title: Functional dissection of the lck proximal promoter.
abstract: The lck gene encodes a protein tyrosine kinase that participates in lymphocyte-specific signal transduction pathways. Previous studies have established that lck transcription is regulated by two distinct promoter elements termed proximal (or 3') and distal (or 5'). The proximal promoter is active almost exclusively in thymocytes and becomes inactive later during T-cell maturation. To dissect the mechanisms responsible for lck gene regulation, we generated transgenic animals bearing 5' truncations in the proximal promoter element. Sequences between -584 and +37 with respect to the proximal promoter transcription start site act to direct tissue-specific and temporally correct transcription of either a tagged version of the lck gene itself or a heterologous reporter sequence (lacZ). This region contains binding sites for at least five distinct nuclear proteins, of which one is found only in cells that support proximal lck promoter activity and a second appears only in nonexpressing cells. Interestingly, the transcribed region of the lck gene contains positive control elements that can substantially boost expression from minimal (-130 bp) proximal promoter constructs. These results provide a basis for the biochemical dissection of transcriptional regulators that act at defined points during T-cell development.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Forbush
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perlmutter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck); D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019860:Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck)