title: Multiple SP1 binding sites confer enhancer-independent, replication-activated transcription of HIV-1 and globin gene promoters.
abstract: We demonstrate that multiple SP1 protein:DNA binding sites confer enhancer-independent activation on the HIV-1 and globin gene promoters. This activation process can be achieved either by DNA replication of the promoter-containing plasmid or by high concentrations of input plasmid DNA used in the transfections. In the case of HIV-1, the three SP1 sites adjacent to the promoters TATA box are essential for this activation process. Furthermore, the human beta globin gene, which is normally dependent on a linked enhancer for transcriptional activity, can be made enhancer independent by insertion of SP1 binding sites adjacent to its TATA box. We speculate that (SP1)n-TATA type RNA polymerase II promoters may be generally permissive when present on actively replicating DNA templates and that this property of the HIV-1 promoter may be of importance to the activation of the DNA provirus in latently infected T cells.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Proudfoot
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monks
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016385:TATA Box / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D005914:Globins; D004247:DNA