Open AccessGenetic analysis of the human thymidine kinase gene promoter.
Author(s) -
Jordan A. Kreidberg,
Thomas J. Kelly
Publication year - 1986
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.6.8.2903
Subject(s) - biology , thymidine kinase , promoter , caat box , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , exon , genetics , base pair , complementary dna , mutant , plasmid , sequence analysis , gene expression , virus , herpes simplex virus
The promoter of the human thymidine kinase gene was defined by DNA sequence and genetic analyses. Mutant plasmids with deletions extending into the promoter region from both the 5' and 3' directions were constructed. The mutants were tested in a gene transfer system for the ability to transform TK- cells to the TK+ phenotype. This analysis delimited the functional promoter to within an 83-base-pair region upstream of the mRNA cap site. This region contains sequences common to other eucaryotic promoters including G X C-rich hexanucleotides, a CAAT box, and an A X T-rich region. The CAAT box is in an inverted orientation and is part of a 9-base-pair sequence repeated twice in the promoter region. Comparison of the genomic sequence with the cDNA sequence defined the first exon of the thymidine kinase gene.