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. 1987 Oct;84(19):6730–6734. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.19.6730

A cis-acting element is necessary and sufficient for translational regulation of human ferritin expression in response to iron.

M W Hentze 1, T A Rouault 1, S W Caughman 1, A Dancis 1, J B Harford 1, R D Klausner 1
PMCID: PMC299157  PMID: 3477805

Abstract

Ferritin plays a key role in determining the intracellular fate of iron and is highly regulated by the iron status of the cell. We have identified a cis-acting element in the transcribed but nontranslated 5' leader sequence of human ferritin heavy-chain mRNA. In transiently transfected murine fibroblasts, the presence of a 157-nucleotide region of the 5' leader sequence was found to be necessary for iron-dependent regulation of ferritin biosynthesis. Further, this 5' leader region is sufficient to transfer iron-mediated translational control to the expression of a heterologous gene product, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase.

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Selected References

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