Deletion analysis of the human CD2 gene locus control region in transgenic mice

Genomic sequences located at the 3' flanking region of the human CD2 gene confer high level tissue-specific, position-independent expression of the gene when introduced in the germ line of mice. In order to further characterize these sequences a range of deletions, from the 3' end were produced and transgenic mice were generated with the human CD2 (hCD2) gene linked to these deleted fragments. This allowed us to establish the minimum sequences necessary for the copy-dependent transgene expression. 2.1 kb or 1.5 kb of 3' flanking sequences linked to a hCD2 mini-gene is sufficient to allow T-cell specific, copy-dependent, integration-independent expression in transgenic mice. 1.1 kb of 3' sequences results in the gene being expressed in a T-cell specific manner, but copy-dependent, integration-independent expression was not observed in a small number of transgenic animals. 0.2 or 0.5 kb of 3' flanking sequences were insufficient to allow expression above the level previously found with a human CD2 gene which lacked 3' flanking sequences. We conclude that the Locus Control Region (LCR) effect is caused by 1.5 kb of flanking sequences immediately 3' to the polyadenylation signal of the gene.