Panky, a novel photoreceptor-specific ankyrin repeat protein, is a transcriptional cofactor that suppresses CRX-regulated photoreceptor genes

Sanuki, Rikako; Omori, Yoshihiro; Koike, Chieko; Sato, Shigeru; Furukawa, Takahisa

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2009.12.030

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Volume 584, Issue 4 , Pages 753-758, 19 February 2010

Panky, a novel photoreceptor-specific ankyrin repeat protein, is a transcriptional cofactor that suppresses CRX-regulated photoreceptor genes

Edited by Ned Mantei

Rikako Sanuki
- Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, 6-2-4 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
- Department of Molecular Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawahara-cho, Sho-goin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
Yoshihiro Omori
- Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, 6-2-4 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
Chieko Koike
- Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, 6-2-4 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
- PRESTO, JST, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
Shigeru Sato
- Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, 6-2-4 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
Takahisa Furukawa
- Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute, 6-2-4 Furuedai, Suita, Osaka 565-0874, Japan
- Corresponding author. Fax: +81 6 6872 3933.

Received 4 October 2009; received in revised form 16 December 2009; accepted 16 December 2009. published online 22 December 2009.

Abstract

Neuronal gene transcription is regulated by both transcriptional activators and repressors. While the roles of transactivators in retinal photoreceptor development have been well characterized, the roles of repressors have been poorly understood. We isolated Panky/Ankrd33, a gene encoding an ankyrin repeat-containing protein. Panky-A was specifically expressed in retinal photoreceptors and the pineal gland, and its expression was directly up-regulated by the CRX transcription factor. Subcellular localization of PANKY-A was observed in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Additionally, transactivation analysis suggested that PANKY-A is a transcriptional cofactor that suppresses CRX-activated photoreceptor genes. Furthermore, we found by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay that PANKY inhibited the DNA-binding activity of CRX.

Keywords: Retina, Repressor, Photoreceptor cell, Ankyrin repeat, Transcriptional cofactor

Abbreviations: Crx, cone–rod homeobox, Otx2, orthodenticle homolog 2, Nrl, neural retina leucine zipper, Nr2e3, nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group E member 3