Human gene for beta-microseminoprotein: its promoter structure and chromosomal localization

The gene for human beta-microseminoprotein (MSP, beta-inhibin, prostatic secretory protein94, or PSP94) was isolated. The nucleotide sequence of its upstream region (2,860 bp), exon 1 (35 bp), and a part of the following intron (218 bp) was determined. Transient transfection analysis on MSP-expressing (PC-3) and -nonexpressing (HepG2) cells using luciferase reporter plasmids suggested that the region from -2738 to -276 is not essential for the basal promoter activity, and that the regions from -275 to -207 and from -186 to -128 function in a cell-specific manner. The chromosome locus of the gene (MSMB) was determined through application of PCR to the DNAs of rodent-human somatic cell hybrids and also by the fluorescence in situ hybridization technique to be region q11.2 of chromosome 10.