TISSUE-SPECIFIC EXPRESSION OF TESTIS ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME ISNOT DETERMINED BY THE -32 NONCONSENSUS TATA MOTIF

Testis ACE is an isozyme of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) made b y male germ cells. These cells recognize a small intragenic promoter w hich contains a positive regulatory element, TCTTAT, at position -32. A probe containing this element was gel shifted to an identical locati on by mt testis and rat liver nuclear extracts; formation of the compl ex was blocked by anti-TATA binding protein antibody. Recombinant TATA binding protein recognized the testis ACE TCTTAT motif as well as a p robe containing the consensus TATA motif. Mice transgenic for testis A CE promoter constructs containing either the wild type testis ACE moti f or a consensus TATA sequence expressed a reporter gene at high level s only within the testis. These data suggest that the testis ACE motif TCTTAT is a non-consensus TATA, but is not responsible for the highly restricted pattern of testis ACE gene expression. (C) 1996 Academic P ress, Inc.