Int. J. Dev. Biol. 36: 109 - 114 (1992)

Vol 36, Issue 1

Special Issue: Developmental Biology in Belgium

C/EBP and c-JUN proteins activate the proximal enhancer of the developmentally regulated alpha-fetoprotein gene

Published: 1 March 1992

C Houart, J Szpirer and C Szpirer

Université Libre de Bruxelles, Département of Molecular Biology, Rhode-St-Genèse, Belgium.

Abstract

The expression of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene is developmentally regulated. Active transcription of this gene depends on a proximal enhancer sequence located between positions D-203 bp and -81 bp, upstream the initiation site. This enhancer contains several putative binding sites for transcription factors. By transfection experiments, we showed that the enhancer activity can be driven by interactions with two regulatory factors, namely C/EBP and c-JUN.