A 3' transcriptional enhancer within the coding sequence of a yeast gene encoding the common subunit of two...

A well-defined set of isogenic yeast strains has been constructed whereby each strain contains a different LPD::lacZ gene fusion integrated at the ura3 locus. These LPD::lacZ fusions differ in the amount of the LPD1 gene (encoding lipoamide dehydrogenase) that is fused to the lacZ reporter. Comparison of the beta-galactosidase activities of each strain during growth on glucose or ethanol revealed that some part of the LPD1 coding region between +13 and +700 is involved in activating gene expression in a carbon source-dependent manner. This activation occurs at the mRNA level, and is not mediated by changes in mRNA stability. Therefore, the LPD1 gene appears to contain a transcriptional enhancer that lies 3' to the transcriptional start site, and which responds to carbon source.