加州大学Dipti D. Nayak小组的一项最新研究提出了古细菌转录因子是原核生物和真核生物调节模式的桥梁。相关论文于2025年12月1日发表在《细胞》杂志上。

该课题组概述了一个神秘的，古细菌特异性配体结合调节转录因子（TFs）家族的发现，称为AmzR（古细菌代谢物感应拉链样调节剂）。课题组人员通过基于进化的基因筛选鉴定出AmzR，并表明它是醋酸甲烷锥虫古菌中甲胺上产甲烷生长的抑制剂。AmzR结合其目标启动子作为寡聚体主题配对α-螺旋类似于真核亮氨酸拉链。AmzR还能与甲胺结合，这降低了其与DNA结合的亲和力，并允许其作为原核生物中常见的单组分系统发挥作用，同时含有真核生物样DNA结合基序。AmzR家族的TFs广泛存在于古细菌中，并拓宽了原核-真核生物界面的创新范围。

据了解，古细菌的转录是真核生物和原核生物特征的混合体：一种RNA聚合酶II （RNAPII）样聚合酶在没有核仁的细胞内转录环状染色体中的基因。因此，古细菌基因组中缺乏在其他生命领域中发现的转录调节因子。

附：英文原文

Title: An archaeal transcription factor bridges prokaryotic and eukaryotic regulatory paradigms

Author: Fernando Medina Ferrer, Dipti D. Nayak

Issue&Volume: 2025-12-01

Abstract: Archaeal transcription is a hybrid of eukaryotic and prokaryotic features: an RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)-like polymerase transcribes genes organized in circular chromosomes within cells devoid of a nucleus. Consequently, archaeal genomes are depleted of transcriptional regulators found in other domains of life. Here, we outline the discovery of a cryptic, archaea-specific family of ligand-binding regulatory transcription factors (TFs), called AmzR (archaeal metabolite-sensing zipper-like regulators). We identify AmzR using an evolution-based genetic screen and show that it is a repressor of methanogenic growth on methylamines in the archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans. AmzR binds its target promoters as an oligomer using paired basic α-helices akin to eukaryotic leucine zippers. AmzR also binds methylamines, which reduces its DNA-binding affinity and allows it to function as a one-component system commonly found in prokaryotes, while containing a eukaryotic-like DNA-binding motif. The AmzR family of TFs are widespread in archaea and broaden the scope of innovations at the prokaryote-eukaryote interface.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.10.036

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)01241-3