Promoter methylation and tissue-specific transcription of the α7 nicotinic receptor gene, CHRNA7.

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is known to regulate a wide variety of developmental and secretory functions in neural and non-neural tissues. The mechanisms that regulate its transcription in these varied tissues are not well understood. Epigenetic processes may play a role in the tissue-specific regulation of mRNA expression from the α7 nicotinic receptor subunit gene, CHRNA7.

Targeting of the FYVE domain to endosomal membranes is regulated by a histidine switch.

Specific recognition of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PtdIns3P] by the FYVE domain targets cytosolic proteins to endosomal membranes during key signaling and trafficking events within eukaryotic cells. Here, we show that this membrane targeting is regulated by the acidic cellular environment. Lowering the cytosolic pH enhances PtdIns3P affinity of the FYVE domain, reinforcing the anchoring of early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1) to endosomal membranes.