Click here to close
Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly.
We suggest using a current version of Chrome,
FireFox, or Safari.
???displayArticle.abstract???
Previous studies characterized macromolecular differences between Xenopus and Rana transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) (Gaskins et al., 1989, Nucl. Acids Res. 17, 781-794). In the present study, cDNAs for TFIIIA from Xenopus borealis and Rana catesbeiana (American bullfrog) were cloned and sequenced in order to gain molecular insight into the structure, function, and species variation of TFIIIA and the TFIIIA-type zinc finger. X. borealis and R. catesbeiana TFIIIAs have 339 and 335 amino acids respectively, 5 and 9 fewer than X. laevis TFIIIA. X. borealis TFIIIA exhibited 84% sequence homology (55 amino acid differences) with X. laevis TFIIIA and R. catesbeiana TFIIIA exhibited 63% homology (128 amino acid changes) with X. laevis TFIIIA. This sequence variation is not random; the C-terminal halves of these TFIIIAs contain substantially more non-conservative changes than the N-terminal halves. In particular, the N-terminal region of TFIIIA (that region forming strong DNA contacts) is the most conserved and the C-terminal tail (that region involved in transcription promotion) the most divergent. Hydropathy analyses of these sequences revealed zinc finger periodicity in the N-terminal halves, extreme hydrophilicity in the C-terminal halves, and a different C-terminal tail hydropathy for R. catesbeiana TFIIIA. Although considerable sequence variation exists in these TFIIIA zinc fingers, the Cys/His, Tyr/Phe and Leu residues are strictly conserved between X. laevis and X. borealis. Strict conservation of only the Cys/His motif is observed between X. laevis and R. catesbeiana TFIIIA. Overall, Cys/His zinc fingers in TFIIIA are much less conserved than Cys/Cys fingers in erythroid transcription factor (Eryf 1) and also less conserved than homeo box domains in segmentation genes. The collective evidence indicates that TFIIIA evolved from a common precursor containing up to 12 finger domains which subsequently evolved at different rates.
Berg,
Potential metal-binding domains in nucleic acid binding proteins.
1986,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Berg,
Proposed structure for the zinc-binding domains from transcription factor IIIA and related proteins.
1988,
Pubmed
Bogenhagen,
A control region in the center of the 5S RNA gene directs specific initiation of transcription: II. The 3' border of the region.
1980,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Brown,
The primary structure of transcription factor TFIIIA has 12 consecutive repeats.
1985,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Chirgwin,
Isolation of biologically active ribonucleic acid from sources enriched in ribonuclease.
1979,
Pubmed
Devereux,
A comprehensive set of sequence analysis programs for the VAX.
1984,
Pubmed
Engelke,
Specific interaction of a purified transcription factor with an internal control region of 5S RNA genes.
1980,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Evans,
The steroid and thyroid hormone receptor superfamily.
1988,
Pubmed
Fiser-Littell,
Deletion of the N-terminal region of Xenopus transcription factor IIIA inhibits specific binding to the 5 S RNA gene.
1988,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gaskins,
Species variation in transcription factor IIIA.
1989,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Ginsberg,
Xenopus 5S gene transcription factor, TFIIIA: characterization of a cDNA clone and measurement of RNA levels throughout development.
1984,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Gubler,
A simple and very efficient method for generating cDNA libraries.
1983,
Pubmed
Hanas,
Conformation states of Xenopus transcription factor IIIA.
1989,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Hanas,
Internal deletion mutants of Xenopus transcription factor IIIA.
1989,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Hanas,
Xenopus transcription factor A requires zinc for binding to the 5 S RNA gene.
1983,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Kadonaga,
Isolation of cDNA encoding transcription factor Sp1 and functional analysis of the DNA binding domain.
1987,
Pubmed
Kozak,
Point mutations define a sequence flanking the AUG initiator codon that modulates translation by eukaryotic ribosomes.
1986,
Pubmed
Kyte,
A simple method for displaying the hydropathic character of a protein.
1982,
Pubmed
Lassar,
Transcription of class III genes: formation of preinitiation complexes.
1983,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Levine,
Human DNA sequences homologous to a protein coding region conserved between homeotic genes of Drosophila.
1984,
Pubmed
McMaster,
Analysis of single- and double-stranded nucleic acids on polyacrylamide and agarose gels by using glyoxal and acridine orange.
1977,
Pubmed
Miller,
Repetitive zinc-binding domains in the protein transcription factor IIIA from Xenopus oocytes.
1985,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Queen,
A comprehensive sequence analysis program for the IBM personal computer.
1984,
Pubmed
Sakonju,
A control region in the center of the 5S RNA gene directs specific initiation of transcription: I. The 5' border of the region.
1980,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Sanger,
DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors.
1977,
Pubmed
Scott,
The structure and function of the homeodomain.
1989,
Pubmed
Thomas,
Hybridization of denatured RNA and small DNA fragments transferred to nitrocellulose.
1980,
Pubmed
Trainor,
Structure and evolution of a human erythroid transcription factor.
1990,
Pubmed
Tso,
Structure of the gene for Xenopus transcription factor TFIIIA.
1986,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Vrana,
Mapping functional regions of transcription factor TFIIIA.
1988,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
