Genomic organization and identification of promoter regions for the BDNF gene in the pond turtle Trachemys scripta elegans.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important regulator of neuronal development and synaptic function. The BDNF gene undergoes significant activity-dependent regulation during learning. Here, we identified the BDNF promoter regions, transcription start sites, and potential regulatory sequences for BDNF exons I-III that may contribute to activity-dependent gene and protein expression in the pond turtle Trachemys scripta elegans (tBDNF). By using transfection of BDNF promoter/luciferase plasmid constructs into human neuroblastoma SHSY5Y cells and mouse embryonic fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, we identified the basal regulatory activity of promoter sequences located upstream of each tBDNF exon, designated as pBDNFI-III. Further, through chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, we detected CREB binding directly to exon I and exon III promoters, while BHLHB2, but not CREB, binds within the exon II promoter. Elucidation of the promoter regions and regulatory protein binding sites in the tBDNF gene is essential for understanding the regulatory mechanisms that control tBDNF gene expression.
Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD, 57010, USA, ganesh.ambigapathy@usd.edu.
Ganesh
G
Ambigapathy
Zhaoqing
Z
Zheng
Joyce
J
Keifer
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005091:Exons; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D030162:Reptilian Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014426:Turtles / Q000235:genetics*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D030162:Reptilian Proteins