Human TMIGD1 Promoter Exhibits Robust Activity in Prokaryotic Cells

Gene transcription in eukaryotes is orchestrated by intricate regulatory architectures that depend on chromatin context and a diverse repertoire of transcription factors. Consequently, eukaryotic promoters are thought to be incompatible with the streamlined transcriptional machinery of bacteria. Here, we challenge this assumption by demonstrating that a minimal 90-bp fragment of the human TMIGD1 promoter functions as an active, constitutive promoter in Escherichia coli. This compact human sequence drives reproducible reporter expression at levels comparable to established moderate-strength bacterial promoters, revealing an unexpected convergence between human and bacterial transcriptional recognition mechanisms. The ability of a human promoter to operate across domains of life suggests that fundamental features of promoter architecture may be more deeply conserved─or evolutionarily constrained─than previously appreciated. Our findings expand the boundaries of promoter compatibility and open new opportunities for designing hybrid regulatory systems that leverage cross-kingdom transcriptional activity.