SUMOylation of zebrafish transcription factor Zbtb21 affects its transcription activity [RNA-Seq]

Phylogenetically conserved lysines 419 and 845 of zebrafish Zbtb21 protein can be conjugated with SUMO molecules. SUMOylation does not affect the subcellular localization and protein stability of Zbtb21, as well as the interaction with Zbtb14 or Zbtb21. Nevertheless, luciferase reporter assays revealed that Zbtb21 is a dual-function transcription factor which exerts activation or repression effect on different promoters, and SUMOylation can modulate the transcriptional activity of Zbtb21 in regulating downstream target genes. Hence, Zbtb21 is identified as a novel substrate of SUMOylation, which would be important for its function. Overall design: RNA was extracted from three groups of cells transfected with PCS2, wild type Zbtb21 and Zbtb21K419/845R double mutant, and gene expression profiling was performed.