetylation. Furthermore, p300-mediated Lys-183 acetylation is associated with heightened PR activity. Accordingly, the acetylation-mimicking mutant PRB-K183Q exhibited accelerated DNA binding kinetics and greater activity compared with the wild-type PRB on genes containing progesterone response element. In contrast, Lys-183 acetylation had no influence on PR tethering effect on the nuclear factor κ-light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB). Additionally, increases of Lys-183 acetylation by p300 overexpression or inhibition of deacetylation resulted in increases of Ser-294 phosphorylation levels. In conclusion, PR acetylation at Lys-183 by p300 potentiates PR activity through accelerated binding of its direct target genes without affecting PR tethering on other transcription factors. The effect may be mediated by enhancing Ser-294 phosphorylation.
Keywords: Histone Acetylase; Hormone Receptors; Nuclear Receptors; Post-translational Modification; Transcription.