TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION OF THE HUMAN H-FERRITIN-ENCODING GENE (FERH) IN G418-TREATED CELLS - ROLE OF THE B-BOX-BINDING FACTOR

We have analysed the molecular basis underlying the increase in ferrit in heavy-chain mRNA (FERH) levels in cells exposed to the antibiotic G eneticin (G418). Transient transfection experiments demonstrate that t his increase is paralleled by an enhanced transcription driven by the promoter (pFERH) for the human FERH gene, in which the most proximal p romoter element (B-box) appears to play a key role. This region is con served in human and rat, and binds an unknown factor. The DNA-protein complex composed of B-box-binding factor and its cis-element becomes m ore abundant in the G4l8-treated cells, as compared with the untreated ones.