ID sequence-binding protein factors during development of mice

The ID repetitive sequence has been reported to be transcribed as small RNA in both a brain-specific and a developmental stage-specific manner. Several brain-specific proteins required for transcription, along with RNA polymerase III, may be involved in controlling the gene activity throughout development. We analyzed extracts from the brains and livers of mice in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Of ID sequence-binding proteins, we detected a protein factor(s) that interacts specifically with the region between two promoter sequences for RNA polymerase III. This protein factor seems to be relevant to postnatal accumulation of the small RNA transcripts of ID sequences, since its time course of expression is consistent with that of the synthesis of the small RNA during development. A penta-nucleotide direct repeat (GCAAG) and its inverted complement (CTTGC) are both present in that region and may be involved in the binding site for the protein factor. The biological significance of the binding site and interacting protein factor(s) is discussed.