Identification of a composite enhancer of the human tyrosinase-related protein 2/DOPAchrome tautomerase gene

The human tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) gene promoter contains a cis -regulatory element (positions -447 to -416), termed DOPAchrome tautomerase distal enhancer 1 (DDE1). DDE1 functions as an enhancer in cultured melano ma cells and its core element includes a potential binding site for transcr iption factors containing a high-mobility-group domain. This core element i s bound in vitro by multiple nuclear proteins, which are preferentially exp ressed in melanoma cells. DDE1 represents a composite enhancer that may be involved in melanocyte-specific transcription of the human TRP-2 gene. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.