A model for transcriptional regulation based upon homology between introns and promoter regions and secondary structure in the promoter regions: the human globins.
Considerable homology was detected between promoter regions and introns of the same gene for each of the six genes in the human globin complex. In addition, homology between a promoter region of one gene and an intron of a second gene was observed. Each of the six genes also had extensive stem-loop structures in the promoter region. When the stretches of intron-promoter homology were compared to the regions involved in stem-loop structures, the two were found to be overlapping. It was hypothesized that the regulation of globin-switching in humans was accomplished by base pairing of intron transcripts with critical regions of the stem-loop structures. This hypothesis is consistent with all known facts regarding normal globin-switching.
D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005246:Feedback; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009876:Operon; D011487:Protein Conformation; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D005914:Globins; D004247:DNA