Structural and promoter regions of the murine pyruvate carboxylase gene

We have cloned and sequenced the gene encoding mouse pyruvate carboxylase ( mPC) [EC 6.4.1.1]. The coding region contains 19 exons, one 5'-untranslated region exon, and 19 introns in 22 kb of genomic DNA. This gene's exon/intr on organization is highly conserved with respect to rat and human PC genes. The mPC gene promoter lacks canonical TATA and CCAAT boxes, in common with a number of housekeeping genes. Transient expressions in COS-1 of a lucife rase reporter gene under the control of 5'-nested deletions of the 5'-flank ing sequence of the mPC gene have identified the 166-bp minimal sequence re quired for basal transcription. Alternative splicing at the 5'-untranslated region exon of the mouse PC gene results in the production of two alternat e transcripts bearing different 5'-noncoding regions. Both transcripts are highly expressed in kidney and liver and moderately expressed in heart and testis and expressed at a low level in spleen. (C) 2001 Academic Press.