Truncated G-Quadruplex Isomers Cross-Talk with the Transcription Factors To Maintain Homeostatic Equilibria in c-MYC Transcription

Biochemistry. 2019 Apr 16;58(15):1975-1991. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00030. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Abstract

The nuclease hypersensitive element III1 (NHE III1) upstream c-MYC promoter harbors a transcription-silencing G-quadruplex (Pu27) element. Dynamic turnover of various transcription factors (TFs) across Pu27 to control c-MYC transcription homeostasis is enigmatic. Here, we reveal that native Pu27 evolves truncated G-quadruplex isomers (Pu19, Pu22, Pu24, and Pu25) in cells that are optimal intracellular targets of specific TFs in a sequence- and structure-dependent manner. Nuclear magnetic resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry envisaged that NM23-H2 (nucleoside diphosphate kinase) and nucleolin induce conformational fluctuations in Pu27 to sample specific conformationally restricted conformer(s). Structural investigations revealed that the flanking guanines at 5'-Pu27 control solvent exposure at G-quartets upon NM23-H2 and nucleolin binding driving Pu27 unfolding and folding, respectively. Transient chromatin immunoprecipitations confirmed that NM23-H2 drives the conformation switch to Pu24 that outcompetes nucleolin recruitment. Similarly, nucleolin arrests Pu27 in the Pu22 conformer minimizing NM23-H2 binding at Pu27. hnRNPK (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K) positively regulates NM23-H2 and nucleolin association at Pu27 despite their antagonism. On the basis of these results, we simulated the transcription kinetics in a feed-forward loop in which the transcription output responds to hnRNPK-induced early activation via NM23-H2 association, which favors Pu24 formation at NHE III1 reducing nucleolin occupancy and driving quadruplex unfolding to initiate transcription. NM23-H2 further promotes hnRNPK deposition across NHE III1 altering Pu27 plasticity that finally enriches the nucleolin abundance to drive Pu22 formation and weaken NM23-H2 binding to extinguish transcription. This mechanism involves three positive feedback loops (NM23-H2-hnRNPK, NM23-H2-CNBP, and hnRNPK-nucleolin) and one negative feedback loop (NM23-H2-nucleolin) controlling optimal turnover and residence time of TFs at Pu27 to homeostatically regulate c-MYC transcription.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA / metabolism
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K / chemistry
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K / genetics
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K / metabolism
  • Homeostasis*
  • Humans
  • Isomerism
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / chemistry
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / genetics
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / metabolism
  • Nucleolin
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / chemistry*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • HNRNPK protein, human
  • DNA