Transcription of histone H4, H3, and H1 cell cycle genes: promoter factor HiNF-D contains CDC2, cyclin A, and an RB-related protein.

Cell cycle-controlled human histone genes are coordinately expressed during S phase, and transcriptional regulation involves a series of trans-acting factors (HiNFs). The proliferation-specific factor HiNF-D interacts with multiple recognition motifs in histone H4, H3, and H1 promoters. Using gel shift immunoassays, we show that CDC2, cyclin A, and an RB-related protein are ubiquitous subunits of HiNF-D binding activity isolated from several cell types. HiNF-D levels in vivo are sensitive to okadaic acid and staurosporine, indicating that HiNF-D activity and/or assembly is influenced by phosphorylation status. Thus, HiNF-D appears to be a multicomponent phosphoprotein that participates in coordinate control of multiple histone H4, H3, and H1 genes during the cell cycle. The presence of cell cycle mediators in the HiNF-D complex suggests linkage between transcriptional control of histones, enzymes involved in DNA synthesis, and the onset of DNA replication during the G1/S phase transition.