A fragment of the Neurogenin1 gene confers regulated expression of a reporter gene in vitro and in vivo.
The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor neurogenin1 is required for proper nervous system development in vertebrates. It is expressed in neuronal precursors during embryonic development and is thought to play a role in specifying neuronal fate. To investigate the regulation of neurogenin1 expression, the transcriptional start site of the gene was identified and a 2.7-kb fragment ending in the first exon was shown to possess basal promoter activity. This 2.7-kb fragment was able to promote expression of reporter genes in P19 cells under conditions in which expression of endogenous neurogenin1 was induced. Importantly, the 2.7-kb fragment was able to drive expression of a lacZ reporter gene in transgenic mice in most tissues in which neurogenin1 is normally expressed, including those peripheral ganglia that fail to develop in neurogenin1 "knockout" mice. These findings identify a regulatory region containing elements responsible for appropriate expression of a gene with a crucial role in generating the vertebrate nervous system.
Murray
R C
RC
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine, 92697-1275, USA.
Tapscott
S J
SJ
Petersen
J W
JW
Calof
A L
AL
McCormick
M B
MB
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007763:Lac Operon; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D008156:Luciferases; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C105389:NEUROG1 protein, human; C486336:Neurog1 protein, mouse