title: The -14010*C variant associated with lactase persistence is located between an Oct-1 and HNF1α binding site and increases lactase promoter activity.
abstract: In most people worldwide intestinal lactase expression declines in childhood. In many others, particularly in Europeans, lactase expression persists into adult life. The lactase persistence phenotype is in Europe associated with the -13910*T single nucleotide variant located 13,910 bp upstream the lactase gene in an enhancer region that affects lactase promoter activity. This variant falls in an Oct-1 binding site and shows greater Oct-1 binding than the ancestral variant and increases enhancer activity. Several other variants have been identified very close to the -13910 position, which are associated with lactase persistence in the Middle East and Africa. One of them, the -14010*C, is associated with lactase persistence in Africa. Here we show by deletion analysis that the -14010 position is located in a 144 bp region that reduces the enhancer activity. In transfections the -14010*C allele shows a stronger enhancer effect than the ancestral -4010*G allele. Binding sites for Oct-1 and HNF1α surrounding the -14010 position were identified by gel shift assays, which indicated that -14010*C has greater binding affinity to Oct-1 than -14010*G.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Panum Institute, Building 6.4, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tine G K
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liebert
authors.forename: Rikke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lewinsky
authors.forename: Dallas M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Swallow
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Jesper T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Troelsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001665:Binding Sites; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D051538:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D043322:Lactase / Q000235:genetics*; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000235:genetics*; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051538:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D043322:Lactase