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Novel vertebrate genes and putative regulatory elements identified at kidney disease and NR2E1/fierce loci.

Fierce (frc) mice are deleted for nuclear receptor 2e1 (Nr2e1), and exhibit cerebral hypoplasia, blindness, and extreme aggression. To characterize the Nr2e1 locus, which may also contain the mouse kidney disease (kd) allele, we compared sequence from human, mouse, and the puffer fish Fugu rubripes. We identified a novel gene, c222389, containing conserved elements in noncoding regions. We also discovered a novel vertebrate gene conserved across its length in prokaryotes and invertebrates. Based on a dramatic upregulation in lactating breast, we named this gene lactation elevated-1 (LACE1). Two separate 100-bp elements within the first NR2E1 intron were virtually identical between the three species, despite an estimated 450 million years of divergent evolution. These elements represent strong candidates for functional NR2E1 regulatory elements in vertebrates. A high degree of conservation across NR2E1 combined with a lack of interspersed repeats suggests that an array of regulatory elements embedded within the gene is required for proper gene expression.

Alternative Splicing↗

Molecular definition of the morphogenetic and regulatory functions and the cis-regulatory elements of the Drosophila Abd-B homeotic gene.

The Abdominal-B (Abd-B) gene, a member of the Drosophila bithorax complex, is required during development to specify the identity of parasegments 10-14. Based on genetic studies, Casanova, J., Sánchez-Herrero, E. and Morata, G. (1986) Cell 47, 627-636, proposed that the Abd-B gene consists of two distinct elements that provide a morphogenetic (m) function in PS 10-13 and a regulatory (r) function in PS 14, where it represses m function. Here we present molecular confirmation of this genetic model. Using specific antibodies, we show that the 55 X 10(3) M(r) and 30 X 10(3) M(r) Abd-B proteins, predicted by cDNA analysis, are indeed present in PS 10-13 and PS 14, respectively. We also examine Abd-B mRNA and protein expression patterns in embryos mutant for either the m or r function. These data allow us to unambiguously assign m function to the 55 X 10(3) M(r) protein and r function to the 30 X 10(3) M(r) protein. Furthermore, as postulated by the model, transcription of the mRNA encoding the m protein is derepressed in PS 14 in the absence of r function. We have also studied the effect of mutations mapping in the infra-abdominal (iab) region located downstream of the Abd-B gene. Genetic studies suggest that the iab region contains cis-acting regulatory elements controlling Abd-B expression in PS 10-12. We present molecular evidence for the presence of downstream cis-regulatory elements by analyzing Abd-B mRNA and protein patterns in iab-6 and iab-7 embryos. Our analysis reveals the presence of parasegment and cell-specific regulatory elements of the Abd-B gene within each iab region. The Abd-B gene may provide a model for the understanding of similarly complex homeotic genes in higher organisms.

Animals↗

Driving midgut-specific expression and secretion of a foreign protein in transgenic mosquitoes with AgAper1 regulatory elements.

The Anopheles gambiae adult peritrophic matrix protein 1 (AgAper1) regulatory elements were used to drive the expression of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a protein known to disrupt malaria parasite development in mosquitoes. These AgAper1 regulatory elements were sufficient to promote the accumulation of PLA2 in midgut epithelial cells before a blood meal and its release into the lumen upon blood ingestion. Plasmodium berghei oocyst formation was reduced by approximately 80% (74-91% range) in transgenic mosquitoes. Blood-seeking behaviour and survival of AgAper1-PLA2 transgenic mosquitoes were comparable to sibling wild-type mosquitoes, while fertility was substantially lower. Ultrastructural studies suggest that decreased fitness is a consequence of internal damage to midgut epithelial cells.

Animals↗

ATF-2-binding regulatory element is responsible for the Ly49A expression in murine T lymphoid line, EL-4.

To understand the mechanism of Ly49A-expression and its significance in T-cell differentiation, we analyzed the 5'-flanking region of the Ly49A gene in a search for the Ly49A-regulatory element. Since very few known regulatory elements have been found in this region, presumably a novel regulatory sequence(s) could exist. Accordingly, we defined the 13-bp regulatory element, 5'-ATGACGAGGAGGA-3', restricted to Ly49A-expression in EL-4 cells in comparison with two other representative cell lines tested. This element, designated as EL13, proved to be previously undiscovered by homology search and is highly homologous with several virus DNAs. Using EL13 as a probe we have cloned a cDNA encoding a binding protein to EL13. Its deduced nucleotide sequence revealed that EL13-binding protein is almost identical with rat ATF-2. Although ATF-2 is known to bind to cyclic AMP responsive element (CRE), EL13 shares five out of eight nucleotides with this consensus sequence. Our results suggested that ATF-2 may play an important role via binding to EL13 for the expression of Ly49A. These data will provide useful information for understanding T-cell and NK-cell differentiation in murine immune system.

Activating Transcription Factor 2↗

Organization, sequence, and expression of the murine S100 beta gene. Transcriptional regulation by cell type-specific cis-acting regulatory elements.

The organization, sequence, and transcriptional regulation of expression of the murine S100 beta gene are reported. The gene is approximately 9 kilobase pairs in length and is composed of three exons and two introns. The deduced murine S100 beta protein sequence differs from the human S100 beta protein by only 1 amino acid. The murine S100 beta gene contains a TATA box (AATAA) and a reverse CCAAT box (ATTGG) located at 30 nucleotides and 92 nucleotides upstream of the cap site, respectively. A 149-base pair DNA fragment (-157/-9) spanning the TATA box and the reverse CCAAT box functions as a promoter. The murine S100 beta promoter drives a 4-fold higher level of transcription in glial (C6) than in non-glial (3T3) cells, suggesting the existence of a potential cell type-specific regulatory element within the promoter region. The 5'-flanking region suppresses transcription from the homologous S100 beta as well as the heterologous SV40 promoters in an orientation-independent fashion. However, the 5'-flanking region exhibits cell type specificity when suppressing the S100 beta promoter-dependent transcription, indicating its involvement in the cell type-specific expression of S100 beta gene. In order to map cell type-specific regulatory elements, transcription analyses of various deletions of the 5'-region were carried out in C6 and 3T3 cells. Two cell type-specific negative regulatory elements, one active in non-glial cells and another active in glial cells, were mapped to the regions -1552/-1234 and -1234/-551, respectively. A strong negative regulatory element and a relatively weak negative element were located in the regions -551/-157 and -1669/-1552, respectively. The murine S100 beta gene is under complex transcriptional regulation involving tonic negative control exerted by combination of multiple cis-acting regulatory elements including cell type-specific elements.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis of muscle creatine kinase regulatory elements in recombinant adenoviral vectors.

Adenoviral gene transfer holds promise for gene therapy, but effective transduction of a large and distributed tissue such as muscle will almost certainly require systemic delivery. In this context, the use of muscle-specific regulatory elements such as the muscle creatine kinase (MCK) promoter and enhancer will avoid potentially harmful ectopic expression of transgenes. We describe here the development and testing of adenoviral vectors containing small, striated muscle-specific, highly active MCK expression cassettes. One of these regulatory elements (CK6) is less than 600 bp in length and is 12% as active as the CMV promoter/enhancer in muscle. A recombinant adenoviral vector containing this regulatory element retains very high muscle specificity, expressing 600-fold higher levels of transgene in muscle than in liver. Muscle-specific regulatory elements may also increase persistence of transduced muscle cells. Adenoviral transduction of dendritic cells has been shown to stimulate cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses directed against transgene epitopes. We show that human dendritic cells infected in vitro with MCK-containing adenoviruses do not express significant levels of transgene. Furthermore, while adenoviral vectors containing nonspecific promoters are normally cleared from muscle tissue within 1 month, we show that MCK-containing vectors express significant levels of transgene 4 months after intramuscular injection.

Adenoviridae↗

Structure and function of the zeta-globin upstream regulatory element.

The human zeta-globin promoter contains a strong positive regulatory element in the 5' flanking region, designated the zeta-globin upstream regulatory element (URE). In this study, we define the minimal sequences required for URE function and characterize the associated protein-DNA interactions. Deletion experiments show that the URE spans a 60 bp region located between 220 and 279 bp 5' to the transcription start site. Further subdivision of this region shows that multiple cis acting sequences are present. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrate that the erythroid transcription factor GATA-1 binds a site at -230, and Sp1 and an unidentified factor bind a CCACC site at -240. The unidentified CCACC factor is distinct from two other CCACC factors, EKLF and BKLF/TEF-2. A third complex contains a novel DNA-binding activity that interacts with a site in the -269 to -255 region, designated URE binding factor (URE-BF). This factor is present in K562 cells that express zeta-globin, but is absent in the OCIM1 cell line, a human erythroid cell line that does not express zeta-globin. URE-BF appears to interact with a GATA factor, since formation of the URE-BF complex can be prevented by the presence of unlabeled oligonucleotides containing GATA sites. Finally, increasing the distance from the -230 GATA site to the two upstream sites causes a progressive decrease in zeta-globin promoter activity. There is no indication of a requirement for GATA-1 to be on the same side of the DNA helix as the other upstream factors. These results show that zeta-globin promoter function is highly dependent on a 60 bp region to which at least three different factors bind. Two of these factors may represent DNA-binding proteins not previously identified as important for regulation of globin gene expression. It is likely that these factors interact physically to create a functional regulatory unit.

Cell Line↗

A regulatory element that mediates co-operation between a PEA3-AP-1 element and an AP-1 site is required for phorbol ester induction of urokinase enhancer activity in HepG2 hepatoma cells.

We have characterized a transcriptional enhancer of the human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) gene and found a regulatory element required for co-operation between a PEA3--AP-1 element and an AP-1 site in the enhancer. We designated this regulatory element co-operation mediator (COM). Both the PEA3--AP-1 element, the AP-1 site and the COM are required for efficient phorbol ester induction of transcription from the uPA promoter in the HepG2 hepatoma cell line. We show that the COM is also required for co-operation between the PEA3--AP-1 element and a glucocorticoid response element, both in the presence or absence of TPA, indicating that the COM is generally capable of mediating synergism between inducible enhancer elements. The COM contains multiple overlapping binding sites for nuclear proteins, designated uPA enhancer factors 1-4 (UEF-1-4). We have identified putative binding sites for UEF-1, -2 and -3. The UEF-1 and -3 sites in the uPA enhancer are highly conserved between species. We demonstrate the binding of UEF-3 to the NIP element, a previously characterized regulatory element in the human interleukin-3 and stromelysin promoters, suggesting that this factor plays a role in regulation of a variety of genes.

Base Sequence↗

Surface plasmon resonance-based sensors to identify cis-regulatory elements.

In eukaryotes, transcription is regulated by multiprotein complexes binding to specific regions of genomic DNA, called cis-regulatory elements. Comprehensive identification of these elements is an important goal of functional genomics. Hence, it is of practical interest to develop a high-throughput assay to identify cis-regulatory elements. Toward that goal, we demonstrate that a surface plasmon resonance-based assay can identify whether a specific region of DNA binds to proteins present in raw nuclear lysate. Specifically, we immobilized a 16-basepair double-stranded DNA region of the SQSTM1 promoter to the Texas Instruments Spreeta, a surface plasmon resonance sensor. As a control, in a separate experiment, we immobilized a similar piece of DNA that differed by only a single base pair. We observed a significant difference in surface plasmon resonance signal when these two probes were exposed to raw nuclear lysate from NIH/3T3 cells. Using a luciferase-reporter vector transfected into live NIH/3T3 cells, we measured a significant difference in transcriptional activity between the two pieces of DNA. We conclude that a surface plasmon resonance-based sensor is capable of identifying physiologically significant cis-regulatory elements.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Vertebrate mRNAs with a 5'-terminal pyrimidine tract are candidates for translational repression in quiescent cells: characterization of the translational cis-regulatory element.

The translation of mammalian ribosomal protein (rp) mRNAs is selectively repressed in nongrowing cells. This response is mediated through a regulatory element residing in the 5' untranslated region of these mRNAs and includes a 5' terminal oligopyrimidine tract (5' TOP). To further characterize the translational cis-regulatory element, we monitored the translational behavior of various endogenous and heterologous mRNAs or hybrid transcripts derived from transfected chimeric genes. The translational efficiency of these mRNAs was assessed in cells that either were growing normally or were growth arrested under various physiological conditions. Our experiments have yielded the following results: (i) the translation of mammalian rp mRNAs is properly regulated in amphibian cells, and likewise, amphibian rp mRNA is regulated in mammalian cells, indicating that all of the elements required for translation control of rp mRNAs are conserved among vertebrate classes; (ii) selective translational control is not confined to rp mRNAs, as mRNAs encoding the naturally occurring ubiquitin-rp fusion protein and elongation factor 1 alpha, which contain a 5' TOP, also conform this mode of regulation; (iii) rat rpP2 mRNA contains only five pyrimidines in its 5' TOP, yet this mRNA is translationally controlled in the same fashion as other rp mRNAs with a 5' TOP of eight or more pyrimidines; (iv) full manifestation of this mode of regulation seems to require both the 5' TOP and sequences immediately downstream; and (v) an intact translational regulatory element from rpL32 mRNA fails to exert its regulatory properties even when preceded by a single A residue.

Animals↗

A negative regulatory element in the rat dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene contributes to the cell type specificity of expression.

Dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) catalyzes the synthesis of the neurohormone norepinephrine and is expressed only in noradrenergic and adrenergic cells of the nervous and endocrine systems. We have previously described a positive-acting genetic regulatory element of the DBH that contributes to the restricted expression of this gene. In the study described here, we identify and characterize a negative-acting regulatory element within the 5'-flanking region of the rat DBH gene. This negative regulatory element, which is located between -282 and -232, represses transcription from the DBH promoter in cell lines of noncatecholaminergic origin and binds to nuclear factors found in extracts from both the catecholaminergic cell line SHSY-5Y and the noncatecholaminergic cell lines JEG-3 and C6. The negative regulatory region will reduce transcription from a heterologous promoter in two noncatecholaminergic cell lines. These experiments demonstrate that the selective expression of the DBH gene is controlled by both positive- and negative-acting genetic regulatory elements.

Animals↗

Highly identical cassettes of gene regulatory elements, genomically repetitive and present in RNA.

A region in the first intron of a metallothionein-encoding gene of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (SpMTA gene) regulates its 5' promoter activity. Within this region is a 290-bp cassette of six sequence motifs that are present in other genes in this species and posited to operate as regulatory elements. The cassette, present at high multiplicity in the genome, was used to screen genomic DNA clones. Of these, six diverse individuals were partially sequenced and found to have segments 94% identical to the 290-bp cassette in the SpMTA gene. Their next 80 bp diverged from the SpMTA sequence but were highly identical among the six non-SpMTA clones and contained an additional regulatory motif. These diverse clones thus contained 370-bp cassettes of an overall 94% sequence identity and an apparent content of seven regulatory elements. The regulatory cassettes were transposon-like, insofar as the termini of the highly identical regions consisted of 24- to 25-bp inverted repeats, bracketed by 6- to 9-bp direct repeats in the divergent regions. In addition to being in transcripts of the SpMTA intron, the cassette was found in other sea urchin embryo poly(A)+ RNAs, in eggs and embryos, and enriched in pluteus ectoderm. The cassette sequence was present in moderate abundance in transcripts in both sense and antisense orientation. We report the presence of a transposon-like cassette of regulatory elements that is also represented in RNA, which potentially could function differently from previously described transposons.

Animals↗

Insulation from viral transcriptional regulatory elements improves inducible transgene expression from adenovirus vectors in vitro and in vivo.

Recombinant adenoviruses (Ad) are attractive vectors for gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. However, the widely used E1-deleted vectors as well as newer generation vectors contain viral sequences, including transcriptional elements for viral gene expression. These viral regulatory elements can interfere with heterologous promoters used to drive transgene expression and may impair tissue-specific or inducible transgene expression. This study demonstrates that the activity of a metal-inducible promoter is affected by Ad sequences both upstream and downstream of the transgene cassette in both orientations. Interference with expression from the heterologous promoter was particularly strong by viral regulatory elements located within Ad sequences nucleotides 1-341. This region is present in all recombinant Ad vectors, including helper-dependent vectors. An insulator element derived from the chicken gamma-globin locus (HS-4) was employed to shield the inducible promoter from viral enhancers as tested after gene transfer with first-generation Ad vectors in vitro and in vivo. Optimal shielding was obtained when the transgene expression cassette was flanked on both sides by HS-4 elements, except for when the HS-4 element was placed in 3'-->5' orientation in front of the promoter. The insulators reduced basal expression to barely detectable levels in the non-induced stage, and allowed for induction factors of approximately 40 and approximately 230 in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Induction ratios from Ad vectors without insulators were approximately 40-fold lower in vitro and approximately 15-fold lower in vivo. This study proves the potential of insulators to improve inducible or tissue-specific gene expression from adenovirus vectors, which is important for studying gene functions as well as for gene therapy approaches. Furthermore, our data show that insulators exert enhancer-blocking effects in episomal DNA.

Adenoviridae↗

A highly modular cloning vector for the analysis of eukaryotic genes and gene regulatory elements.

We have developed a highly modular vector, pDSP1, which contains two independent mammalian transcription cassettes. Each cassette contains SV40 early gene regulatory elements controlling the expression of an easily assayable, selectable Escherichia coli marker gene, either galK or xgprt. The regulatory elements of the galK cassette are bounded by multiple unique and nearly unique restriction sites allowing for the easy removal and replacement of either the regulatory sequences or of the galK gene itself. Expression of the marker genes is monitored by transient transfection into mammalian cells followed by filter enzyme assays. Expression of xgprt serves as an internal control and the relative expression of galK/xgprt is used to quantitate modifications made to the vector. We have used this system to analyze many eukaryotic polyadenylation regions as well as several other eukaryotic gene regulatory elements. We have also removed the galK gene and replaced it with other mammalian genes. The entire galK cassette is contained on a Sal I restriction fragment that can be readily removed and placed into a unique Sal I site in one of our Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), bovine papilloma virus (BPV), or BK defective viral stable expression vectors. We believe that pDSP1 is a powerful vector system for studying eukaryotic gene regulation, and in conjunction with our stable expression vectors, it represents a unified system for exploring expression in mammalian cells both transiently and stably.

Animals↗

The gene for the embryonic stem cell coactivator UTF1 carries a regulatory element which selectively interacts with a complex composed of Oct-3/4 and Sox-2.

UTF1 is a transcriptional coactivator which has recently been isolated and found to be expressed mainly in pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells (A. Okuda, A. Fukushima, M. Nishimoto, et al., EMBO J. 17:2019-2032, 1998). To gain insight into the regulatory network of gene expression in ES cells, we have characterized the regulatory elements governing UTF1 gene expression. The results indicate that the UTF1 gene is one of the target genes of an embryonic octamer binding transcription factor, Oct-3/4. UTF1 expression is, like the FGF-4 gene, regulated by the synergistic action of Oct-3/4 and another embryonic factor, Sox-2, implying that the requirement for Sox-2 by Oct-3/4 is not limited to the FGF-4 enhancer but is rather a general mechanism of activation for Oct-3/4. Our biochemical analyses, however, also reveal one distinct difference between these two regulatory elements: unlike the FGF-4 enhancer, the UTF1 regulatory element can, by its one-base difference from the canonical octamer-binding sequence, selectively recruit the complex comprising Oct-3/4 and Sox-2 and preclude the binding of the transcriptionally inactive complex containing Oct-1 or Oct-6. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that these properties are dictated by the unique ability of the Oct-3/4 POU-homeodomain that recognizes a variant of the Octamer motif in the UTF1 regulatory element.

Animals↗

Characterization of regulatory elements on the promoter region of p16(INK4a) that contribute to overexpression of p16 in senescent fibroblasts.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16(INK4a) is implicated in replicative senescence, cell immortalization, and tumor generation. However, the mechanism regulating its overexpression in senescent cells is unknown. We used the enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter system to scan regulatory elements in the upstream region of p16(INK4a). The results of 5'-deletion studies indicated that the transcription regulatory elements contributing to overexpression of p16(INK4a) in senescent cells were located in the region of the p16(INK4a) promoter from -622 to -280 bp. According to the results of in vitro DNase I footprinting, EMSA, and Southwestern blotting, we found a novel negative regulatory element, the INK4a transcription silence element (ITSE), at -491 to -485 bp of the p16(INK4a) promoter. A 24-kDa protein that was highly expressed in young cells may inhibit the expression of p16(INK4a) by interacting with the ITSE. The activity of the p16(INK4a) promoter increased significantly in young cells when the ITSE was deleted. The GC-rich region of the p16(INK4a) promoter from -466 to -451 was a positive transcription regulatory element. Deletion of this region showed 91.4% loss of p16(INK4a) promoter activity in senescent cells, and the promoter activity decreased by 41.2% in young cells comparably.

Base Sequence↗

Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and potential regulatory elements of the glutamine synthetase gene from murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming); EC 6.3.1.2] specific activity, cellular content, mRNA abundance, and gene transcription rate increase by greater than 100-fold during adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes dexamethasone increases, whereas insulin as well as N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate decrease, glutamine synthetase gene expression. We analyzed the nucleotide sequence of a 1.9-kilobase Sal I-EcoRI restriction fragment from a 3T3-L1 glutamine synthetase genomic clone. This genomic fragment is composed of 1851 base pairs (bp) and includes the first exon and 1029 bp of the 5' flanking sequence. The 600 bp at the 3' end of the 1.9-kb Sal I-EcoRI restriction fragment constitute an open reading frame. We identified the transcription start site at a location 222 bp upstream of the glutamine synthetase coding sequences. The 5' flanking region of the gene encompasses several potential regulatory elements including TATA and CAAT sequences and a 40-bp poly(dT-dG).poly(dC-dA) putative enhancer element. Potential hormone and fat-specific regulatory elements are also located upstream of the transcription start site; they include glucocorticoid and cAMP response elements and fat-specific elements. These potential regulatory elements could account for the differentiation-associated changes and hormone-mediated changes seen in glutamine synthetase gene transcription and mRNA abundance.

Adipose Tissue↗

Distinct distal regulatory elements control tyrosinase expression in melanocytes and the retinal pigment epithelium.

Pigment cells of mammals are characterized by two different developmental origins: cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) originate from the optic cup of the developing forebrain, whereas melanocytes arise from the neural crest. The pigmentation gene tyrosinase is expressed in all pigment cells but differentially regulated in melanocytes and RPE. The tyrosinase promoter does not confer strong expression in pigment cells in vivo, while inclusion of a distal regulatory element at position -15 kb is necessary and sufficient to provide strong expression in melanocytes. Nevertheless, the regulatory elements responsible for correct spatial and temporal tyrosinase expression in the RPE remained unidentified so far. In this report, we show that a 186 kb BAC containing the tyrosinase gene provides transgene expression in both RPE and melanocytes indicating the presence of regulatory sequences required for expression in the RPE. A deletion analysis of the BAC was performed demonstrating that a RPE-regulatory element resides between -17 and -75 kb. Using multi-species comparative genomic analysis we identified three conserved sequences within this region. When tested in transgenic mice one of these sequences located at -47 kb targeted expression to the RPE. In addition, deletion of this regulatory element within a tyrosinase::lacZ BAC provided evidence that this sequence is not only sufficient but also required for correct spatial and temporal expression in the RPE. The identification of this novel element demonstrates that tyrosinase gene expression is controlled by separate distal regulatory sequences in melanocytes and RPE.

Albinism, Oculocutaneous↗