title: An overlapping CArG/octamer element is required for regulation of desmin gene transcription in arterial smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The desmin gene encodes an intermediate filament protein that is present in skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells. This study shows that the 4-kb upstream region of the murine desmin promoter directs expression of a lacZ reporter gene throughout the heart from E7.5 and in skeletal muscle and vascular smooth muscle cells from E9. 5. The distal fragment (-4005/-2495) is active in arterial smooth muscle cells but not in venous smooth muscle cells or in the heart in vivo. It contains a CArG/octamer overlapping element (designated CArG4) that can bind the serum response factor (SRF) and an Oct-like factor. The desmin distal fragment can replace a SM22alpha regulatory region (-445/-126) that contains two CArG boxes, to cis-activate a minimal (-125/+65) SM22alpha promoter fragment in arterial smooth muscle cells of transgenic embryos. lacZ expression was abolished when mutations were introduced into the desmin CArG4 element that abolished the binding of SRF and/or Oct-like factor. These data suggest that a new type of combined CArG/octamer element plays a prominent role in the regulation of the desmin gene in arterial smooth muscle cells, and SRF and Oct-like factor could cooperate to drive specific expression in these cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Différenciation, Université Denis Diderot Paris 7, 2, place Jussieu, Paris, 75005, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mericskay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parlakian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porteu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dandré
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paulin
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003893:Desmin / Q000235:genetics*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007763:Lac Operon; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D024510:Muscle Development; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D026362:Serum Response Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003893:Desmin; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D026362:Serum Response Factor; C058992:Tagln protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; C051615:transgelin; D001616:beta-Galactosidase