J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 263, Issue 19, 9418-9426, 07, 1988
The thyroid hormone receptor binds to multiple domains of the rat growth hormone 5'-flanking sequence
TN Lavin, JD Baxter and S Horita
Metabolic Research Unit, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Gel shift assays have been employed to examine the association of the
thyroid hormone receptor with specific DNA sequences in the 5'-flanking DNA
of the rat growth hormone (rGH) gene. This DNA is known to have
structure(s) that mediate thyroid hormone effects on the rGH promoter. The
receptors used were obtained from preparations purified 300-500- fold from
rat liver nuclear extracts and contained about 1% pure receptors. Thyroid
hormone receptor binding to DNA was assessed by monitoring protein-bound
32P-labeled restriction endonuclease fragments in parallel with
L-tri[125I]iodothyronine-labeled protein-DNA complexes. The receptors were
found to bind specifically to four different regions of the rGH 5'-flanking
DNA (nucleotides -1730 to - 1230, -530 to -230, -181 to -149, and -149 to
+12) numbered with respect to the transcriptional start site. The
specificity of the binding was documented by the finding that the receptor
did not bind to other rGH 5'-flanking DNA sequences or to several other
DNAs and by the fact that only the DNAs exhibiting specific binding could
block the binding of radiolabeled DNA. The binding was also detected in
NaCl concentrations up to 140 mM, reduced by Mg2+ concentrations up to 5
mM, and inhibited by 1 mM zinc. The DNA sequence-specific binding of the
receptor was found to require occupancy of the receptor by the hormone
(L-triiodothyronine) and could also be observed when the receptor was
occupied by the thyroid hormone antagonist amiodarone. These results
indicate that thyroid hormone receptors interact specifically with several
sites on the 5'-flanking DNA of the rGH gene and that hormone occupancy is
not required for the binding. Thus, thyroid hormone may act by stimulating
a transcriptional activation function of the receptor rather than by
stimulating DNA binding per se.