Murine erythroleukemia cell line GM979 contains factors that can activate silent chromosomal human gamma-globin genes.
We introduced a normal chromosome 11 into GM979 murine erythroleukemia cells by fusing them with Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphocytes from a normal individual. In contrast to previous data obtained with other murine erythroleukemia cells, we detected activation of human chromosomal gamma-globin genes in GM979 cells. GM979, unlike previously used murine erythroleukemia cell lines, expresses murine embryonic globin in addition to adult globin. While all the hybrids expressed gamma- and beta-globin, they displayed a wide range of gamma-globin expression in relation to that of beta-globin. No correlation, however, was found in quantitative expression between murine embryonic globin and human gamma-globin in these hybrids, suggesting that the two globins are regulated independently, at least in this cell line. These data indicate that gamma-globin genes from normal, nonerythroid chromosomes are not irreversibly silenced, and they can be activated by a positive trans factor(s) present in GM979 cells.
Zitnik
G
G
Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Hines
P
P
Stamatoyannopoulos
G
G
Papayannopoulou
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11; D002999:Clone Cells; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental; D051379:Mice; D014162:Transfection
D005914:Globins