The human GATA-6 gene: structure, chromosomal location, and regulation of expression by tissue-specific and mitogen-responsive signals. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • GATA factors constitute a family of transcriptional regulatory proteins expressed with distinct developmental and tissue-specific profiles and thought to regulate cell-restricted programs of gene expression. Here we describe the molecular cloning, chromosomal location, and transcription of the human GATA-6 gene. The GATA-6 cDNA encodes a predicted 449-amino-acid protein, which is highly conserved among vertebrates, and includes the two adjacent zinc-finger/basic domains characteristic of the GATA factor family. GATA-6 maps to human chromosome 18q11.1-q11.2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The gene is transcribed in a pattern overlapping that of GATA-4. Transcripts for both of these genes are prominent in heart, pancreas, and ovary, but only GATA-6 mRNA is found in lung and liver. GATA-6 transcripts are also detected in cultures of human and rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In VSMCs, GATA-6 transcripts are down- regulated when quiescent cultures are stimulated to proliferate in response to mitogen activation. These data demonstrate that GATA-6 is subject to both tissue-specific and mitogen-responsive regulatory signals. GATA-6 is a prime candidate for a gene that might regulate the differentiative state of VSMCs.

publication date

  • December 15, 1996

Research

keywords

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genes
  • Mitogens
  • Transcription Factors

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0030589639

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1006/geno.1996.0630

PubMed ID

  • 8975704

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 38

issue

  • 3