The enhancer in an MHC class II gene, in vitro and in mouso.
The E alpha class II gene of the major histocompatibility complex is expressed in a variety of immunocompetent cells. Part of the control of tissue-specific expression is mediated by a block of sequences found far upstream of the transcriptional startsite; this stretch is necessary for expression in the B lymphocytes of transgenic mice, but largely dispensable elsewhere. We review the evidence for the role of this region in E alpha transcription in transgenic animals, as well as data from transfections into tissue-culture cells, which indicate that this region has non-specific enhancer activity. We discuss possible models to explain how a non-specific enhancer can participate in cell-specific control.
Gerber
P
P
Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire des Eucaryotes du CNRS, Institut de Chimie Biologique, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
Lang
G
G
Dorn
A
A
Fehling
J
J
Garcin
G
G
Koch
W
W
Waltzinger
C
C
Benoist
C
C
Mathis
D
D
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005091:Exons; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic