Multiple Elements Are Required for Expression of an Intermediate Filament Gene

Overview

Journal Nucleic Acids Res

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 1988 Aug 25

PMID 3419902

Citations 8

Authors

C M Sax

F X Farrell

J A Tobian

Z E Zehner

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The expression of vimentin is unique within the intermediate filament multigene family. It is the only member which deviates from its usual tissue-specific expression pattern and whose 5'-flanking region contains multiple GC boxes, the binding site for Sp1. The activity of vimentin 5'-end:CAT fusions has been compared in cells where vimentin is highly expressed (mouse L cells) or not expressed at all (MH1C1). In addition, CAT activity has been examined by microinjection into Xenopus oocytes. Both in vivo expression and in vitro binding studies implicate Sp1 as a general regulatory factor in vimentin gene expression. Increased expression of 5'-end:CAT fusions in mouse L cells suggests that a fibroblast-specific enhancer element resides in the region -321 to -160. Low transcriptional activity in MH1C1 cells may be due to either the lack of this positive transcription factor(s) or the presence of a repressor element. Here, we demonstrate that the unique and complex pattern of vimentin gene expression is controlled by multiple cis-acting elements.

Citing Articles

Identification of a novel vimentin promoter and mRNA isoform.

Zhou Z, Kahns S, Nielsen A Mol Biol Rep. 2009; 37(5):2407-13.

PMID: 19690979 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-009-9751-8.

Regulation of the mouse desmin gene: transactivated by MyoD, myogenin, MRF4 and Myf5.

Li H, Capetanaki Y Nucleic Acids Res. 1993; 21(2):335-43.

PMID: 8382796 PMC: 309111. DOI: 10.1093/nar/21.2.335.

Multiple silencer elements are involved in regulating the chicken vimentin gene.

Garzon R, Zehner Z Mol Cell Biol. 1994; 14(2):934-43.

PMID: 8289833 PMC: 358448. DOI: 10.1128/mcb.14.2.934-943.1994.

A negative element involved in vimentin gene expression.

Farrell F, Sax C, Zehner Z Mol Cell Biol. 1990; 10(5):2349-58.

PMID: 2325656 PMC: 360583. DOI: 10.1128/mcb.10.5.2349-2358.1990.

Coding sequence and flanking regions of the mouse vimentin gene.

Hennekes H, Kuhn S, Traub P Mol Gen Genet. 1990; 221(1):33-6.

PMID: 2325630 DOI: 10.1007/BF00280364.

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