Cis-acting elements of the sea urchin histone H2A modulator bind transcriptional factors

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Aug;86(16):6033-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.16.6033.

Abstract

Functional tests, performed by microinjection into Xenopus laevis oocytes, show that a DNA fragment containing the modulator of the early histone H2A gene of Paracentrotus lividus enhances transcription of a reporter gene when located, in the physiological orientation, upstream of the tk basal promoter. Gel retardation and DNase I footprinting assays further reveal that the H2A modulator contains at least two binding sites [upstream sequence elements 1 and 2 (USE 1 and USE 2)] for nuclear factors extracted from sea urchin embryos, which actively transcribe the early histone gene set. Interestingly, USE 1 is highly homologous to a cis-acting element previously identified in the H2A modulator of Psammechinus miliaris [Grosschedl, R., Mächler, M., Rohrer, U. & Birnstiel, M. L. (1983) Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 8123-8136]. Finally, a cloned oligonucleotide containing the USE 1 sequence competes efficiently in Xenopus oocytes with the H2A modulator to prevent enhancement of transcription of the reporter gene. From these results, we conclude that USE 1 and perhaps USE 2 in the H2A modulator are upstream transcriptional elements that are recognized by trans-acting factors common to Xenopus and sea urchin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA / genetics
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / metabolism
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Female
  • Genes*
  • Histones / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Plasmids
  • Restriction Mapping
  • Sea Urchins / embryology
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Species Specificity
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Histones
  • Transcription Factors
  • DNA

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M25281