REGULATION OF THE ERYTHROID KRUPPEL-LIKE FACTOR (EKLF) GENE PROMOTER BY THE ERYTHROID TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR GATA-1

Erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF) is an erythroid-specific transcri ption factor that binds a CACCC motif found in the human beta-globin g ene promoter. We have studied the promoter of the EKLF gene and identi fied binding sites for the transcription factors GATA-1 and CCAAT-bind ing Protein 1 (CP1). We show that both types of binding sites are requ ired for full activity, and that the GATA motif at -60 is essential. T he EKLF promoter can be directly activated in nonerythroid cells in co l transfection experiments by forced expression of GATA-1. These resul ts suggest that EKLF is dependent on GATA-1 for its expression and lie s downsteam of, or coincident with, GATA-1 in a regulatory hierarchy i n erythroid development.