THE PHOSPHORYLATED FORMS OF THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR, EGR-1, BIND TO DNA MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN NONPHOSPHORYLATED

The transcription factor, Early growth response-1, Egr-1, occurs in se veral forms differing in length due to three alternate translation sta rt sites (1). Egr-1 has also been reported to be phosphorylated althou gh a role for this modification is unknown. Using dephosphorylation an d hyperphosphorylation studies, we show here that phosphorylated Egr-1 is much more efficiently bound to its DNA binding element (GCE) and b inds in a dose-dependent fashion. Egr-1 plays complex roles in growth regulation and we suggest that alternate forms of phosphorylated Egr-1 may account for this. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.