A POLYOMAVIRUS ENHANCER MUTANT CONFERS UBIQUITOUS HIGH TRANSCRIPTIONAL EFFICIENCY TO THE SV40 LATE PROMOTER

To identify expression plasmids with high efficiency of transcription and with a broad tissue and cell range, we have constructed a recombin ant vector combining the late SV40 promoter and the polyomavirus regul atory region derived from a mutant (PyNB11/1) which displays a very wi de host range. We show that these recombinant enhancer-promoters are e fficient drivers for heterologous gene transcription and expression in vitro in all mouse and human cells tested. The most active combinatio n we identified contained the mutant enhancer (PyNB11/1) in the late o rientation. This construct was able to promote a high efficiency of ex pression without significant fluctuation between cells of different ti ssutal origin or different differentiative stage. A possible interpret ation of these results is discussed. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.