Open AccessAdipocyte P2 gene: developmental expression and homology of 5'-flanking sequences among fat cell-specific genes.
Author(s) -
Clayton R. Hunt,
HyoSung Ro,
Deborah E. Dobson,
Hye Yeong Min,
Bruce M. Spiegelman
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.83.11.3786
Subject(s) - biology , gene , pair rule gene , exon , homology (biology) , 5' flanking region , therapeutic gene modulation , enhancer , genetics , regulatory sequence , microbiology and biotechnology , adipocyte , gene expression , regulator gene , promoter , adipose tissue , biochemistry
We have isolated the mouse gene encoding adipocyte P2, aP2, the differentiation-dependent adipocyte protein homologous to myelin P2. The aP2 gene is present in a single copy in the mouse and is present in single or few copies in species from human to Drosophila. The entire gene spans 4 kilobases and consists of four exons encoding 25, 57, 34, and 16 amino acids; the overall exon structure is similar to the gene encoding liver fatty acid binding protein. A plasmid vector was constructed containing the entire aP2 gene with flanking sequences, modified by linker insertion. When this gene is stably introduced into 3T3-F442A cells, it is expressed only upon adipose differentiation, with a time course of induction very similar to that of the endogenous aP2 gene. We have compared the DNA sequence of the 5'-flanking region of the aP2 gene to the promoter regions of two other genes activated during adipocyte differentiation, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and adipsin, and find a 13-base region of homology (Formula: see text) present in multiple copies in the 5'-flanking region of each gene. An adjacent 15-base sequence is present only in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and aP2 genes. Both of these elements share homology with putative viral enhancer core sequences. These results indicate that the aP2 gene contains sequence information necessary for differentiation-dependent expression in fat cells; common elements shared by adipocyte-specific genes may play a role in this process.