Mapping acetylation sites in E2A identifies a conserved lysine residue in activation domain 1 that promotes CBP/p300 recruitment and transcriptional activation

E-proteins are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that function in cell type specification. The gene E2A encodes two E-proteins, E12 and E47, which are required in B-lymphopoiesis. E2A proteins can interact directly with the transcriptional co-activators and lysine acetyltranferases (KATs) CBP, p300 and PCAF to induce target gene transcription. Prior investigations have shown that the E2A-encoded isoform E2-5 is acetylated by CBP, p300 or PCAF in vitro or in vivo. However, E2-5 lacks the important N-terminal activation domain AD1. Furthermore, the acetylated residues in E-proteins have not been mapped, and the functional consequences of acetylation are largely unknown. Here, we use mutagenesis to show that a lysine residue at position 34 within AD1 of E12/E47 is acetylated by CBP/p300 and PCAF. Lys34 lies adjacent to a conserved helical LXXLL motif that interacts directly with the KIX domain of CBP/p300. We show that acetylation at Lys34 increases the affinity of AD1 for the KIX domain and enhances AD1-driven transcriptional induction. Our results illustrate for the first time that AD1 can both recruit, and be acetylated by, KATs and that KAT recruitment may promote transcriptional induction in part through acetylation of AD1 itself.

► We map acetylated, phylogenetically conserved amino acids in E2A for the first time.
► Lys34, a residue within transcriptional activation domain 1, is acetylated.
► Mimicking acetylation of Lys34 increases E2A‐mediated transcriptional activation.
► Acetylation of Lys34 promotes binding of an E2A peptide to the KIX domain of CBP.
► Acetylation of Lys34 promotes CBP recruitment and transcriptional activation by E2A.