Mouse interferon-inducible RNA-dependent protein kinase Pkr gene: cloning and sequence of the 5'-flanking region and functional identification of the minimal inducible promoter.

The RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is implicated in the antiviral and antiproliferative actions of interferon (IFN). As an extension of our structural characterization of the exon-intron organization of the mouse Pkr gene, we now have isolated and characterized the mouse Pkr promoter region required for IFN-inducible transcription. Transient transfection analyses, using reporter constructs possessing various 5'-flanking fragments of the Pkr gene, led to the identification of a functional IFN-inducible promoter. A single IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) was present in a minimal 44-nt TATA-less promoter identified by deletion analysis; the 13-nt ISRE differed from previously described ISRE elements in that the 3'-nt was a purine instead of a pyrimidine. The sequence immediately upstream of the ISRE possessed the 15-nt KCS element that was exactly conserved in sequence and position between the mouse and human Pkr promoters. A single gamma IFN-activated sequence (GAS)-like element and multiple recognition sites for factors including NF-kappaB and NF-IL6 involved in responses to various cytokine and hormone signals in inflammatory responses were also present in the 5'-flanking region. Northern blot analysis showed efficient IFN-alpha induced accumulation of 2.4kb, 4.5kb and approx. 6kb Pkr transcripts, but neither IFN-gamma nor IL-6 induced detectable Pkr mRNA accumulation in L cells.