A conserved region in the sea urchin U1 snRNA promoter interacts with a developmentally regulated factor

The expression of the sea urchin L. variegatus U1 snRNA gene is temporally regulated during embryogenesis. Using a microinjection assay we show that a region between 203 and 345 nts 5' of the gene is required for expression. There are four conserved regions between two sea urchin species in the 345 nts 5' to the U1 gene. One region, located at about -300, binds a protein factor which is present in blastula but not gastrula nuclei. Three other potential protein binding sites within the first 200 nts 5' to the gene have been identified using a mobility shift assay and/or DNase I footprinting. Two of these regions bind factors which are not developmentally regulated and one binds a factor which is developmentally regulated. It is likely that the factor which binds at -300 is involved in expression and developmental regulation of the sea urchin U1 snRNA gene.