Analysis of the human adrenodoxin promoter: evidence for its activity

Adrenodoxin is an iron-sulfur protein serving as an electron transfer intermediate in the mitochondrial cytochrome P450 system. To study its transcriptional regulation we construct a human adrenodoxin genomic clone which includes 333 bp of DNA upstream of the mRNA start site. This DNA contains a TATA box and two GC boxes. When we place it in front of the CAT reporter gene and transfect it into the recipient cell lines, it directs transcription of the CAT gene. This DNA in reverse orientation does not show any transcriptional activity. This promoter element functions in three mammalian cell lines: JEG-3, COS-1, and Y-1.