title: Transcriptional analysis of the human PAX9 promoter.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  PAX9 belongs to the Pax family of transcriptional factor genes. This gene is expressed in embryonic tissues such as somites, pharyngeal pouch endoderm, distal limb buds and neural crest-derived mesenchyme. Polymorphisms in the upstream promoter region of the human PAX9 have been associated with human non-syndromic tooth agenesis. In the present study, we verified the in vitro mRNA expression of this gene and the luciferase activity of two constructs containing promoter sequences of the PAX9 gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  Embryonic tissues were obtained from digits, face, and midbrain/hindbrain regions. Fragments containing PAX9 promoter sequences were cloned into reporter plasmids and were transfected into the different cell cultures. mRNA were extracted from primary cell cultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The semi-quantitative RT-PCR results showed that in vitro E13.5 limb bud and CNS cells express PAX9, but cells derived from the facial region do not. Moreover, the luciferase assay showed that protein activity of the constructed vector was weaker than pgl3 -basic alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that the promoter sequences analyzed are not sufficient to drive PAX9 gene transcription.
authors.affiliation: Histology and Embryology Program, Department of Morphology, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Vieira de
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Simone Caixeta de
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Cristiane Pereira Borges
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Liza Lima
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ramenzoni
authors.forename: Sergio Roberto Peres
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Line
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000848:Anodontia / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D051764:PAX9 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051764:PAX9 Transcription Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008156:Luciferases