Sequences for promoting epidermal cell-specific transcription

The present disclosure provides a detailed characterization of the sequences and factors controlling expression of a human gene expressed specifically in keratinocytes. Using 5' upstream sequence of the human K14 keratin gene coupled to one of two reporter genes, sequences necessary and sufficient for expression of K14 have been examined in both cultured human keratinocytes and in mitotically active basal keratinocytes of transgenic mouse epidermis. The existence of distal and proximal elements located 5' from the transcription initiation site of the hK14 gene is demonstrated, which when combined with a TATA box element, appear to act in concert to drive keratinocyte-specific expression. The proximal element was also examined. After using CAT assays to narrow the transcriptional activation element to within 110 bp, the existence of a keratinocyte nuclear factor was determined, termed KER1 (AP2), which binds to the 10 bp palindromic sequence, 5' G C C T G C A G G C 3', within this domain. The data suggest that both the sequence and the nuclear factor that has been identified are involved, in conjunction with a distal element (-1700 to -2100 of the human K14 gene) in controlling keratinocyte-specific expression in vitro and in vivo.

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What is claimed is:

1. A segment of DNA of up to 2100 nucleotides in length and comprising functionally translocatable keratinocyte gene regulatory distal and proximal elements from the human K14gene, provided that said segment is free of the structural gene ordinarily under the transcriptional control of said regulatory elements, wherein

(a) the proximal element comprises the nucleotide sequence: 5'-G-C-C-T-G-C-A-G-G-C-3' and a TATA box; and

(b) the distal element encompasses nucleotides -1700 to -2100 of the human K14 gene contained in plasmid pGK14P.

2. The DNA segment of claim 1, defined further as a segment of up to 500 nucleotides in length.

3. A method for expressing a polypeptide in a recombinant host cell comprising:

(a) preparing a first DNA segment as defined by claim 1;

(b) constructing a second DNA segment by positioning said first DNA segment upstream from and proximal to a transcription initiation site of a selected structural gene encoding the polypeptide such that said structural gene is under thetranscriptional control of the keratinocyte gene regulatory elements of said first DNA segment;

(c) transforming said host cell with said second DNA segment; and

(d) culturing the transformed host cell to express the polypeptide.

4. The DNA segment of claim 1, further defined as -1 to -2100 of the human K14 gene.

5. A DNA molecule comprising functionally translocatable keratinocyte gene regulatory distal and proximal elements from the human K14 gene in combination with a structural gene not ordinarily under the transcriptional control of said elements,wherein

(a) the proximal element comprises the nucleotide sequence: 5'-G-C-C-T-G-C-A-G-G-C-3' and a TATA box; and

(b) the distal element encompasses nucleotides -1700 to -2100 of the human K14 gene contained in plasmid pGK14P;

and further wherein said structural gene and regulatory elements are combined in a manner such that said structural gene is under the transcriptional control of said regulatory elements.

6. The DNA molecule of claim 5, wherein the structural gene is a marker gene.

7. The DNA molecule of claim 5, wherein the proximal and distal regulatory elements are further defined as -1 to -2100 of the human K14 gene.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the structural gene is a marker gene.

9. A recombinant DNA vector comprising a DNA segment as defined by any one of claims 1, 2 or 6-7.

10. A recombinant cell comprising a recombinant DNA vector as defined by claim 9.

11. A recombinant DNA vector comprising a DNA molecule as defined by any one of claims 5 or 8.

12. The recombinant cell of claim 8, wherein said cell is a mammalian cell.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein said host cell is a mammalian cell.

14. The recombinant cell of claim 12, wherein said cell is a keratinocyte.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said host cell is a keratinocyte.

16. A segment of DNA comprising functionally translocatable keratinocyte gene regulatory distal and proximal elements from the human K14 gene, provided that said segment is free of the structural gene ordinarily under the transcriptional controlof said regulatory elements, wherein:

(a) the proximal element comprises the nucleotide sequence: 5'-G-C-C-T-G-C-A-G-G-C-3' and a TATA box; and

(b) the distal element encompasses nucleotides -1700 to -2100 of the human K14 gene contained in plasmid pGK14P.

17. A DNA molecule comprising functionally translocatable keratinocyte gene regulatory distal and proximal elements from the human K14 gene in combination with a structural gene not ordinarily under the transcriptional control of said elements,wherein:

(a) the proximal element comprises the nucleotide sequence: 5'-G-C-C-T-G-C-A-G-G-C-3' and a TATA box; and

(b) the distal element encompasses nucleotides -1700 to -2100 of the human K14 gene contained in plasmid pGK14P;

and further wherein said structural gene and regulatory elements are combined in a manner such that said structural gene is under the transcriptional control of said regulatory elements.