title: Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the promoter region of the human uncoupling protein-2 gene.
abstract: As a member of the uncoupling protein family, UCP2 is ubiquitously expressed in rodents and humans, implicating a major role in thermogenesis. To analyze promoter function and regulatory motifs involved in the transcriptional regulation of UCP2 gene expression, 3.3 kb of 5'-flanking region of the human UCP2 (hUCP2) gene have been cloned. Sequence analysis showed that the promoter region of hUCP2 lacks a classical TATA or CAAT box, however, appeared GC-rich resulting in the presence of several Sp-1 motifs and Ap-1/-2 binding sites near the transcription initiation site. Functional characterization of human UCP2 promoter-CAT fusion constructs in transient expression assays showed that minimal promoter activity was observed within 65 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site (+1). 75 bp further upstream (from nt -141 to -66) a strong cis-acting regulatory element (or enhancer) was identified, which significantly enhanced basal promoter activity. The regulation of human UCP2 gene expression involves complex interactions among positive and negative regulatory elements distributed over a minimum of 3.3 kb of the promoter region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Psychobiological and Psychosomatic Research (FPP), University of Trier, Trier, D-54290, Germany. tun@fpp.uni-trier.de
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Winnikes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reinert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marmann
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Pirke
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Lentes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C000604389:UCP2 protein, human; D014475:Uncoupling Agents; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D004247:DNA