We have used comparative sequence analysis to evaluate a putative silencer
element that has been proposed to be involved in the differential tissue-ex
pression of the murine renin genes: Ren-1 and Ren-2. In the mouse, these ge
nes share a similar pattern of tissue-specific renin expression. One signif
icant difference is seen in the submandibular gland (SMG) where renin expre
ssion from the Ren-2 locus is 100-fold greater than the expression from the
Ren-1 locus. One model proposes that this differential expression arises f
rom the interplay among a negative regulatory element and a cAMP responsive
dement, their respective binding factors, and the disruption of the negati
ve regulatory element by an insertion (M2) that is found in Ren-2 but not i
n Ren-1. The abrogation of the negative regulatory element's function as a
result of the M2 insertion was proposed to be specifically responsible for
the higher level of Ren-2 expression in the SMG as compared with Ren-1. We
have assessed this hypothesis by looking at an allelic variant in the close
ly related mouse species M. hortulanus, This species shares the same high l
evel of Ren-2 expression in the SMG as seen in other Ren-a positive mouse s
trains. However, the Ren-2 M, hortulanus allele does not appear to contain
the disruptive M2 element according to restriction-enzyme mapping. Our sequ
ence analysis confirms that the M. hortulanus Ren-2 allele contains the sam
e sequence elements present in the DBA/2 Ren-2 allele except for the M2 ele
ment. Moreover, the proposed negative regulatory element is intact at the s
equence level in Ren-2 M. hortulanus allele. This analysis suggests that an
y involvement of the negative regulatory element in differential Ren-l and
Ren-a expression in the SMG is not as straightforward as previously hypothe
sized.