title: Multiple cis elements and GATA factors regulate a cuticle collagen gene in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The cuticle of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a specialized extracellular matrix whose major component is collagen. Cuticle collagens are encoded by a large multigene family consisting of more than 150 members. Cuticle collagen genes are expressed in epidermis (hypodermis) and may be stage-specific or cyclically expressed. We identified cuticle collagen genes as transcriptional targets of the DBL-1 TGF-β-related signaling pathway. These studies prompted us to investigate the cis-regulatory sequences required for transcription of one of the target genes, col-41. We generated reporter constructs that reproduce stage- and tissue-specific expression of fluorescent markers. We identify four conserved sequence elements that are required for transcription of reporters. Finally, we provide evidence that col-41 expression is controlled by a sequence element containing two GATA sites and by the epidermal GATA transcription factors ELT-1 and ELT-3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, New York; The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jianghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Uday
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Madaan
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Neelum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aftab
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savage-Dunn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050980:GATA Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C096869:ELT-1 protein, C elegans; D050980:GATA Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C118721:elt-3 protein, C elegans; D003094:Collagen
keywords: GATA; TGFβ; epidermis; hypodermis