The human U1 snRNA promoter and enhancer do not direct synthesis of messenger RNA.

We examined the ability of the 5' flanking region sequences of a human U1 RNA gene to direct synthesis of functional mRNA. When fused to chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) coding region sequences, the upstream sequences of the U1 gene were able to stimulate the synthesis of functional CAT mRNA in 293 cells but not in HeLa cells. Most of the polyadenylated CAT mRNA in 293 cells originated from cryptic promoters in the upstream U1 sequences, but nearly all of the CAT-specific RNA originating at position +1 (relative to the U1 gene promoter) was non-polyadenylated; this confirmed that the bona-fide U1 gene promoter was unable to direct efficient synthesis of poly-A+ mRNA. Our results demonstrate that the snRNA gene promoter and enhancer elements, although very efficient in transcription of snRNAs, are unable to direct transcription of polyadenylated mRNAs. However, other sequences in the 5' flanking region of the human U1 gene can activate transcription of functional mRNA, with 5' ends upstream of the normal transcription start site.

The bovine papillomavirus distal "enhancer" is not cis essential for transformation or for plasmid maintenance.

We constructed a mutant of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) DNA that lacked a transcriptional enhancer located 3' to the polyadenylation site of the early viral RNAs expressed in transformed cells. This mutant DNA, when separated from the procaryotic sequences, transforms mouse cells with an efficiency comparable to that of the full BPV-1 genome, and it exists as a stable multicopy plasmid in transformed cells. The BPV-1 distal enhancer suppresses the effects of a cis-inhibitory element in pML2 sequences but is not essential for the expression of the viral genes involved in cellular transformation or plasmid maintenance.

A novel transcription property of SP6 and T7 RNA polymerases: dependence on template structure.

The in vitro synthesis of extraneous RNA sequences by SP6 and T7 RNA polymerases from specific DNA templates is described. Transcription of templates prepared by digestion with restriction enzymes that leave 3' protruding ends resulted in the production of significant amounts of long, template-sized RNA transcripts which hybridized to vector DNA. Sequences copied from the noncoding template strand were among the extraneous transcripts. The presence of these sequences in probe preparations were detected in Southern and RNase protection hybridization assays. In contrast, transcription of DNA templates with blunt or 5' protruding ends yielded few RNA products as extraneous sequences.

Expression of a human U1 RNA gene introduced into mouse cells via bovine papillomavirus DNA vectors.

We introduced a gene for human U1 small nuclear RNA, HU1-1, into mouse C127 cells via bovine papillomavirus (BPV) vectors. After transfection, up to 15% of the total U1 RNA in transformed cells was encoded by the introduced human genes. High levels of expression of the human gene were observed when the recombinant viral DNAs were maintained either as plasmids or after integration into high-molecular-weight DNA. As few as 400 and 35 base pairs of 5' and 3' flanking region sequences, respectively, were sufficient for transcription of human U1 RNA, and no increase in the level of expression was observed with HU1-1 DNA containing several kilobases of flanking region sequences. Several of the transformed cell lines contained the recombinant BPV DNA apparently integrated into the host genome. Integration or rearrangement or both of the U1-BPV DNA was promoted when the HU1-1 gene was positioned at the BamHI site downstream of the BPV transforming region. At least two variants of the U1-BPV DNAs were able to cause morphological transformation of cells despite the fact that these DNAs lacked a BPV transcriptional enhancer element.

Progestin receptors in dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells: enriched binding in lactotrope fractions.

Cytosolic progesterone and R5020 binding activities were demonstrated in Pronase-dispersed anterior pituitary cells from estrogen-primed ovariectomized and adrenalectomized rats. Pronase-dispersed pituitary cells were also separated into six cellular fractions on the basis of size and density by sedimentation velocity at unit gravity in a BSA gradient. Fractions enriched in lactotropes or gonadotropes were identified by the cellular contents of radioimmunoassayable prolactin and LH, respectively. Cytosolic progestin receptors appeared to be predominantly associated with lactotrope-rich fractions. Since there was some cross-over between the LH and prolactin enriched fractions, progestin receptors may also be associated with a subpopulation of gonadotropes, as well.