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. 1998 May 15;26(10):2420–2425. doi: 10.1093/nar/26.10.2420

c-Myc gene single-strand binding protein-1, MSSP-1, suppresses transcription of alpha-smooth muscle actin gene in chicken visceral smooth muscle cells.

K Kimura 1, H Saga 1, K Hayashi 1, H Obata 1, Y Chimori 1, H Ariga 1, K Sobue 1
PMCID: PMC147545  PMID: 9580695

Abstract

The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin is coordinately regulated by positive and negative cis- elements in the promoter region. Although cis -elements and trans -acting factors involved in the positive regulation of the alpha-smooth muscle (alpha-SM) actin gene have been well characterized, details of negative regulation remain unclear. In functional analyses using cultured gizzard smooth muscle cells, we identified a sequence ranging from -238 to -219 in the promoter region as a novel negative element. Mutation and deletion analyses further revealed that a sequence, TATCTTA (-228 to -222), is essential for negative regulation. Gel shift assay and Southwestern blotting indicated that a nuclear protein factor specifically interacts with single- or double-strand DNA including this sequence, and the protein factor displays a highly potent binding to the sense strand DNA. cDNA cloning and gel shift analysis using anti-MSSP-1 antibodies revealed that this protein factor is a chicken homolog of human MSSP-1 (c- myc gene single-strand binding protein-1). In fact, overexpression of MSSP-1 in cultured smooth muscle cells suppresses the promoter activity. These results suggest a novel function of MSSP-1 regarding the transcriptional regulation of alpha-sm actin gene.

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Selected References

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