Hentze M W, Caughman S W, Rouault T A, Barriocanal J G, Dancis A, Harford J B, Klausner R D
Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Science. 1987 Dec 11;238(4833):1570-3. doi: 10.1126/science.3685996.
Regulated translation of messenger RNA offers an important mechanism for the control of gene expression. The biosynthesis of the intracellular iron storage protein ferritin is translationally regulated by iron. A cis-acting element that is both necessary and sufficient for this translational regulation is present within the 5' nontranslated leader region of the human ferritin H-chain messenger RNA. In this report the iron-responsive element (IRE) was identified by deletional analysis. Moreover, a synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide was shown to be able to transfer iron regulation to a construct that would otherwise not be able to respond to iron. The IRE has been highly conserved and predates the evolutionary segregation between amphibians, birds, and man. The IRE may prove to be useful for the design of translationally regulated expression systems.
信使核糖核酸（mRNA）的翻译调控为基因表达的控制提供了一种重要机制。细胞内铁储存蛋白铁蛋白的生物合成受到铁的翻译调控。人类铁蛋白H链信使核糖核酸5'非翻译前导区内存在一个对这种翻译调控既必要又充分的顺式作用元件。在本报告中，通过缺失分析鉴定了铁反应元件（IRE）。此外，已证明一种合成的寡脱氧核苷酸能够将铁调控转移至一个原本无法对铁作出反应的构建体上。IRE高度保守，且在两栖动物、鸟类和人类的进化分化之前就已存在。IRE可能被证明对设计翻译调控表达系统有用。
