Alpha-crystallins are involved in specific interactions with the murine gamma D/E/F-crystallin-encoding gene.
The promoter of the murine gamma E-crystallin (gamma E-Cry) encoding gene (gamma E-cry) was analyzed for specific interactions with lenticular proteins in a gel-retardation assay. A 21-bp fragment immediately downstream of the transcription initiation site (DOTIS) is demonstrated to be responsible for specific interactions with lens extracts. The DOTIS-binding protein(s) accept only the sense DNA strand as target; anti-sense or double-stranded DNA do not interact with these proteins. The DOTIS sequence element is highly conserved among the murine gamma D-, gamma E- and gamma F-cry and is present at comparable positions in the orthologous rat genes. Only a weak or even no protein-binding activity is observed if a few particular bases are changed, as in the rat gamma A-, gamma C- and gamma E-cry elements. DOTIS-binding proteins were found in commercially available bovine alpha-Cry preparations. The essential participation of alpha-Cry in the DNA-binding protein complex was confirmed using alpha-Cry-specific monoclonal antibody. The results reported here point to a novel function of alpha-Cry besides the structural properties in the lens.
Pietrowski
D
D
GSF-Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institut für Säugetiergenetik, Neuherberg, Germany.
Durante
M J
MJ
Liebstein
A
A
Schmitt-John
T
T
Werner
T
T
Graw
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D003459:Crystallins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D051381:Rats
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003459:Crystallins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides