Overview:

PCAF is a protein that shows homology to the yeast GCN5 and associates with p300/CBP. PCAF has in vitro and in vivo binding activity with CBP and p300, and competes with E1A for binding sites in p300/CBP (1). PCAF encodes a predicted 832-amino acid protein that showed by RNA blotting to be expressed in all tissues, most strongly in heart and skeletal muscle. PCAF has histone acetyl transferase activity with core histones and nucleosome core particles, indicating that this protein plays a direct role in transcriptional regulation. PCAF is required for MyoD activity and muscle differentiation. PCAF directly acetylated MyoD which then displays an increased affinity for its DNA target (2).

Gene Aliases:

CAF, GCN5, GCN5L, P/CAF, GCN5L1

Genbank Number:

NM_003884

References:

1. Yang, X J. et al: A p300/CBP-associated factor that competes with the adenoviral oncoprotein E1A. Nature 382: 319-324, 1996.

2. Sartorelli, V. et al: Acetylation of MyoD directed by PCAF is necessary for the execution of the muscle program. Molec. Cell 4: 725-734, 1999.