title: The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 2 subunit gene promoter is activated by the Brn-3b POU family transcription factor and not by Brn-3a or Brn-3c.
abstract: The regulatory region of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 2 subunit gene, which contains six copies of the octamer-related sequence CCCCATGCAAT, is activated by the Brn-3b POU family transcription factor but not by the closely related factors Brn-3a and Brn-3c. This effect is in contrast to the previously documented inhibitory effect of Brn-3b on octamer-containing promoters that are activated by Brn-3a and Brn-3c. Activation of the alpha 2 gene by Brn-3b requires that both the POU domain and other N-terminal sequences are derived from Brn-3b and is dependent on the intactness of the alpha 2 gene regulatory region, being lost in truncated derivatives containing one, two, or four copies of the octamer-related sequence. Surprisingly, however, these truncated derivatives are activated by Brn-3c. These effects are discussed in terms of both the influence of the target sequence and its context in the promoter on activation by the various forms of Brn-3 as well as of the processes that restrict expression of the alpha 2 subunit gene to a few cells in the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, University College London Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bessis
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Changeux
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Latchman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007668:Kidney; D008156:Luciferases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D050818:Transcription Factor Brn-3; D050820:Transcription Factor Brn-3B; D050821:Transcription Factor Brn-3C; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008156:Luciferases