title: A cis-acting element, T alpha-1, in the upstream region of rod alpha-transducin gene that binds a developmentally regulated retina-specific nuclear factor.
abstract: The G protein transducin (T) is an integral component of the signal transduction pathway in photoreceptors. We have identified a cis-acting element, T alpha-1, in the upstream region of the mouse rod alpha-T (Tr alpha) gene that may be important for tissue-specific expression. T alpha-1 binds a retina-specific nuclear factor of apparent molecular mass of 90 kDa. Binding to the T alpha-1 site is developmentally regulated and peaks between postnatal days 6 and 9. This corresponds to the time of rod photoreceptor maturation and the rise in Tr alpha gene expression. The sequence of T alpha-1 shows homology with RET-1, a cis-acting element in the proximal promoter of opsin gene that binds a distinct retina-specific factor. T alpha-1 and RET-1 sequences may have been derived from a prototype T alpha-1/RET-1 sequence, evolved to confer photoreceptor specificity on retina-specific genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Barnstable
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015293:Transducin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D017299:Rod Opsins; D004247:DNA; D015293:Transducin