Oct-1 and Oct-2 DNA-binding site specificity is regulated in vitro by different kinases

The transcription factors Oct-1 and Oct-2 bind differentially to three octamer binding sequences corresponding to the octamer binding site from the H2B promoter [ATGCTAATAA], a simple TAATGARAT motif, found in herpes simplex virus IE4/5 genes [GCGGTAATGAGAT], and a perfect consensus overlapping octamer/TAATGARAT motif [ATGCTAATGAGAT]. By comparing the effects of protein kinase A, protein kinase C and casein kinase 2 in vitro on the binding of Oct-1 and Oct-2 to the three motifs, we show that the actions of these kinases regulate Oct-1 and Oct-2 DNA binding independently of each other in a binding-site-specific manner. Inhibition of cellular phosphatases also regulate Oct-1 and Oct-2 DNA binding in a binding-site-specific manner. Both kinase and phosphatase activity are important for regulating the DNA binding activity of Oct-1 and Oct-2 because, in the presence of phosphatase inhibitors, protein kinase A attenuates the binding of both Oct-1 and Oct-2 to the octamer binding site but enhances binding when phosphatase inhibitors are omitted. Thus the DNA specificity of Oct-1 and Oct-2 can be regulated in vitro by the action of different kinases.