A gene encoding a protein with zinc fingers is activated during G0/G1 transition in cultured cells.

Abstract

Zinc fingers are DNA‐binding domains present in several eukaryotic regulatory proteins. We have identified a mouse gene, Krox‐20, encoding a protein with three zinc fingers and whose expression is activated during G0/G1 transition in cultured cells. Serum stimulation of quiescent cells leads to rapid and transient accumulation of Krox‐20 mRNA, with kinetics similar to those of the c‐fos proto‐oncogene. The induction does not require de‐novo protein synthesis. In the mouse, Krox‐20 is expressed at low levels in tissues which contain rapidly dividing cells. These properties suggest that Krox‐20 encodes a transcription control factor, possibly involved in the modulation of cell proliferation.

Identification of a zinc-finger gene at 6q25: a chromosomal region implicated in development of many solid tumors

“…Features in addition to the zinc ®nger motifs which are shared by the mRNAs of the rat and human genes are the high proline and glutamine contents of the translated region between the zinc ®nger segment and the carboxyl end of each molecule. Proline-and/or glutamine-rich regions have also been found in several DNA-binding proteins including EGR2/Krox-20 (Chavrier et al, 1988), KruÈ ppel gene product (Mermod et al, 1989), the Sp1 transcription factor (Courney and Tjian, 1988;Kadonaga et al, 1987), and WT1 (Gessler et al, 1990). Additionally, both transcripts contain AU-rich areas.…”

EGR2 induces apoptosis in various cancer cell lines by direct transactivation of BNIP3L and BAK

“…The Egr2/Krox-20 gene was originally identified as a serum response immediate-early gene encoding a protein with three Cys 2 -His 2 -type zinc-finger motifs (Chavrier et al, 1988). Egr2/Krox-20 (À/À) mice display disrupted hindbrain segmentation and development, and differentiation of Schwann cells is blocked at an early stage (Topilko et al, 1994).…”

GGPPS, a New EGR-1 Target Gene, Reactivates ERK 1/2 Signaling through Increasing Ras Prenylation

“…The transcription factor EGR-1 is the product of early growth response gene-1 (EGR1), which belongs to the immediate-early gene family of proteins characterized by zinc finger domains that recognize the highly conserved consensus GC-rich nucleotide sequences (GCG G/TGG GCG). [1][2][3][4] EGR-1 is often rapidly and transiently activated within minutes of a stimulus by a variety of signals, and its activity can decay within hours. 4 Many stress signals, such as osmotic pressure variation, heat shock, hypoxia, DNA-damaging agents, radiation, injury, and stretch, can also stimulate EGR1 expression.…”

“…16 Through the regulation of its target genes, EGR-1 plays important roles in various cellular programs, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. 2 We have previously reported that human primary lung fibroblasts can synthesize matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and chemokines in an EGR-1-dependent manner when exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) stress. [17][18][19] To further understand the pathological functions of EGR-1 in pulmonary diseases during cigarette smoke-induced stress, we screened new target genes using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) methods.…”