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. 1990 Sep;10(9):4816–4825. doi: 10.1128/mcb.10.9.4816

Enhancers for RNA polymerase I in mouse ribosomal DNA.

C S Pikaard 1, L K Pape 1, S L Henderson 1, K Ryan 1, M H Paalman 1, M A Lopata 1, R H Reeder 1, B Sollner-Webb 1
PMCID: PMC361088  PMID: 2388626

Abstract

The intergenic spacer of the mouse ribosomal genes contains repetitive 140-base-pair (bp) elements which we show are enhancers for RNA polymerase I transcription analogous to the 60/81-bp repetitive enhancers (enhancers containing a 60-bp and an 81-bp element) previously characterized from Xenopus laevis. In rodent cell transfection assays, the 140-bp repeats stimulated an adjacent mouse polymerase I promoter when located in cis and competed with it when located in trans. Remarkably, in frog oocyte injection assays, the 140-bp repeats enhanced a frog ribosomal gene promoter as strongly as did the homologous 60/81-bp repeats. Mouse 140-bp repeats also competed against frog promoters in trans. The 140-bp repeats bound UBF, a DNA-binding protein we have purified from mouse extracts that is the mouse homolog of polymerase I transcription factors previously isolated from frogs and humans. The DNA-binding properties of UBF are conserved from the mouse to the frog. The same regulatory elements (terminators, gene and spacer promoters, and enhancers) have now been identified in both a mammalian and an amphibian spacer, and they are found in the same relative order. Therefore, this arrangement of elements probably is widespread in nature and has important functional consequences.

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