Conserved elements in the 3' untranslated regions of c-fos and actin mRNAs.

In this study, the nucleotide sequences of the 3' untranslated regions (UTR) of the mouse and human c-fos genes, and the rat and human beta-actin genes were examined. It is shown (i) that the 3' UTR of c-fos is highly conserved between mouse and man, (ii) that multiple copies of a 12 bp element occur, in clusters, in the 3' UTR both of c-fos and of beta-actin. This conserved 12 bp element is analogous to the putative repressor binding site previously identified (Renan, Bioscience Reports, 5 (1985), 739-753). These findings provide additional support for the proposal that regulatory signals are located in the 3' UTR's of certain genes.