Identification of basal and cyclic AMP regulatory elements in the promoter of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene.

Promoter elements important for basal and cyclic AMP (cAMP)-regulated expression of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene have been identified by analysis of a series of PEPCK promoter mutations in transfection experiments. Fusion genes containing wild-type and mutated PEPCK promoter sequences from -600 to +69 base pairs (bp) fused to the coding sequence for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase were studied. Internal deletion mutations that replaced specific bases with a 10-bp linker within the region from -129 bp to -18 bp of the PEPCK promoter were examined. In addition, wild-type and mutated DNA templates were used as probes in DNase I protection experiments to determine sites of protein-DNA interaction. The PEPCK promoter contains a binding site for nuclear factor 1-CAAT. Deletion of the 5' end of this binding site reduced the size of the DNase I footprint in this region but had no effect on promoter activity. In contrast, deletion or disruption of the 3' end of this binding site completely eliminated protein binding and reduced promoter activity by 50%. Deletion of core sequences of the cAMP regulatory element (CRE) resulted in loss of cAMP responsiveness and an 85% decrease in basal promoter activity, indicating that the CRE also functions as a basal stimulatory element. Mutation of the core sequence of the CRE resulted in loss of the DNase I footprint over the CRE. Internal deletions flanking the CRE showed no loss of induction by cAMP but did have reduced promoter activity. This delimits the CRE to an 18-bp region between nucleotides -100 and -82. Analysis of mutations that disrupted bases between the CRE and the initiation site identified a basal inhibitory element adjacent to a basal stimulatory element, both located just 3' of the CRE, as well as a basal stimulatory element coincident with the TATA consensus sequence centered at -27. These data demonstrate that several cis-acting elements are located within 130 nucleotides of the initiation site of the PEPCK gene and that the CRE is essential for both basal promoter activity and cAMP-regulated expression of this gene.     

NF-κB决定小鼠胎肝激酶-1基因启动子的基本活性

为克隆小鼠胎肝激酶-1（fetal liver kinase-1,FLK-1）基因上游启动子序列,并观察其不同截短片段在小鼠血管内皮细胞中的启动子活性,以小鼠全基因组为模板,通过PCR扩增方法获得-258～+299 bp、-96～+299 bp、-71～+299 bp、-36～+299 bp大小的FLK-1启动子片段,将其定向克隆入pGL3 Basic,构建荧光素酶报告基因载体,并制备NF -κB结合位点的突变或缺失体.在阳离子脂质体介导下,报告基因载体瞬时转染小鼠血管内皮细胞株SVEC 4-10.结果发现,在小鼠血管内皮细胞中,各FLK-1启动子片段均有活性;－71～－36 bp区存在FLK-1启动子的核心调控元件.针对该区域NF-κB结合位点进行突变或缺失,能导致启动子活性显著降低;凝胶电泳迁移率实验表明该区段能结合转录因子NF-κB.结果提示,成功克隆了在血管内皮细胞中具有活性的FLK-1上游启动子序列,NF-κB是决定其基本活性的重要转录因子,为进一步研究FLK-1基因的转录调控机制奠定了基础.     

人类RELM-beta基因启动子的结构与功能分析

为克隆人类抵抗素样分子β（resistin-like molecule beta, RELMβ）基因的上游启动子序列,并观察其不同截短片段的启动子活性,以人类基因组DNA为模板,通过PCR扩增方法获得-871～+50 bp、-729～+50 bp、-471～+50 bp、-438～+50 bp、-371～+50 bp大小的RELMβ启动子片段,将其定向克隆入pGL3-Basic载体,构建荧光素酶报告基因载体,并制备转录因子CDX-2结合位点的突变或缺失体.在阳离子脂质体的介导下,报告基因载体分别瞬时转染人胚肾293细胞、结肠癌HCT116和SW480细胞、宫颈癌HeLa细胞.结果发现,各RELMβ启动子片段在293、HCT116、SW480细胞中均有活性,但在HeLa细胞中活性缺失;-471～-438 bp区存在RELMβ启动子的核心调控元件.针对该区域CDX-2转录因子结合位点进行突变,能导致RELMβ启动子活性显著降低;凝胶电泳迁移率实验表明,该区段能结合CDX-2.结果提示,成功克隆了具有活性的RELMβ启动子序列,CDX-2为其重要的转录因子,为研究RELMβ基因的转录调控机制奠定了实验基础.