N. Martin-soudant et al., CDP/Cut DNA binding activity is down-modulated in granulocytes, macrophages and erythrocytes but remains elevated in differentiating megakaryocytes, LEUKEMIA, 14(5), 2000, pp. 863-873
DNA binding by the CCAAT-displacement protein, the mammalian homologue of t
he Drosophila melanogaster Cut protein, was previously found to increase sh
arply in S phase, suggesting a role for CDP/Cut in cell cycle progression.
Genetic studies in Drosophila indicated that cut plays an important role in
cell-type specification in several tissues. In the present study, we have
investigated CDP/Cut expression and activity in a panel of multipotent hema
topoietic cell lines that can be induced to differentiate in vitro into dis
tinct cell types. While CDP/Cut DNA binding activity declined in the pathwa
ys leading to macrophages, granulocytes and erythrocytes, it remained eleva
ted in megakaryocytes. CDP/Cut was also highly expressed in primary megakar
yocytes isolated from mouse, and some DNA binding activity could be detecte
d. Altogether, these results raise the possibility that CDP/Cut may be a de
terminant of cell type identity downstream of the myelo-erythroid precursor
cell. Another possibility, which does not exclude a role in lineage identi
ty, is that CDP/Cut activity in megakaryocytes is linked to endomitosis. In
deed, elevated CDP/Cut activity in differentiating megakaryocytes and durin
g the S phase of the cell cycle suggests that it may be required for DNA re
plication.