The myostatin gene is a downstream target gene of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor MyoD

Myostatin is a negative regulator of myogenesis, and inactivation of myostatin leads to heavy muscle growth. Here we have cloned and characterized the bovine myostatin gene promoter. Alignment of the upstream sequences shows that the myostatin promoter is highly conserved during evolution. Sequence analysis of 1.6 kb of the bovine myostatin gene upstream region revealed that it contains 10 E-box motifs (E1 to E10), arranged in three clusters, and a single MEF2 site. Deletion and mutation analysis of the myostatin gene promoter showed that out of three important E boxes (E3, E4, and E6) of the proximal cluster, E6 plays a significant role in the regulation of a reporter gene in C(2)C(12) cells. We also demonstrate by band shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay that the E6 E-box motif binds to MyoD in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, cotransfection experiments indicate that among the myogenic regulatory factors, MyoD preferentially up-regulates myostatin promoter activity. Since MyoD expression varies during the myoblast cell cycle, we analyzed the myostatin promoter activity in synchronized myoblasts and quiescent "reserve" cells. Our results suggest that myostatin promoter activity is relatively higher during the G(1) phase of the cell cycle, when MyoD expression levels are maximal. However, in the reserve cells, which lack MyoD expression, a significant reduction in the myostatin promoter activity is observed. Taken together, these results suggest that the myostatin gene is a downstream target gene of MyoD. Since the myostatin gene is implicated in controlling G(1)-to-S progression of myoblasts, MyoD could be triggering myoblast withdrawal from the cell cycle by regulating myostatin gene expression.     

辽宁碱蓬甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因(BADH)启动子分离及序列分析

根据已知的辽宁碱蓬BADHcDNA5′端序列设计两个基因特异的反向引物(BR1,BR2),通过衔接头PCR获得了BADH基因起始密码子上游265bp的序列。根据所获得的序列设计两个基因特异的反向引物(BR3,BR4),用BR2、BR3、BR4分别与4个简并引物配对,通过TAILPCR扩增,获得了约2kb的序列。经Sequencer软件拼接上述两段序列,获得了BADH基因起始密码子上游2055bp的序列。用TSSPTCM软件分析此序列,预测出转录起始点(T)位于起始密码子上游62bp处,由此获得了1993bp的SlBADH启动子序列。用PLACE软件分析此序列,发现该序列具有启动子的基本元件TATAbox、CAATbox,包含多个胁迫诱导元件,如盐诱导元件GAAAAA,抗冻、缺水、脱落酸、抗寒元件CANNTG,伤害诱导元件ANATTNCNN,热激元件ATAAATGT等,是一个强的胁迫诱导启动子。     

Deletion analysis of the mouse alpha 1(III) collagen promoter.

A chimeric gene was constructed by fusing the DNA sequences containing the 5' flanking region of the mouse alpha 1(III) collagen gene to the coding sequence of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. Transient transfection experiments indicated that the alpha 1(III) promoter is active in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and BC3H1 smooth muscle cells. The activity of the alpha 1(III) collagen promoter-CAT plasmid is stimulated approximately ten fold by the presence of the SV40 enhancer element. Removing sequences upstream of -200 stimulates the activity of the chimeric gene eight fold. Further deletion analysis identified sequences located between -350 and -300 that were instrumental in repressing the activity of the promoter. This 50 bp region contains a direct repeat sequence that may be involved in the regulation of the mouse alpha 1(III) collagen gene. Truncating the alpha 1(III) promoter to -80 further stimulated expression. We propose that the positive regulatory elements of this gene appear to be located within the first 80 bp of the promoter, whereas elements located further upstream exert a negative effect on the expression of the gene. Regulation of the alpha 1(III) gene contrasts with that of the alpha 2(I) collagen gene, which appears to be regulated by several positive elements located in various regions of the promoter.