Differential requirements for cell-specific elastase I enhancer domains in transfected cells and transgenic mice

The 134-bp enhancer region of the pancreatic elastase I gene is sufficient to direct pancreatic acinar cell-specific transcription in transgenic mice and in transfected cells in culture. Ten-base-pair scanner mutations in three separate enhancer domains that inactivate enhancer function in transfected pancreatic cells in culture have no significant effect in transgenic mice. Because any pair of the three domains is sufficient to direct pancreas-specific expression in mice, no one domain is required for pancreas-specific transcription. Disruption of any two domains does inactivate the enhancer function in transgenic mice. Therefore, the elastase I enhancer domains essential for function in transfected cells in culture are not essential in animals but have a redundant function not apparent in transfected cells. This redundant function is not because of the particular acinar cell line used for transfections, the nature of the reporter gene, or the state of integration of the foreign test gene. We conclude that a trans-acting transcription factor or a modification of a factor(s) present in pancreatic cells of an animal is absent in pancreatic acinar cell lines.