Abstract
A large body of evidence indicates that the genetic program of aging has co-evolved with the sexual mode of reproduction (Partridge, L., and Barton, N. H. (1993) Nature 362, 305-311). Age-dependent changes in target cell sensitivity to reproductive hormones can be considered part of this evolutionary linkage. Here we describe a novel regulatory element in the rat androgen receptor (AR) gene promoter associated with its age-dependent expression in the liver. This element consists of two (19 and 25 base pairs) contiguous sites, one specifically binding an Age-dependent Factor (ADF) and the other an Associated Factor (AF). Both deletion and point mutations of the ADF site result in about a 5-fold decline in the AR promoter function. Unlike AF, which is relatively tissue specific, ADF appears to be ubiquitous. The ubiquitous and evolutionarily conserved nature of ADF suggests a fundamental role of this novel transcription factor in programmed gene expression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 26400-26408 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Biological Chemistry |
Volume | 268 |
Issue number | 35 |
State | Published - Dec 15 1993 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology