title: Expression of the polyubiquitin-encoding gene (ubq-1) in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The expression of the polyubiquitin-encoding gene (ubq-1) of Caenorhabditis elegans was analysed using transgenic nematode lines carrying translational ubq-1::lacZ fusions. Animals carrying a construct consisting of 938 bp of ubq-1 upstream sequences fused to lacZ (ubq938::lacZ) expressed beta Gal in embryos and in a tissue-general manner in 20% of L1 larvae. Somatic expression in later stages was usually confined to body muscle. Progressively larger deletions extending from the 5' end of ubq938::lacZ did not significantly alter the pattern of expression until 827 bp of sequence had been removed. Thus, sequences upstream from the transcription start point, including a G+C-rich block and a sequence resembling a TATA box (GAATAA), are not required to generate the expression pattern seen with ubq938::lacZ. Moreover, a basal level of expression was maintained in embryos when 903 bp were deleted. These results suggest that the promoter elements required for efficient expression of ubq-1 may reside within the transcribed region of the gene; alternatively, they must lie more than 1.7 kb upstream or 0.8 kb downstream from this region. Polymerase chain reaction analysis indicates that RNA molecules transcribed from the ubq938::lacZ and ubq delta 827::lacZ transgenes are trans-spliced to SL1, as is ubq-1 RNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Stringham
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Candido
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000201:enzymology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D025821:Polyubiquitin; D012326:RNA Splicing; D016385:TATA Box; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014452:Ubiquitins / Q000235:genetics*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D014452:Ubiquitins; D025821:Polyubiquitin; D001616:beta-Galactosidase