High impact information on DAL81

• We demonstrate that the DAL81 gene, previously thought to be specifically required for induced expression of the allantoin pathway genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, functions in a more global manner [1].
• On the other hand, loss of one of the polyglutamine stretches, but not the other, resulted in a 50% loss of DAL81 function [1].
• The DAL81 gene encodes a 970-amino-acid protein containing sequences homologous to the Zn(II)2Cys6 motif and two stretches of polyglutamine residues [1].
• Deletion of the DAL81 gene resulted in loss of induction but did not significantly affect basal level expression of the DAL7 and DUR1,2 genes or the UAS and URS functions present in plasmid constructions [2].
• These data suggest that (i) transcriptional activation of the DAL genes and their responses to inducer are mediated by different factors and cis-acting sequences and (ii) the UIS functions only when a wild-type DAL81 gene product is available [2].

Biological context of DAL81

• Since the DAL81 product was not an allantoin pathway-specific regulatory factor, the DAL82 product was considered as the more likely candidate to be the DAL UIS binding protein [3].
• We demonstrated that the DAL81 and DAL82 loci are distinct, unlinked genes situated on chromosomes IX and XIV [4].
• The similar phenotypes generated by dal81 and dal82 mutations prompted the question of whether they were allelic [4].
• Supporting the latter conclusion, a 38-amino acid fragment, containing little more than the coiled-coil(DAL82) domain, supports oxalurate-inducible, Dal81p-dependent, reporter gene transcription [5].
• Previous studies have shown that (i) Dal81p and Dal82p are required for allophanate-induced gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; (ii) the cis-acting element mediating the induced transcriptional response to allophanate is a dodecanucleotide, UIS(ALL); and (iii) Dal82p binds specifically to UIS(ALL) [6].

Associations of DAL81 with chemical compounds

• Its expression was (i) induced by allophanate, (ii) sensitive to nitrogen catabolite repression, and (iii) responsive to mutation of the DAL80 and DAL81 loci, which have previously been shown to regulate the allantoin degradation system [7].
• We also show that UGA35 and the DAL81 regulatory gene controlling allantoin and urea catabolisms are one and the same gene [8].
• Like other allantoin pathway genes, oxalurate-mediated induction of allantoin transport required a functional DAL81 gene product [9].
• The UGA35 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (also called DURL) encodes a positive regulator of the expression of structural genes involved in 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and urea catabolisms [8].

Other interactions of DAL81

• Operation of the DAL7 UIS required functional DAL81 and DAL82 gene products [3].
• High-level expression is inducer dependent, requiring functional DAL81 and DAL82 genes [10].
• This report describes genetic data indicating that the DAL80 and DAL81 loci are situated approximately 13 cM from the centromere on the right arm of chromosome XI and 9 cM proximal to the DAL1 locus on chromosome IX, respectively [11].
• The results show that the constitutive expression of the UGA4 gene found in cells under certain growth conditions depends on the presence of Uga3p and Uga35p [12].
• Hence the UGA35 gene product behaves like a second trans-acting positive regulator in addition to UGA3 [13].

References