Yin Yang 1 intronic binding sequences and splicing elicit intron-mediated enhancement of ubiquitin C gene expression.

ABSTRACT: In a number of organisms, introns affect expression of the gene in which they are contained. Our previous studies revealed that the 5'-UTR intron of human ubiquitin C (UbC) gene is responsible for the boost of reporter gene expression and is able to bind, in vitro, Yin Yang 1 (YY1) trans-acting factor. In this work, we demonstrate that intact YY1 binding sequences are required for maximal promoter activity and YY1 silencing causes downregulation of luciferase mRNA levels. However, YY1 motifs fail to enhance gene expression when the intron is moved upstream of the proximal promoter, excluding the typical enhancer hypothesis and supporting a context-dependent action, like intron-mediated enhancement (IME). Yet, almost no expression is seen in the construct containing an unspliceable version

SUBMITTER: Bianchi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3680475 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature