Overexpression of c-Myc inhibits the appearance of a specific DNase I hypersensitive site in the beta-globin chromatin in murine erythroleukemia cells.
To investigate the molecular mechanism of regulation of differentiation by c-Myc, we examined the acquisition of DNase I hypersensitivity by beta-globin chromatin in an MEL cell transformant (38-2) in which the c-myc gene was placed under the control of a metallothionein gene promoter. Of the three DNase I hypersensitive sites around the beta-globin gene which were detected in MEL cells after DMSO treatment, the appearance of a specific DNase I hypersensitive site near the promoter was greatly reduced by the overexpression of c-Myc. This result suggests that c-Myc regulates beta-globin expression by interfering with the establishment of an active chromatin conformation around the beta-globin gene.
Takada
S
S
Department of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Tuberculosis and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai.
Obinata
M
M
D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000201:enzymology; D015253:Deoxyribonucleases, Type I Site-Specific / Q000235:genetics*; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000502:physiology*; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice
D002843:Chromatin; D005914:Globins; D015253:Deoxyribonucleases, Type I Site-Specific; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide