The human beta-globin replication initiation region consists of two modular independent replicators.
Previous studies have shown that mammalian cells contain replicator sequences, which can determine where DNA replication initiates. However, the specific sequences that confer replicator activity were not identified. Here we report a detailed analysis of replicator sequences that dictate initiation of DNA replication from the human beta-globin locus. This analysis suggests that the beta-globin replication initiation region contains two adjacent, redundant replicators. Each replicator was capable of initiating DNA replication independently at ectopic sites. Within each of these two replicators, we identified short, discrete, nonredundant sequences, which cooperatively determine replicator activity. Experiments with somatic cell hybrids further demonstrated that the requirements for initiation at ectopic sites were similar to the requirements for initiation within native human chromosomes. The replicator clustering and redundancy exemplified in the human beta-globin locus may account for the extreme difficulty in identifying replicator sequences in mammalian cells and suggest that mammalian replication initiation sites may be determined by cooperative sequence modules.
Wang
Lixin
L
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Lin
Chii-Mei
CM
Brooks
Sarah
S
Cimbora
Dan
D
Groudine
Mark
M
Aladjem
Mirit I
MI
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004261:DNA Replication; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D018741:Replication Origin
D005914:Globins