Identification and Characterization of anEntamoeba histolytica Upstream Regulatory Element 3 Sequence-specific DNA-binding Protein Containing EF-hand Motifs

The hgl5 gene of Entamoeba histolytica is negatively regulated through the upstream regulatory element 3 (URE3) DNA motif TATTCTATT. This motif is also present and significant in the function of the E. histolytica fdx gene promoter. A yeast one-hybrid screen was used to identify an E. histolytica cDNA encoding a protein (URE3-BP) that recognized this DNA motif. Analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence demonstrated the presence of two EF-hand motifs but identified no canonical DNA binding motifs. URE3-BP, expressed in bacteria, demonstrated Ca(2+)-dependent and sequence-specific recognition of the URE3 DNA sequence as assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Antibodies raised against URE3-BP blocked the formation of the URE3 DNA-protein complex by native nuclear extracts. The URE3-BP protein was present in the E. histolytica nucleus and cytoplasm with an apparent molecular mass of 22.6 kDa. Our results represent the first use of a yeast genetic screen to identify, on the basis of function, a DNA-binding protein of an early branching eukaryote. Since the URE3 DNA can modulate gene expression in both a positive and negative manner, this protein may have more than one mechanism of interaction with transcriptional machinery. Characterization of URE3-BP should provide insight into transcription regulation and virulence control in this parasite.