CONSERVATION OF THE C-ELEGANS TRA-2 3'UTR TRANSLATIONAL CONTROL

The Caenorhabditis elegans sex-determination gene, tra-2, is translati onally regulated by two 28 nt elements (DREs) located in the 3'UTR tha t bind a factor called DRF. This regulation requires the laf-1 gene ac tivity, We demonstrate that the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae tra-2 gene and the human oncogene GLI are translationally regulated by elem ents that sire functionally equivalent to DREs, Here, we rename the DR Es to TGEs (tra-2 and GLI elements), Similarly to the C. elegans tra-2 TGEs, the C. briggsae tra-2 and GLI TGEs repress translation of a rep orter transgene in a laf-1 dependent manner, Furthermore, they regulat e poly(A) tail length and bind DRF. We also find that the C. elegans T GEs control translation and poly(A) tail length in C. briggsae and rod ent cells, Moreover, these same organisms contain a factor that specif ically associates with the C. elegans TGEs. These findings are consist ent with the TGE control being present in C. briggsae and rodent cells . Three lines of evidence indicate that C. briggsae tra-2 and GLI are translationally controlled in vivo by TGEs, First, like C. elegans tra -2 TGEs, the C. briggsae tra-2 and GLI TGEs control translation and po ly(A) tail lengths in C. briggsae and rodent cells, respectively, Seco nd, the same factor in C. briggsae and mammalian cells that binds to t he C. elegans tra-2 TGEs binds the C. briggsae tra-2 and GLI TGEs, Thi rd, deletion of the GLI TGF increases GLI's ability to transform cells , These findings suggest that TGE control is conserved and regulates t he expression of other mRNAs.