title: The PAX6 gene is activated by the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD/BETA2.
abstract: PAX6 is a transcription factor that plays an important role during pancreatic morphogenesis. The aim of the present study is to identify the upstream activator(s) of the PAX6 gene possibly involved in the early stages of pancreatic differentiation. Recently, individual elements regulating PAX6 gene activity in the pancreas have been identified in a 1100 bp Spe / Hin cII fragment 4.6 kb upstream of exon 0. Preliminary sequence analysis of this region revealed some potential DNA-binding sites (E boxes) specific for the binding of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. By using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we demonstrated that both nuclear protein extracts from insulin-secreting RINm5F cells and in vitro -translated NeuroD/BETA2 can bind specifically to these E boxes. Furthermore, by transient transfection experiments we demonstrated that the expression of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor NeuroD/BETA2 can induce activation of the PAX6 promoter in the NIH-3T3 cell line. Thus we show that NeuroD/BETA2 is involved in the activation of the expression of PAX6 through E boxes in the PAX6 promoter localized in a 1.1 kb sequence within the 4.6 kb untranslated region upstream of exon 0.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marsich
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vetere
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Piazza
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tell
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paoletti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020218:Response Elements; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C501008:Neurod1 protein, mouse; C000605732:Pax6 protein, mouse