TY - JOUR
T1 - Structure and lens expression of the gene encoding chicken βA3/A1-crystallin
AU - McDermott, Joan B.
AU - Peterson, Charlotte A.
AU - Piatigorsky, Joram
PY - 1992/8/15
Y1 - 1992/8/15
N2 - The βA1- and βA3-crystallins are major polypeptides in the lenses of vertebrates. We present evidence that a single βA3/A1 gene encodes these two proteins in the chicken. The βA3/A1 gene has been sequenced and its functional promoter identified in transfection experiments. The chicken βA3/A1 gene has the same structure as the human orthologue: six exons with standard splice sites and two alternative start codons from which the protein products are apparently translated. Northern analysis revealed an abundant 0.9-kb transcript in the lenses of 1-2-day-old chickens and no detectable transcripts in the rest of the eye, brain, heart, kidney, liver or skeletal muscle. The 5′ -flanking sequence of the chicken βA3/A1 gene is very similar to that of the human and mouse genes, suggesting conservation of important putative regulatory sequences in addition to the TATA box. A thymidine-rich element (bp -218 to -163) and a potential AP-1-binding site (bp -264 to -258) 3re present within the chicken 5′ -flanking region. A DNA fragment from -382 to +22 of the chicken βA3/A1 gene is sufficient to promote expression of the bacterial cat gene in transfected chicken primary lens epithelial cells, but not in transfected dermal fibroblasts. Moreover, the sequence from positions -382 to -143 of the chicken βA3/A1 promoter appears to be critical for proper transcription and expression in the transfected lens cells.
AB - The βA1- and βA3-crystallins are major polypeptides in the lenses of vertebrates. We present evidence that a single βA3/A1 gene encodes these two proteins in the chicken. The βA3/A1 gene has been sequenced and its functional promoter identified in transfection experiments. The chicken βA3/A1 gene has the same structure as the human orthologue: six exons with standard splice sites and two alternative start codons from which the protein products are apparently translated. Northern analysis revealed an abundant 0.9-kb transcript in the lenses of 1-2-day-old chickens and no detectable transcripts in the rest of the eye, brain, heart, kidney, liver or skeletal muscle. The 5′ -flanking sequence of the chicken βA3/A1 gene is very similar to that of the human and mouse genes, suggesting conservation of important putative regulatory sequences in addition to the TATA box. A thymidine-rich element (bp -218 to -163) and a potential AP-1-binding site (bp -264 to -258) 3re present within the chicken 5′ -flanking region. A DNA fragment from -382 to +22 of the chicken βA3/A1 gene is sufficient to promote expression of the bacterial cat gene in transfected chicken primary lens epithelial cells, but not in transfected dermal fibroblasts. Moreover, the sequence from positions -382 to -143 of the chicken βA3/A1 promoter appears to be critical for proper transcription and expression in the transfected lens cells.
KW - Genomic sequence
KW - human
KW - murine
KW - primer extension
KW - promoter
KW - transcriptional regulation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026695184&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026695184&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0378-1119(92)90729-9
DO - 10.1016/0378-1119(92)90729-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 1353472
AN - SCOPUS:0026695184
SN - 0378-1119
VL - 117
SP - 193
EP - 200
JO - Gene
JF - Gene
IS - 2
ER -