Binding of proteins from embryonic and differentiated cells to a bidirectional promoter contained within a CpG island

We have analysed binding sites of nuclear protein factors to a CpG island (HTF9), which contains the promoter for a pair of overlapping, divergently-transcribed "housekeeping" genes. Using DNaseI protection assays with extracts from a range of differentiated and undifferentiated cell lines, including mouse embryonic stem (ES) and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, we located multiple protein binding sites on HTF9. Most of the sites were outside the defined core promoter and could bind to previously identified transcription factors. These included constitutive, inducible and apparently tissue-specific factors in an extremely asymmetric array relative to the transcription start sites of the two genes. A number of sites showed different binding specificities or affinities in different cell types, including ES cells. However, we found no factors that were specific for both ES and EC cells, and no protein-binding site protected exclusively in undifferentiated embryonic cells.