title: Comparative squalene synthase gene expression in mouse liver and testis.
abstract: RNA from various mouse organs was analyzed by Northern hybridization to determine the response of squalene synthase (SQS) mRNA to dietary cholesterol, or lovastatin and cholestyramine, administration. Two size-classes of highly abundant mouse SQS (mSQS) mRNAs of approximately 1.9 and 2.0 kb were found in testis. These transcripts were unresponsive to sterol regulation. A single size-class of liver mSQS mRNA of approximately 1.9 kb was sterol-regulated. Studies using primer extension and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) indicated that the size differences in liver and testis mSQS transcripts were due to variations in the lengths of the 5' untranslated regions (UTRs). The longest testis 5' UTR extended approximately 106 nt 5' of the primary transcription initiation site in liver of mice fed lovastatin and cholestyramine. These results suggest that tissue-specific promoter elements control the transcriptional regulation of the promoters for the mSQS gene in liver and testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4799, USA.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Tansey
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shechter
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D013186:Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D002784:Cholesterol; D008148:Lovastatin; D013186:Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase