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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1993 Aug 1;90(15):7312–7316. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.15.7312

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha) undifferentiated protein: a developmentally regulated nuclear protein that binds to the C/EBP alpha gene promoter.

M Vasseur-Cognet 1, M D Lane 1
PMCID: PMC47127  PMID: 8346250

Abstract

During differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes, transcription of the C/EBP alpha (CCA-AT/enhancer binding protein alpha) gene is activated. The promoter of the C/EBP alpha gene contains a bipartite cis element with binding sites for C/EBP alpha undifferentiated protein (CUP) and an Sp1-like GT box binding protein. Binding of CUP to this element is markedly enhanced by its interaction with the Sp1-like protein. CUP, purified approximately 100,000-fold from HeLa cell nuclear extracts, appears to be composed of at least two types of subunit. Evidence is presented that a CUP-containing protein complex bridges between the CUP/Sp1-like GT box element and a downstream cis element, which contains a C/EBP binding site. During differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes, CUP activity or expression decreases as expression of C/EBP alpha increases. It is suggested that bridging by the CUP-containing protein complex may play a role in transcriptional regulation of the C/EBP alpha gene.

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Selected References

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