Pick L, Schier A, Affolter M, Schmidt-Glenewinkel T, Gehring W J
Department of Cell Biology, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Genes Dev. 1990 Jul;4(7):1224-39. doi: 10.1101/gad.4.7.1224.
The Drosophila fushi tarazu (ftz) upstream element is an enhancer-like element that is required for the correct expression of ftz in developing embryos and that directs transcription from a minimal promoter in a ftz-like seven-striped pattern. Using a deletion analysis, we have identified several independent cis-regulatory elements in the upstream element. A distal enhancer directs fusion gene expression in seven stripes primarily in the mesoderm. A more complex proximal enhancer contains a mesodermally active element and a second element with which it interacts to generate seven stripes in the ectoderm. Striped expression directed by each enhancer is ftz-dependent, and each contains binding sites for purified ftz homeo domain. We suggest that ftz protein acts in combination with germ layer-restricted transcription factors directly and positively to regulate the transcription of its own gene.
果蝇分节基因（ftz）上游元件是一种类似增强子的元件，它对于ftz基因在胚胎发育过程中的正确表达是必需的，并且能指导来自最小启动子的转录形成类似ftz基因的七条带纹模式。通过缺失分析，我们在上游元件中鉴定出了几个独立的顺式调控元件。一个远端增强子主要在中胚层中指导融合基因表达形成七条带纹。一个更复杂的近端增强子包含一个中胚层活性元件和另一个与之相互作用以在外胚层中产生七条带纹的元件。每个增强子所指导的带纹表达都依赖于ftz基因，并且每个增强子都含有纯化的ftz同源结构域的结合位点。我们认为ftz蛋白直接且正向地与特定胚层的转录因子结合，从而调控其自身基因的转录。
