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The overlapping octamer/TAATGARAT motif is a high-affinity binding site for the cellular transcription factors Oct-1
1Department of Biochemistry, University College and Middlesex School of Medicine, London, U.K.
Abstract:
The octamer motif in cellular promoters and the related TAATGARAT element in the herpes simplex virus (HSV) immediate-early promoters can both bind cellular octamer-binding proteins. The overlapping octamer/TAATGARAT elements (consensus ATGCTAATGARAT) found in the HSV-1 IE1 promoter thus represent a composite motif, each portion of which can independently bind octamer-binding protein. By comparing the binding characteristics of this composite motif with its individual elements, we show that it binds a single molecule of either Oct-1 or Oct-2 with much higher affinity than does either an octamer or TAATGARAT motif alone. This strong binding allows this element to direct a much higher level of gene expression when linked to a heterologous promoter than that observed with each of its individual components.