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Connexin43 mRNA contains a functional internal ribosome entry site
Author(s) -
Schiavi Adam,
Hudder Alice,
Werner Rudolf
Publication year - 1999
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(99)01699-3
Subject(s) - internal ribosome entry site , luciferase , untranslated region , five prime untranslated region , messenger rna , ribosomal binding site , microbiology and biotechnology , three prime untranslated region , translational regulation , reporter gene , biology , transfection , translation (biology) , gene expression , chemistry , gene , genetics
A reporter gene construct was used to study the regulation of connexin43 (Cx43) expression, the major gap junction protein found in heart and uterus, in transfected cell lines. The construct had the firefly luciferase gene under the control of the Cx43 promoter. Inclusion of the 5′‐untranslated region (UTR) of the mRNA in the construct increased luciferase expression by 70%. A bicistronic vector assay demonstrated that the Cx43 5′‐UTR contains a strong internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Deletion analysis localized the IRES element to the upstream portion of the 5′‐UTR.