DNA-binding and regulation mechanisms of the SIX family of retinal determination proteins

The Six/sine oculis proteins are homeodomain transcription factors that are part of the Pax/Eya/Six/Dach retinal determination cascade involved in embryonic cell fate determination. There are six mammalian Six homologues, divided into three classes on the basis of sequence homology. In the present study we examined the DNA-binding specificity and mechanisms of Six2 and Six6 toward the Trex/MEF3 consensus sequence and the core tetranucleotide ATTA commonly recognized by homeodomain proteins. The results suggest that the Six homeodomain does not bind DNA owing to the absence of a key structural feature, the basic N-terminal arm, implicated in canonical homeodomain-DNA binding. Furthermore, the DNA-binding mechanisms and DNA sequence specificity differ among these Six proteins despite the complete conservation of predicted DNA-contacting residues in their homeodomains. Inclusion of 14 amino acid residues immediately C-terminal to the homeodomain of Six6 yields a protein construct able to bind both DNA sequences tested with nanomolar affinity. However, an analogous Six2 construct remains unable to bind DNA. Furthermore, we show that the DNA-binding affinity of Six2 is increased nearly 12-fold by complex formation with the Eyes Absent tyrosine phosphatase, while Six6-DNA binding is not similarly enhanced. This phenomenon could contribute to the synergy observed between Six2 and Eyes Absent in transcriptional activation and in eye development.