FIGURE 2.

Schematic representation of the rat Bdnf gene showing its eight non-coding exons and the single, coding exon IX, with IXA providing the precursor portion of the pro-BDNF (modified from Ref. 28, not drawn to scale). The enclosed portion at the top right for exons IXA and IX is enlarged to indicate the four putative NRF-2 binding sites tested. Each binding site contains a tandem repeat of GGAA or TTCC. The translation start site (ATG) of exon IX is located 21 nucleotides downstream of the transcription start point of exon IX. The sequences for sites I and II used for EMSA are indicated below, with the NRF-2 binding motifs underlined. There is high homology between rat and mouse sequences at these two sites. Nucleotide sequences for sites III and IV are also given.