Rat renin gene transcription is initiated at a single start site

The promoter region of the renin gene in man, mouse and rat contains several putative transcription start sites, which in mouse have been shown to be tissue specific and differently regulated. To investigate which of these start sites are used during stimulation of renin gene transcription by the major physiological control factors, we determined the transcription start sites of rat renin in the kidney and adrenal glands by RNase protection using a cRNA probe spanning 387 bases upstream and 121 bases downstream from the canonical transcription initiation site. To stimulate renin gene expression, we used renal artery stenosis, angiotensin II antagonists, furosemide and isoprenaline infusions and low sodium diet. Our results suggest that only one TATA box is functional in rat kidney and adrenal.