title: Cloning and functional characterization of the 5' flanking region of the human mitochondrial malic enzyme gene. Regulatory role of Sp1 and AP-2.
abstract: This work reports the molecular cloning and functional characterization of the 5' flanking region of the human mitochondrial malic enzyme (mME) gene. The proximal promoter region has features of housekeeping genes like high G + C-content and absence of TATA or CCAAT boxes. Deletion analysis of the 5' region of the mME showed that maximal transcriptional activity is located within the -205/+86 region. Footprinting analysis showed two protected regions, one comprising potential overlapped AP-1, CREB, and AP-4 sites and a second one encompassing AP-2 and several Sp1 ci-acting elements. Mutation of putative AP-1/AP-4/CREB sites reduced basal promoter activity to less than 50%. Supershift assays demonstrated the specific binding of Sp1 and AP-2 proteins. Moreover, experiments in Drosophila SL2 cells lacking endogenous Sp1 demonstrated that the Sp1 site(s) is essential to maintain a normal basal rate of transcription of this gene. A low-level expression of AP-2 enhanced the activity of a mME promoter construct in HepG2 cells and this effect was prevented by disruption of the putative AP-2 element. In contrast, higher levels of expression of AP-2 induced a DNA-independent inhibitory response. A biphasic regulation of endogenous mME gene is also shown in HepG2 cells transfected with an AP-2 expression plasmid, suggesting that availability of AP-2 protein may control this gene under physiological conditions. A recombinant lambda genomic clone containing a mME pseudogene was also isolated. The high degree of sequence conservation seems to indicate a recent emergency of this human pseudogene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology and Human Molecular Genetics, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Butta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Manchón
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Arias-Salgado
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ayuso
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parrilla
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015723:Gene Library; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011544:Pseudogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; C046446:malate dehydrogenase-(oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) (NAD+); D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I