Genome-wide characterization of the Zap1p zinc-responsive regulon in yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Zap1p transcription factor senses cellular zinc status and increases expression of its target genes in response to zinc deficiency. Previously known Zap1p-regulated genes encode the Zrt1p, Zrt2p, and Zrt3p zinc transporter genes and Zap1p itself. To allow the characterization of additional genes in yeast important for zinc homeostasis, a systematic study of gene expression on the genome-wide scale was used to identify other Zap1p target genes. Using a combination of DNA microarrays and a computer-assisted analysis of shared motifs in the promoters of similarly regulated genes, we identified 46 genes that are potentially regulated by Zap1p. Zap1p-regulated expression of seven of these newly identified target genes was confirmed independently by using lacZ reporter fusions, suggesting that many of the remaining candidate genes are also Zap1p targets. Our studies demonstrate the efficacy of this combined approach to define the regulon of a specific eukaryotic transcription factor. An all pairs experiment design type is where all labeled extracts are compared to every other labeled extract. Keywords: all_pairs Overall design: Computed

Zap1p转录因子（Zap1p transcription factor）可感知细胞内锌离子水平，并在锌缺乏条件下上调其靶基因的表达。此前已报道的受Zap1p调控的基因包括Zrt1p、Zrt2p与Zrt3p锌转运蛋白编码基因，以及Zap1p自身。为了鉴定酵母中其他参与锌稳态调控的基因，研究人员采用全基因组规模的系统性基因表达分析策略，以挖掘更多Zap1p靶基因。
本研究结合DNA微阵列（DNA microarrays）技术与对共调控基因启动子区域共有基序的计算机辅助分析方法，成功鉴定出46个潜在受Zap1p调控的基因。其中7个新鉴定靶基因的Zap1p依赖性表达特征，通过lacZ报告基因（lacZ reporter）融合实验得到了独立验证，这提示其余候选基因大概率也属于Zap1p的调控靶标。
本研究证实了该联合分析策略在解析特定真核生物转录因子调控子（regulon）方面的有效性。全配对实验设计类型指将所有已标记提取物与其余所有已标记提取物进行两两比对。关键词：all_pairs 整体实验设计：经计算生成