ANALYSIS OF INTRON-4 OF THE P53 GENE IN HUMAN CUTANEOUS MELANOMA

DNA sequencing of intron 4 of the p53 gene from seven cutaneous melano ma cell lines showed an absence of mutations. However, both control an d melanoma cell lines sequences were different from the reference sour ce obtained from GenBank databank (accession No. X54156). Base pairs 1 01 and 689 were determined to be T (instead of A) and C (instead of G) . Also, an additional C was not detected at position 371. Comparative analysis with p53 DNA-binding sequences, a sequence recognized by a p5 3 intron 4-binding protein and consensus sequences recognized by trans cription factors demonstrated that intron 4 contains putative sequence s for NF-kappa B, SP1, AP1 and TFIID binding. Binding of transcription factors could be one of the mechanisms by which intron 4 modulates hu man p53 expression.