The murine biglycan: complete cDNA cloning, genomic organization, promoter function, and expression.

Biglycan is a ubiquitous chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan that belongs to a growing family of proteins harboring leucine-rich repeats. We have cloned and sequenced the cDNA containing the complete murine biglycan, elucidated its genomic organization, and demonstrated functional promoter activity of its 5' flanking region. The deduced biglycan protein core was highly conserved across species. However, the mouse biglycan (Bgn) gene was significantly larger than the human counterpart, primarily because of a large > 4.5-kb intron between exons 1 and 2. The mouse Bgn gene spanned over 9.5 kb of continuous DNA and comprised 8 exons, with a perfectly conserved intron/exon organization vis-á-vis the human counterpart. The promoter region was enriched in GC dinucleotide and contained numerous cis-acting elements including binding sites for SP-1, AP-1 and AP-2 factors. It lacked TATA and CAAT boxes typical of housekeeping genes. In support of this, primer extension analysis showed the existence of multiple transcription start sites. Transient cell transfection assays with a construct comprising the 548 bp upstream of the major transcription start site fused to the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene showed functional promoter activity. Internal and 5' deletion constructs showed that the distal promoter of the Bgn gene was required for full transcriptional activity. In contrast to the homologous proteoglycan decorin, the highest expression of biglycan mRNA was observed in lung, liver, and spleen of adult mouse and the lowest in skin, heart, and kidney. These results will be useful for the study of biglycan gene regulation and for the generation of mice with targeted null mutation of the Bgn gene.