Localization of DNA protein-binding sites in the proximal and distal promoter regions of the mouse alpha-fetoprotein gene.

DNase I footprinting assays were performed to identify the binding sites for putative trans-acting factors involved in the control of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene expression using mouse AFP promoter fragments (-839 to +56) and nuclear protein extracts from fetal, newborn, and adult livers and from brain and kidney. Our studies have shown that with nuclear protein from adult mouse liver, there are 14 protected regions in the AFP promoter up to -839 base pairs (bp). Region I (-82 to -43) was protected by at least three different factors, one of which is CCAAT-binding/enhancer-binding protein. This region is highly conserved in the mouse, rat, and human AFP genes and has been shown previously to be essential for the regulation of tissue-specific expression in mouse. Differences in DNase I protection with fetal, newborn, and adult nuclear proteins have been observed in the proximal promoter region (up to -202 bp) and in regions further upstream (up to -839 bp). Significant differences among liver, kidney, and brain nuclear protein-binding sites have also been observed. In these studies, we have mapped the fetal and adult nuclear protein-binding sites of the cis-acting DNA sequences of the mouse AFP proximal promoter (up to -200) and have identified specific protein-binding sites in the distal promoter (-200 to -839). We have also identified the sites of the AFP promoter which bind nuclear proteins from highly differentiated tissues in which AFP is not expressed.     

肝癌细胞AFP基因高水平的转录是受核蛋白成分的促进

利用大鼠甲胎蛋白(AFP)基因片段作为模板,分析大鼠肝癌细胞核蛋白成分对体外转录活性的影响,发现大鼠肝癌含有促进AFP基因体外转录的核蛋白。作为对照．没有发现任何成年大鼠肝核蛋白可以促进AFP基因的体外转录。为了确定促进AFP基因体外转录的核蛋白作用部位,对AFP基因模板5＇端上游序列进行了不同程度的删除,进一步分析核蛋白对删掉5’端上游序列后的模板体外转录的影响,结果表明,AFP基因转录的起始点到255bp这段DNA序列是大鼠肝癌核蛋白促进AFP基因转录必不可少的。以SV40DNA经Pst I酶酶切所得的DNA片段(1216bp和4027bp)代替AFP基因片段作为模板,不存在核蛋白促进体外转录的现象。用AFP基因转录的起始点到 255bp这段的DNA为探针,进行Southwestm印迹分析,结果发现了8种与探针结合的核蛋白。