Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Vol 37, 154-165, Copyright © 1996 by Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

ARTICLES AND REPORTS

Developmentally important DNA elements within the bovine opsin upstream region

LE DesJardin and WW Hauswirth
Department of Immunology and Medical Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.

PURPOSE. Nuclear run-on analysis has documented three categories of opsin gene expression during bovine fetal retinal development: basal levels of transcription occurring before 6 months gestation; opsin- specific enhanced levels of fetal transcription at 7-7.5 months gestation; and a switch from fetal to adult transcription, where transcriptional activity acquires a sarkosyl sensitive component in the adult. To begin determining the mechanism of these multiple levels of gene regulation, DNA regulatory elements within 2.1 kb of the rod opsin upstream region were identified in fetal and adult bovine retinal extracts that represented the transcriptional activities characteristic of each stage of opsin gene expression. METHODS. DNAse I footprint experiments were performed on fetal and adult bovine retinal extracts from each of the developmental stages of opsin expression. RESULTS. Ten regions of protection were mapped and the level of protection was quantitated as a function of the developmental stage. CONCLUSIONS. The 10 DNA elements identified fell into three categories of developmental protection: those elements that were protected similarly at each developmental stage; those elements that were more highly protected when opsin transcription was at basal levels (i.e., less than 6 months gestation); and those elements that were more highly protected in fetal ages as compared to the adult animal. These elements are likely to be important in the developmental regulation of rod opsin gene expression.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. M. Dorval, B. P. Bobechko, H. Fujieda, S. Chen, D. J. Zack, and R. Bremner CHX10 Targets a Subset of Photoreceptor Genes J. Biol. Chem., January 13, 2006; 281(2): 744 - 751. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. C. Otteson, Y. Liu, H. Lai, C. Wang, S. Gray, M. K. Jain, and D. J. Zack Kruppel-like Factor 15, a Zinc-Finger Transcriptional Regulator, Represses the Rhodopsin and Interphotoreceptor Retinoid-Binding Protein Promoters Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., August 1, 2004; 45(8): 2522 - 2530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q.-l. Wang, S. Chen, N. Esumi, P. K. Swain, H. S. Haines, G. Peng, B. M. Melia, I. McIntosh, J. R. Heckenlively, S. G. Jacobson, et al. QRX, a novel homeobox gene, modulates photoreceptor gene expression Hum. Mol. Genet., May 15, 2004; 13(10): 1025 - 1040. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. P. Mitton, P. K. Swain, H. Khanna, M. Dowd, I. J. Apel, and A. Swaroop Interaction of retinal bZIP transcription factor NRL with Flt3-interacting zinc-finger protein Fiz1: possible role of Fiz1 as a transcriptional repressor Hum. Mol. Genet., February 15, 2003; 12(4): 365 - 373. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Asaoka, H. Mano, D. Kojima, and Y. Fukada Pineal expression-promoting element (PIPE), a cis-acting element, directs pineal-specific gene expression in zebrafish PNAS, November 26, 2002; 99(24): 15456 - 15461. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Bour, M. Aramideh, and B. W. Ongerboer de Visser Neurophysiological Aspects of Eye and Eyelid Movements During Blinking in Humans J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2000; 83(1): 166 - 176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G. Flannery, S. Zolotukhin, M. I. Vaquero, M. M. LaVail, N. Muzyczka, and W. W. Hauswirth Efficient photoreceptor-targeted gene expression in vivo by recombinant adeno-associated virus PNAS, June 24, 1997; 94(13): 6916 - 6921. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Chen and D. J. Zack Ret 4, a Positive Acting Rhodopsin Regulatory Element Identified Using a Bovine Retina in Vitro Transcription System J. Biol. Chem., November 8, 1996; 271(45): 28549 - 28557. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. P. Mitton, P. K. Swain, S. Chen, S. Xu, D. J. Zack, and A. Swaroop The Leucine Zipper of NRL Interacts with the CRX Homeodomain. A POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL SYNERGY IN RHODOPSIN REGULATION J. Biol. Chem., September 15, 2000; 275(38): 29794 - 29799. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Liu and C. B. Green A Novel Promoter Element, Photoreceptor Conserved Element II, Directs Photoreceptor-specific Expression of Nocturnin in Xenopus laevis J. Biol. Chem., April 27, 2001; 276(18): 15146 - 15154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Mani, S. Batni, L. Whitaker, S. Chen, G. Engbretson, and B. E. Knox Xenopus Rhodopsin Promoter. IDENTIFICATION OF IMMEDIATE UPSTREAM SEQUENCES NECESSARY FOR HIGH LEVEL, ROD-SPECIFIC TRANSCRIPTION J. Biol. Chem., September 21, 2001; 276(39): 36557 - 36565. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]