Zhao L, Donaldson C J, Smith G W, Vale W W
The Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Genomics. 1998 May 15;50(1):23-33. doi: 10.1006/geno.1998.5292.
The mouse and human urocortin genes (Ucn and UCN, respectively) have been isolated, characterized, and found to have very similar structures. Each has two exons, and the entire coding region is located in the second exon, as is the case for the gene of the related peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor. Several putative transcription factor-binding sites were identified in each of the urocortin promoters, including a TATA box, a cyclic AMP response element (CRE), GATA-binding sites, and a C/EBP-binding site as well as a Brn-2-binding site(s). Sequence analyses of the mouse and human genes also revealed the presence of a previously identified gene, Mpv17, in the 5' region upstream of the urocortin gene. Functional studies following transient transfection of urocortin reporter plasmids in PC12 cells revealed that the urocortin promoter is controlled by both positive and negative elements; the CRE is important for basal activity as well as responsiveness to forskolin stimulation.
小鼠和人类的尿皮质素基因（分别为Ucn和UCN）已被分离、鉴定，并发现它们具有非常相似的结构。每个基因都有两个外显子，整个编码区位于第二个外显子中，相关肽促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子的基因也是如此。在每个尿皮质素启动子中都鉴定出了几个推定的转录因子结合位点，包括一个TATA盒、一个环磷酸腺苷反应元件（CRE）、GATA结合位点、一个C/EBP结合位点以及一个Brn-2结合位点。对小鼠和人类基因的序列分析还揭示，在尿皮质素基因上游的5'区域存在一个先前已鉴定的基因Mpv17。在PC12细胞中瞬时转染尿皮质素报告质粒后的功能研究表明，尿皮质素启动子受正性和负性元件的控制；CRE对基础活性以及对福斯高林刺激的反应性很重要。
