Open AccessConserved enhancer and silencer elements responsible for differential Adh transcription in Drosophila cell lines.
Author(s) -
Stephen W. Ayer,
Cheeptip Benyajati
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.10.7.3512
Subject(s) - biology , enhancer , tata box , transcription (linguistics) , upstream activating sequence , promoter , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , e box , response element , silencer , drosophila melanogaster , transfection , gene , gene expression , genetics , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , engineering , inlet
The distal promoter of Adh is differentially expressed in Drosophila tissue culture cell lines. After transfection with an exogenous Adh gene, there was a specific increase in distal alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) transcripts in ADH-expressing (ADH+) cells above the levels observed in transfected ADH-nonexpressing (ADH-) cells. We used deletion mutations and a comparative transient-expression assay to identify the cis-acting elements responsible for enhanced Adh distal transcription in ADH+ cells. DNA sequences controlling high levels of distal transcription were localized to a 15-base-pair (bp) region nearly 500 bp upstream of the distal RNA start site. In addition, a 61-bp negative cis-acting element was found upstream from and adjacent to the enhancer. When this silencer element was deleted, distal transcription increased only in the ADH+ cell line. These distant upstream elements must interact with the promoter elements, the Adf-1-binding site and the TATA box, as they only influenced transcription when at least one of these two positive distal promoter elements was present. Internal deletions targeted to the Adf-1-binding site or the TATA box reduced transcription in both cell types but did not affect the transcription initiation site. Distal transcription in transfected ADH- cells appears to be controlled primarily through these promoter elements and does not involve the upstream regulatory elements. Evolutionary conservation in distantly related Drosophila species suggests the importance of these upstream elements in correct developmental and tissue-specific expression of ADH.