Anti-ATF2: Rabbit Activating Transcription Factor 2 Antibody

BACKGROUND Activating Transcription Factor 2 (ATF2) is a member of the bZIP family of transcription factors. This protein binds to the cAMP-responsive element (CRE), an octameric palindrome.  It is activated upon its phosphorylation by stress-activated kinases in response to stress and cytokine stimuli.¹ JNK and p38MAPK phosphorylated ATF2 on Thr69 and Thr71 and activated ATF2.² Transcriptional activity of ATF2 depends on its heterodimerization with members of the AP1 family, including c-Jun³ or interaction with viral proteins, including v-Jun, E1A, and the Tax proteins. ATF2 forms a homodimer or heterodimer with c-Jun and stimulates CRE-dependent transcription. It is also a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that specifically acetylates histones H2B and H4 in vitro; thus it may represent a class of sequence-specific factors that activate transcription by direct effects on chromatin components. ATF2 target genes include AP1-responsive genes, such as cyclin A, IFN-beta, and TNF-alpha. Intriguingly, ATF2 has also been implicated in the DNA damage response, through its phosphorylation by phosphoinositide-3-kinase-related protein kinase, including ATM.⁴ This phosphorylation is required for intra-S phase checkpoint control and for its colocalization with components of the Mre11–Rad50–Nbs1 (MRN) complex within DNA damage repair foci.

 

REFERENCES  

1. van Dam, H. et al: EMBO J. 14:1798-1811, 1995
2. Gupta, S. et al: Sciences 267:389-393, 1995
3. Bhoumik, A. et al: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105:1674-9, 2008
4. Benbrook, D.M. & Jones, N.C.: Oncogene 5:295-302, 1990