Characterization of a mammalian ribosomal protein gene promoter

The presence of specific promoter elements, notably the TATA and GC boxes, has been useful for categorizing genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. The gene for the murine ribosomal protein (r-protein) L32 lacks both of these elements, although it has GC-rich regions. The conditions required for its optimal synthesis in vitro, however, resemble the properties of promoters containing TATA (adenovirus major late promoter) rather than GC boxes (dihydrofolate reductase). To further investigate the relationship of the r-protein gene to different promoter elements, transcription competition analyses were used to distinguish the presence of common protein-binding sequences. The low levels of competition observed by either the adenovirus major late promoter or dihydrofolate reductase promoter with the r-protein gene promoter resulted from general transcription factors present in each initiation complex. Competition by factors binding to common sequence elements was not observed, indicating the r-protein L32 gene possesses elements distinct from those present in the other genes examined.