Distinct promoters mediate the regulation of Ebf1 gene expression by interleukin-7 and Pax5

Mol Cell Biol. 2007 Jan;27(2):579-94. doi: 10.1128/MCB.01192-06. Epub 2006 Nov 13.

Abstract

Early differentiation of B lymphocytes requires the function of multiple transcription factors that regulate the specification and commitment of the lineage. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments have provided important insight into the transcriptional control of B lymphopoiesis, whereby E2A was suggested to act upstream of EBF1 and Pax5 downstream of EBF1. However, this simple hierarchy cannot account for all observations, and our understanding of a presumed regulatory network, in which transcription factors and signaling pathways operate, is limited. Here, we show that the expression of the Ebf1 gene involves two promoters that are differentially regulated and generate distinct protein isoforms. We find that interleukin-7 signaling, E2A, and EBF1 activate the distal Ebf1 promoter, whereas Pax5, together with Ets1 and Pu.1, regulates the stronger proximal promoter. In the absence of Pax5, the function of the proximal Ebf1 promoter and accumulation of EBF1 protein are impaired and the replication timing and subcellular localization of the Ebf1 locus are altered. Taken together, these data suggest that the regulation of Ebf1 via distinct promoters allows for the generation of several feedback loops and the coordination of multiple determinants of B lymphopoiesis in a regulatory network.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • DNA Replication
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-7 / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • PAX5 Transcription Factor / physiology*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • TCF Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Trans-Activators / physiology
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • EBF1 protein, human
  • Ebf1 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-7
  • PAX5 Transcription Factor
  • Pax5 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • TCF7L1 protein, human
  • Tcf7l1 protein, mouse
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 1 Protein
  • proto-oncogene protein Spi-1