title: Functional analysis of the mouse alpha-fetoprotein enhancers and their subfragments in primary mouse hepatocyte cultures.
abstract: We have compared the activities of mouse alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) enhancers I, II, and III with their minimal enhancer fragments (Mers) I, II, and III and with the entire 7-kilobase pair enhancer domain by transient expression assay in primary fetal mouse liver cells. The level of expression directed by the AFP promoter [p(-1009)AFPcat] alone is stimulated at least 10-fold by the entire AFP enhancer domain (-1009 to -6983). Enhancer I can drive the level of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity equivalent to that of the entire enhancer domain, whereas the increase in activity by enhancers II and III is significantly lower (1.5-fold). MersI, II, and III all mediate a greater increase in activity than their corresponding enhancer regions. The increase with MerI is 16-fold. Using DNase I protection analyses we identified 3 protein-binding regions in MerI; site Ia binds liver and brain nuclear proteins; site Ib binds liver, kidney, and brain nuclear proteins as well as purified C/EBP; site Ic binds liver and kidney nuclear proteins. Site-specific mutation of Ia, Ib, or Ic showed a 10-25% reduction in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression; deletion of the C/EBP-binding site in Ib showed a 45% reduction in activity and mutation of all 3 sites (Ia, Ib, and Ic) resulted in a 75% reduction in activity. Our studies indicate no single trans-acting factor is absolutely essential for enhancer activity, and that the enhancer activity of MerI is mediated via a combinatorial and additive mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rabek
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres-Ramos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papaconstantinou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004247:DNA; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase