Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric complex of two basic-helix-loop-helix proteins of the PAS family which is critical for oxygen-dependent expression of many mammalian genes. Regulation is mediated by the alpha subunit (HIF-1 alpha) and sequences from HIF-1 alpha can confer hypoxia-inducible activity on a Ga14 fusion protein. To analyse conservation of this system of gene regulation between Drosophila and mammalian cells we constructed Ga14 fusions with a series of Drosophila basic-helix-loop-helix PAS (bHLH-PAS) proteins and tested for hypoxia inducibility in transfected Hep3B cells. We found that Ga14 functions with Similar (Sima) but not other Drosophila bHLH-PAS proteins showed inducible activity following exposure to stimuli which classically activate mammalian HIF-1:hypoxia, cobaltous ions, and desferrioxamine. We also found that Sima protein accumulated in Drosophila SL2 cells following hypoxia. Together these findings indicate the existence of functional homologies between Sima and HIF-1 alpha, and that conservation is such as to enable Sima to interact with the hypoxia signal transduction system in mammalian cells.

Original publication

DOI

10.1006/bbrc.1998.9234

Type

Journal article

Journal

Biochem Biophys Res Commun

Publication Date

28/08/1998

Volume

249

Pages

811 - 816

Keywords

Animals, Cell Hypoxia, Cell Line, DNA-Binding Proteins, Drosophila, Drosophila Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Genes, Insect, Humans, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit, Insect Proteins, Nuclear Proteins, Oxygen, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Signal Transduction, Species Specificity, Transcription Factors, Transcriptional Activation, Transfection