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Interphase movements of a DNA chromosome region modulated by VP16 transcriptional activator

Nature Cell Biology volume 3, pages 134–139 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

We examined changes in intranuclear chromosome positioning induced by a transcriptional activator in a simple experimental system. Targeting the VP16 acidic activation domain (AAD) to an engineered chromosome site resulted in its transcriptional activation and redistribution from a predominantly peripheral to a more interior nuclear localization. Direct visualization in vivo revealed that the chromosome site normally moves into the nuclear interior transiently in early G1 and again in early S phase. In contrast, VP16 AAD targeting induced this site's permanent interior localization in early G1. A single transcriptional activator therefore can modify the cell-cycle-dependent programme of intranuclear positioning of chromosome loci.

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Figure 1: Characterization of chromosome insertion in the C6-14 cell line.
Figure 2: Characterization of 3-D nuclear location of chromosome insertion in C6-14 cells by using nuclear pore staining.
Figure 3: Labelled chromosome site preferentially located at the nuclear periphery changes location upon VP16 targeting.
Figure 4: Nuclear distribution of chromosome site is cell-cycle-dependent.
Figure 5: Peripheral versus interior nuclear localization patterns are established in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by an NIH grant (GM58460) to A.S.B.

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  1. Department of Cell and Structural Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Room B107 C&LSL, 601 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, 61801, Illinois, USA

    Tudorita Tumbar & Andrew S. Belmont

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Correspondence to Andrew S. Belmont.

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Tumbar, T., Belmont, A. Interphase movements of a DNA chromosome region modulated by VP16 transcriptional activator. Nat Cell Biol 3, 134–139 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35055033

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