Characterization of Korean cattle Keratin IV gene

Abstract

Keratins, the constituents of epithelial intermediate filaments, are precisely regulated in a tissue and development specific manner. There are two types of keratin in bovine. The type I is acidic keratin and the type II is neutral/basic keratin. 1.5 kb of 5′ flanking sequence of Korean cattle Keratin IV gene, type II keratin (59 kDa), was cloned and sequenced. A symmetrical motif AApuCCAAA are located in a defined region upstream of the TATA box. Proximal SP1, AP1, E-box and CACC elements as the major determinants of transcription are identified. When it was compared to the bovine sequence from -600 bp to ATG upstream, the homology was 97% in nucleotide sequence. Several A and T sequences, located in the promoter region, are deleted in the Korean cattle. An expression vector consisted of Korean cattle Keratin IV gene promoter/SV40 large T antigen was transfected to HaCaT cell (Epithelial keratinocyte). The transformed HaCaT cells showed active proliferation when treated with PDGF (Platelet-derived growth factor) in 0.3% soft agar compared to control cells. These results indicate that Korean cattle Keratin IVgene promoter can be used as a promoter for transfection into epithelial cell.