Two enhancers and one silencer located in the introns of regA control somatic cell differentiation in Volvox carteri.

ABSTRACT: The regA gene plays a central role in germ-soma differentiation of Volvox carteri by suppressing all reproductive functions in somatic cells. Here we show that the minimal promoter of regA consists of only 42 bp immediately upstream of the transcription start site, and that it contains no discernible regulatory elements. However, introns 3 and 5 are both required for regA expression in somatic cells, and intron 7 is essential for silencing regA in gonidia (asexual reproductive cells). A regA gene lacking intron 7 rescues the normal phenotype of mutant somatic cells, but also results in gonidia that reproduce only weakly and soon die out. The same phenotype is observed when a regA gene containing intron 7 is placed under control of a constitutive promoter, suggesting that the silencing acti

SUBMITTER: Stark K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC312706 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature