Primary structure of the putative human oncogene, pim-1

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• The pim-1 gene encodes a serine/threonine kinase involved in cell proliferation and survival.
• Understanding the human pim-1 gene structure and regulation is crucial for its role in various biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and sequence the full-length human genomic pim-1 gene and its 5'-upstream promoter region (Ppim).
• To compare the human pim-1 gene and its promoter with their murine counterparts.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and sequencing of the 6.1-kb human genomic pim-1 gene and its 5'-upstream promoter.
• Nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis and comparison with the murine pim-1 gene.

Main Results:

• The human pim-1 gene consists of six exons and five introns, sharing 53% nucleotide identity with the murine gene.
• The predicted human Pim-1 protein (313 amino acids) shows 94% amino acid identity with the murine Pim-1.
• The human promoter region (Ppim) is G+C-rich and lacks TATA/CAAT boxes but contains potential transcription factor binding sites.

Conclusions:

• The human pim-1 gene is highly conserved compared to its murine homolog, particularly in protein-coding regions and conserved kinase domains.
• The characterized human promoter region suggests complex transcriptional regulation involving various transcription factors.