Promoter analysis of tumor suppressor gene PTEN: identification of minimum promoter region

Mutations of PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 10, which encodes a protein-tyrosine and lipid-phosphatase, are prevalent in various human cancers, including glioblastoma. Despite extensive characterization of PTEN mutations in human cancers and a relatively good understanding of the molecular roles of PTEN in the control of cellular processes, little is known about modes of PTEN regulation. To understand the regulation of expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, we isolated a 2212 bp fragment from the human BAC clone 46B12 DNA. The 3' end of this fragment starts at the Not I site of -745 relative to the first translation codon ATG (+1) and ends at the Sal I site of -2957 at the 5' end. Using classical 5'RACE and primer extension techniques, nine start sites were observed between -817 and -984 upstream of the ATG start site. We located a 137 bp fragment (-958/-821) as the minimum promoter region using promoter deletion and luciferase assays. A 704 bp fragment (-33/-737) downstream of the 2212 bp fragment was also cloned. As indicated by luciferase assays, the data show that this region possesses no promoter function. Interestingly, a p53 binding sequence is located within the 599 bp fragment (-1344/-745), although p53 expression had a minimal effect on PTEN, demonstrating its insignificant role in PTEN gene expression.     

家蚕核多角体病毒解旋酶基因启动子功能区域缺失分析

杆状病毒DNA解旋酶是病毒复制所必需的。瞬时表达分析显示 ,家蚕核多角体病毒解旋酶基因启动子属于延迟早期基因启动子。通过PCR技术在该启动子区产生的一系列缺失分析表明 ,解旋酶基因启动子的基础转录调控区主要位于ATG上游 - 5 1 0～ - 4 1 0bp之间。当只保留ATG上游 98bp区段时 ,仍可测到该启动子的基础活性。在病毒因子存在下 ,将启动子区域删除到ATG上游 - 4 1 0bp时 ,对启动子活性影响不大 ;若继续删除 ,则其活性显著下降。据此推测对病毒因子响应的启动子区段应主要位于ATG上游 - 4 1 0～ - 30 9bp之间