New mechanisms for transcriptional repression of ENaC And iNOS.

Gene transcription is highly regulated to ensure that specific genes are expressed at the appropriate times, places and levels in response to various genetic and environmental stimuli. Activation of some genes occurs by relief of basal repression controls, whereas termination of active transcription can involve feedback inhibition. We describe our characterization of aldosterone-triggered de-repression of the epithelial Na(+) channel-alpha subunit (ENaCalpha) gene in renal collecting duct cells in a process that involves a novel nuclear repressor complex, consisting of a histone H3 K79 methyltransferase and the putative transcription factor AF9, that regulates targeted histone H3 K79 methylation at the ENaCalpha promoter. As an example of feedback inhibition, we describe our work characterizing how the end product, nitric oxide, feedback inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene transcription by S-nitrosylating its transactivator poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) and, thereby, decreasing its ability to act at the iNOS promoter.