Transcription and replication silencer element is present within conserved region of human Alu repeats interacting with nuclear protein

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 263; no. 1; pp. 69 - 72
• Main Authors: Tomilin, Nikolai V., Iguchi-Ariga, Sanae M.M., Ariga, Hiroyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 09.04.1990; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alu sequence element; Biological and medical sciences; Chloramphenicolacetyltransferase assay; DNA Replication; DNA Transposable Elements; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; HeLa Cells - metabolism; Humans; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; Oligonucleotide Probes; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; Proto-Oncogenes; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; RNA Polymerase III - genetics; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Silencer; Transcription, Genetic; Alu sequence element; Chloramphenicolacetyltransferase assay; Silencer; Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase; Enhancer sequence; Conserved sequence; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme; Repeated sequence; C-Onc gene; Transposon; Gel retardation technique; Gene expression; Southern blotting; Hela cell line
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(90)80707-P

Human cells contain a nuclear protein interacting with Alu repeats, and this protein seems to recognize a conserved sequence motif, GGAGGC, present within the RNA polymerase III promoter and within the SV40 T-antigen-dependent ARS-like element. To study the potential functional role of this element, we have inserted the sequence into a chloramphenicolacetyltransferase (CAT) expression vector with a SV40 promoter and enhancer element from the up-stream region of the human c-myc gene, and transfected HeLa cells with the resulting plasmid. Analysis of expression by the CAT assay indicates that the Alu-derived sequence supresses transcription of the CAT gene driven by the c-myc enhancer/SV40 promoter. The Alu-derived sequence also inhibits ARS activity of the c-myc enhancer. The data allow the explaination of the transcriptional inactivity of Alu repeats in HeLa cells, and suggest the existence of a negative control of Alu transcription.