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The p53QS transactivation-deficient mutant shows stress-specific apoptotic activity and induces embryonic lethality

Nature Genetics volume 37, pages 145–152 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

The role of transcriptional activation in p53 function is highly controversial. To define this role in vivo, we generated a Trp53 knock-in construct encoding a protein carrying mutations of two residues that are crucial for transactivation (L25Q,W26S). Here we show that these mutations have selective effects on the biological functions of p53. Although its ability to activate various p53 target genes is largely compromised, the p53QS protein retains the ability to transactivate the gene Bax. The ability of the p53QS mutant protein to elicit a DNA damage–induced G1 cell cycle–arrest response is also partially impaired. p53QS has selective defects in its ability to induce apoptosis: it is completely unable to activate apoptosis in response to DNA damage, is partially unable to do so when subjected to serum deprivation and retains substantial apoptotic activity upon exposure to hypoxia. These findings suggest that p53 acts through distinct, stimulus-specific pathways to induce apoptosis. The importance of the biological activity of p53QS in vivo is underscored by our finding that expression of p53QS, which cannot bind mdm2, induces embryonic lethality. Taken together, these results suggest that p53 has different mechanisms of action depending on specific contextual cues, which may help to clarify the function of p53 in preventing cancer.

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Figure 1: Generation and characterization of Trp53LSL-QS mice.
Figure 2: p53QS binds p53 response elements.
Figure 3: p53QS is impaired for transactivation.
Figure 4: p53QS has compromised cell-cycle checkpoint function.
Figure 5: p53QS is defective in inducing apoptosis in response to DNA damage.
Figure 6: p53QS has partial apoptotic activity upon serum deprivation.
Figure 7: p53QS has robust apoptotic, but not transactivation, activity under hypoxic conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We thank D. Tuveson for providing the transcriptional stop cassette; T. Jacks for providing the Trp53LSL-LW mice; N. Denko for providing the Slc2a1 probe; R. Freiberg and S. Basak for technical assistance; and S. Artandi, A. Brunet, R. Ihrie and J. Sage for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by a Lucille P. Markey Biomedical Research Stanford Graduate Fellowship and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to T.M.J., by the National Institutes of Health to A.G. and by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation to L.D.A.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford, 94305, California, USA

    Thomas M Johnson, Ester M Hammond, Amato Giaccia & Laura D Attardi

  2. Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, California, USA

    Laura D Attardi

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Correspondence to Laura D Attardi.

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Supplementary Fig. 1

UV radiation induces p53-dependent and independent apoptosis. (PDF 47 kb)

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Johnson, T., Hammond, E., Giaccia, A. et al. The p53QS transactivation-deficient mutant shows stress-specific apoptotic activity and induces embryonic lethality. Nat Genet 37, 145–152 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1498

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