Octamer-binding proteins in diverse hemopoietic cells.

The immunoglobulin genes have B-cell-specific promoter and enhancer elements. The regulation of these elements is thought to be mediated to a large degree by the trans-activating factor oct-2, which binds the octamer element (ATTTGCAT). We have further examined the role of this octamer element in directing the lymphoid-specific expression of the immunoglobulin H enhancer. No direct relationship was found between the levels of expression of the Cmu gene and oct-2. Indeed, variable amounts of oct-2 were detected in all of the hemopoietic lineage cells tested in this study.