title: The genomic organization, promoter position and expression profile of the mouse MRG15 gene.
abstract: MORF4 (mortality factor on chromosome 4) and the novel related MRG (MORF4-related gene) gene family were identified when MORF4 was shown to induce senescence in a subset of tumor cell lines. The gene on chromosome 15 (MRG15) has high similarity to Drosophila MSL3, which is a component of the dosage compensation complex. MRG15 also has a chromodomain and may therefore function as a chromatin remodeling factor in a complex(es) involving a histone acetyltransferase, similar to MSL3. To complement our studies on human MRG15, we cloned and characterized the mouse MRG15 gene. Mouse MRG15 is expressed ubiquitously in adult tissues and at various embryonic stages, and expression in adult testis is higher than in other tissues. MRG15-b, which is an alternatively spliced form of MRG15-a and has a 39-amino-acid insertion in the chromodomain, is also expressed in all mouse tissues examined and localizes to the nucleus of cells. It is possible that MRG15-b may lack the function of the chromodomain because of the additional amino acids and could potentially be the equivalent of the human MORF4 in the mouse. The mouse MRG15 gene is composed of twelve exons and spans over 24 kb DNA. Using luciferase constructs we have determined that there is a functional promoter sequence 1.8 kb upstream of the ATG start codon. This region contains no TATA box but has GC-rich regions, consistent with the ubiquitous expression we have observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, Sam and Ann Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, STCBM, 15355 Lambda Drive, San Antonio, TX 78245-3207, USA. tominaga@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.forename: Olivia M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Pereira-Smith
mesh_terms: D024506:5' Flanking Region / Q000235:genetics; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C471162:MRG15 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D004247:DNA; D008156:Luciferases