The connexin43 gene is responsive to oestrogen.
Connexin43 is the major protein of gap junctions in heart and smooth muscle including the myometrium. Molecular cloning of the connexin43 gene reveals a similar organization to that exhibited by other connexin genes: the 5' untranslated region is interrupted by an 8.5 kilobase intron. The promoter region preceding the first exon contains a TATA box and AP-1 and AP-2 sites. In addition, a series of half-palindromic oestrogen response elements is present in this region. When this promoter is linked to the reporter gene luciferase, it drives the expression of luciferase constitutively in HeLa cells transfected with this luciferase-connexin43 promoter fusion construct. When the same cells are cotransfected with oestrogen receptor cDNA, an upregulation of luciferase expression by oestrogen occurs in a cell-specific manner.
Yu
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W
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami, School of Medicine, Florida 33101.
Dahl
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G
Werner
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D001859:Bone Neoplasms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015698:Genomic Library; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012516:Osteosarcoma; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D016385:TATA Box; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018031:Connexin 43; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004958:Estradiol; D004247:DNA; D008156:Luciferases