AJP - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Vol 268, Issue 3 381-L389, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society
Structure and function of the mouse surfactant protein B gene
M. A. Bruno, R. J. Bohinski, J. E. Carter, K. A. Foss and J. A. Whitsett
Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Division of Pulmonary Biology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
The mouse surfactant protein B (SP-B) gene was isolated from a DBA/2J EMBL3
genomic library, and the nucleotide sequence and transcriptional start site
was determined. The SP-B gene was comprised of 11 exons and 10 introns and
spanned 9,882 bases. Repetitive elements of the B1, B2, and R families and
several other motifs were located within nontranslated regions of the gene.
The 5' flanking region of the gene was utilized to express a bacterial
chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene in mouse and human
pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines. Transcriptionally active regions of
the promoter were identified that determined lung epithelial cell-specific
gene expression. Regions of the gene promoter shared between the mouse and
human SP-B gene were used to locate putative transcription factor binding
sites for thyroid transcription factor-1 and hepatocyte nuclear factor-3.
The 5' flanking region of the murine SP-B contains cell-specific cis-active
elements that regulate SP-B expression in the respiratory epithelium.
