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Main regulatory element (MRE) of the Danio rerio α/β-globin gene domain exerts enhancer activity toward the promoters of the embryonic-larval and adult globin genes

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Abstract

In warm-blooded vertebrates, the α- and β-globin genes are organized in domains of different types and are regulated in different fashion. In cold-blooded vertebrates and, in particular, the tropical fish Danio rerio, the α- and β-globin genes form two gene clusters. A major D. rerio globin gene cluster is in chromosome 3 and includes the α- and β-globin genes of embryonic-larval and adult types. The region upstream of the cluster contains c16orf35, harbors the main regulatory element (MRE) of the α-globin gene domain in warm-blooded vertebrates. In this study, transient transfection of erythroid cells with genetic constructs containing a reporter gene under the control of potential regulatory elements of the domain was performed to characterize the promoters of the embryonic-larval and adult α- and β-globin genes of the major cluster. Also, in the 5th intron of c16orf35 in Danio rerio was detected a functional analog of the warm-blooded vertebrate MRE. This enhancer stimulated activity of the promoters of both adult and embryonic-larval α- and β-globin genes.

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Abbreviations

MRE:

major regulatory element

LCR:

locus control region

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia

    A. P. Kovina & S. V. Razin

  2. Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia

    N. V. Petrova, S. V. Razin & O. V. Yarovaia

Authors
  1. A. P. Kovina
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  2. N. V. Petrova
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  3. S. V. Razin
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  4. O. V. Yarovaia
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Correspondence to A. P. Kovina.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © A.P. Kovina, N.V. Petrova, S.V. Razin, O.V. Yarovaia, 2016, published in Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, 2016, Vol. 50, No. 6, pp. 1020–1029.

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Kovina, A.P., Petrova, N.V., Razin, S.V. et al. Main regulatory element (MRE) of the Danio rerio α/β-globin gene domain exerts enhancer activity toward the promoters of the embryonic-larval and adult globin genes. Mol Biol 50, 900–908 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S002689331606011X

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S002689331606011X

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