Characterization of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) promoter-regulatory region. I. Multiple hormone regulatory elements and the effects of enhancers.

Transcription of the gene for cytosolic Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) from rat liver is increased by cAMP and glucocorticoids and decreased by insulin. A PEPCK-thymidine kinase (TK) chimeric gene was transfected into FTO-2B rat hepatoma cells, which were TK-deficient. Previous studies showed that a cAMP regulatory element is located at the 5' end of the PEPCK gene. In this report, we demonstrate that the 5' end of the gene also contains a glucocorticoid regulatory element, but not one for insulin. Regions of the PEPCK gene that contain these regulatory elements were attached to the Herpes simplex virus TK structural gene containing its own promoter. The hormone regulatory elements within the 5' flanking region of the PEPCK gene conferred cAMP and glucocorticoid responsiveness on the TK gene after transfection into FTO-2B cells. Like viral enhancer elements, these regulatory elements functioned properly when placed in either orientation at various positions 5' or 3' to TK. The presence of the SV40 enhancer element upstream from the PEPCK-TK gene had little effect on the basal level of expression or hormonal regulation of the chimeric gene.