Identification of a nuclear factor that binds to a conserved sequence of the I-A beta gene

Human and murine class II genes of the MHC show a striking homology 50 to 120 bp upstream of the transcription start site. This area is composed of two conserved sequences (a 13-mer and an 8-mer separated by 19 to 20 bp). Recently, these conserved sequences have been identified as cis-acting transcriptional regulatory elements. We have sought nuclear factors that bind specifically to an upstream fragment (-245 to +75 bp) of the murine I-A beta chain gene that contains the conserved sequences by application of a modified gel electrophoresis DNA binding assay. We report here the identification of a nuclear factor whose binding site overlaps the 8-mer conserved sequence. This factor is present in murine B and T lymphocytes, macrophages, mastocytes, fibroblasts, and human B lymphocytes and macrophages. The binding site was defined by using DNase I and dimethylsulfate protection assays. The putative binding sequence is closely related to the sequence, CCAAT, which is often found associated with the promoter of a gene and is recognized by the transcriptional factors CCAAT-binding transcription factor and nuclear factor I. Oligonucleotides that contain the binding site sequences for nuclear factor I and the alpha-globin CCAAT element, however, do not compete for binding of the nuclear factor to the sequence identified here, suggesting that, in spite of the similarity of the binding sequence, the nuclear factor identified in this report may be different. This nuclear protein may be one of the trans-acting factors that mediate transcription of class II genes.