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An initiator and its flanking elements function as a core promoter driving transcription of the Hepatopoietin gene
Author(s) -
Zhao Yanlin,
Tang Fei,
Cheng Jingwei,
Li Li,
Xing Guichun,
Zhu Yunping,
Zhang Lingqiang,
Wei Handong,
He Fuchu
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(03)00158-3
Subject(s) - promoter , 5' flanking region , gene , response element , transcription (linguistics) , biology , transcription factor , transcriptional regulation , microbiology and biotechnology , transfection , gene expression , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
Hepatopoietin (HPO)/ALR (augmenter of liver regeneration), as a versatile hepatotrophic growth factor and a cellular thiol oxidase, is involved in a wide variety of basic processes of various tissues, especially in liver and testis. Here, we studied the regulation of HPO gene expression. By sequential deletion of the HPO 5′‐flanking region, the minimal promoter of the HPO gene was shown to span positions −22 to +42 relative to the transcriptional start point. Further transfection assay and mutation analysis showed that the core promoter contains a functional initiator. Interestingly, three tandem repeats of a CTGGAGGC element, surrounding the transcription start site and bound by specific nuclear factors, were found to be pivotal for the promoter activity. This initiator flanking element functions in an initiator‐dependent fashion and is present in many initiator‐containing genes. Taken together, our findings revealed that the initiator‐like element and its flanking repeat sequence comprise a core promoter and drive the transcriptional initiation of the HPO gene in a combinatorial manner. The HPO gene promoter might represent a novel architecture for core promoters.