An essential set of basic DNA response elements is required for receptor-dependent transcription of the lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (Lrat) gene
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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Prediction and Validation of Gene Regulatory Elements Activated During Retinoic Acid Induced Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation
Published on: June 21, 2016
Reza Zolfaghari1, A Catharine Ross
1Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Abstract:
Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) is essential for vitamin A storage. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated transcriptional regulation of the Lrat gene in vivo by all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and other retinoids. Analysis of a 2.5 kb segment of rat genomic DNA revealed that the region approximately 300 bp upstream from the transcription start site (TSS) is necessary for high luciferase (Luc) reporter activity in HEK293T and HepG2 cells. Although this region lacks retinoid receptor binding elements, it responded to the nuclear receptors RARalpha, RARbeta or RARgamma, with RXRalpha, with and without ligand. Removal of -111 bp from the TSS, which is well conserved in human, rat and mouse genomes, completely eliminated activity. This region contains several basic elements (TATA box, SP3 site, AP-1 site, CAAT box), all of which were essential. Nuclear extracts from RA-treated cells exhibited enhanced binding. Therefore, this proximal region together with basal transcription factors may be sufficient to drive Lrat expression.
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