title: Connexin43 mRNA contains a functional internal ribosome entry site.
abstract: A reporter gene construct was used to study the regulation of connexin43 (Cx43) expression, the major gap junction protein found in heart and uterus, in transfected cell lines. The construct had the firefly luciferase gene under the control of the Cx43 promoter. Inclusion of the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of the mRNA in the construct increased luciferase expression by 70%. A bicistronic vector assay demonstrated that the Cx43 5'-UTR contains a strong internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Deletion analysis localized the IRES element to the upstream portion of the 5'-UTR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schiavi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hudder
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D001483:Base Sequence; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D018031:Connexin 43; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008156:Luciferases