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Mol Cell Biol, July 1998, p. 3811-3818, Vol. 18, No. 7
Department of Molecular Physiology and
Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
372321;
Gene Expression Laboratory,
Salk Institute, La Jolla, California 920372; and
Department of Biochemistry, Health Science Center,
University of Tennessee, Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
381633
Received 27 October 1997/Returned for modification 10 December
1997/Accepted 13 April 1998
The Xenopus TFIIIA gene is transcribed very efficiently
in oocytes. In addition to a TATA element at
0270-7306/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Xenopus TFIIIA Gene Transcription Is
Dependent on cis-Element Positioning and Chromatin
Structure
30, we show that from
425 to +7 the TFIIIA gene contains only two positive cis
elements centered at
267 (element 1) and
230 (element 2). This
arrangement of the cis elements in the TFIIIA gene is
striking because these two elements are positioned very close to each
other yet separated from the TATA element by approximately 190 nucleotides. We show that the 190-nucleotide spacing between the TATA
element and the upstream cis elements (elements 1 and 2) is
critical for efficient transcription of the gene in oocytes and that a
nucleosome is positioned in this intervening region. This nucleosome
may act positively on TFIIIA transcription in oocytes by placing
transcription factors bound at elements 1 and 2 in a favorable position
relative to the transcription complex at the TATA element.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Biochemistry, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Memphis, TN 38163. Phone: (901) 448-6165. Fax: (901) 448-7360. E-mail:
wtaylor{at}utmem1.utmem.edu.
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