The T-box near the zinc fingers of the human vitamin D receptor is required for heterodimeric DNA binding and transactivation.

The T-box mediates binding of retinoid X receptor (RXR) homodimers to DNA while the P- and D-box in the zinc fingers of steroid hormone receptors play roles in DNA-binding specificity and homodimerization, respectively. We investigated the function of these elements in the human vitamin D receptor (hVDR) by mutating a Lys-Glu pair of amino acids in the T-box, and by altering the P- and D-boxes to the corresponding residues of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The T-box mutant hVDR displayed attenuated vitamin D responsive element (VDRE) binding in the presence of RXR and was severely compromised in transcriptional activation. In contrast, GR P/D-box mutant hVDRs bound to the rat osteocalcin VDRE and elicited near normal transcriptional activation. The T-box mutant uniquely exhibited dominant negative properties, highlighting the significance of this region of hVDR for heterodimeric transcriptional activation.