SUMOylation regulates the transcriptional repression activity of FOG-2 and its association with GATA-4

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e50637. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050637. Epub 2012 Nov 30.

Abstract

Friend of GATA 2 (FOG-2), a co-factor of several GATA transcription factors (GATA-4, -5 and 6), is a critical regulator of coronary vessel formation and heart morphogenesis. Here we demonstrate that FOG-2 is SUMOylated and that this modification modulates its transcriptional activity. FOG-2 SUMOylation occurs at four lysine residues (K324, 471, 915, 955) [corrected]. Three of these residues are part of the characteristic SUMO consensus site (ψKXE), while K955 is found in the less frequent TKXE motif. Absence of SUMOylation did not affect FOG-2's nuclear localization. However, mutation of the FOG-2 SUMOylation sites, or de-SUMOylation, with SENP-1 or SENP-8 resulted in stronger transcriptional repression activity in both heterologous cells and cardiomyocytes. Conversely, increased FOG-2 SUMOylation by overexpression of SUMO-1 or expression of a SUMO-1-FOG-2 fusion protein rendered FOG-2 incapable of repressing GATA-4-mediated activation of the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) promoter. Moreover, we demonstrate both increased interaction between a FOG-2 SUMO mutant and GATA-4 and enhanced SUMOylation of wild-type FOG-2 by co-expression of GATA-4. These data suggest a new dynamics in which GATA-4 may alter the activity of FOG-2 by influencing its SUMOylation status.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • GATA4 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Humans
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Transport
  • Rats
  • Sumoylation*
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics*
  • Zinc Fingers

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • GATA4 Transcription Factor
  • Transcription Factors
  • Zfpm2 protein, mouse
  • Endopeptidases
  • SENP1 protein, human
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • SENP8 protein, human
  • Lysine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a Program Grant from NHMRC, Australia to LMK and BHC (455395). DRC was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.