A Simple and Precise Aberrant Translocation of the Rat c-myc Gene into the ϵ-Heavy Chain Switch Region of the IgE-producing Immunocytoma, IR162

Promoter region of the rat gene encoding ornithine aminotransferase: transcriptional activity, sequence, and DNase-I-hypersensitive sites

In the rat, the gene (rOAT) encoding ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) is expressed in all cell types examined; however, regulation of rOAT expression is complex and cell-type specific. Various regions of the rOAT 5' flanking domain were cloned upstream from the cat reporter gene, and the expression of these OAT::cat fusions was examined following transfection into rat kidney epithelial cells (NRK-52E), human embryonic kidney cells (293), and rat hepatoma cells (H-4-II-E). Although these experiments suggested the presence of one or more positive regulatory elements between nucleotides -661 and -158, and one or more negative elements upstream from nt -897, none of these putative elements appeared to function in a cell-type-specific manner. The nt sequence of 2531 bp of the rOAT domain flanking the promoter revealed several putative promoter/enhancer elements in positions analogous to the human OAT gene, numerous AGGTCA-like motifs related to the binding sites for the estrogen and thyroid hormone receptors, and multiple motifs resembling a putative regulatory element associated with genes encoding enzymes of the urea cycle. Finally, sensitivity of the 5' end of rOAT to cleavage by DNase I was examined, as DNase-I-hypersensitive sites (DHS) are often found in association with cis-acting regulatory elements. Two DHS were identified; one DHS approximately 140 bp upstream, and the second DHS approximately 300 bp downstream, of the transcription start point (tsp). These data provide the foundation upon which to base future studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms through which rOAT expression is regulated in a cell-type specific manner.

Transcriptional deregulation of myc in IgH/myc 6;7 translocation carrying rat immunocytomas

We have previously shown that the reciprocal translocation t(6;7) associated with the spontaneous immunocytoma of the Louvain rat (RIC) leads to the juxtaposition of myc to the IgH cluster. In 10 of 14 tumors investigated the breakpoints on the myc carrying chromosome were clustered in a 1.5 kb region 5' of the intact gene, proximal to the myc promoters. In this paper we describe the effect of the translocation on myc transcription in the RIC system. Run-on analysis showed transcriptional attenuation in the normal rat myc gene, similar to the situation in mice and humans. The attenuation was almost completely abrogated in the three immunocytomas studied. Sequence analysis of two tumors failed to reveal any structural changes within exon 1, as found by others in Burkitt's lymphoma. We also show that the transcriptional initiation of myc mRNA is changed in the RICs. In an established line of rat fibroblasts (Rat-2), the more distal myc promoter (P2) is the preferred site of initiation. In RIC, however, only 30% of transcripts were initiated from P2. We found that 40% of the transcripts were initiated from P1 and 30% from a novel promoter, designated P1a, located between P1 and P2.