An intron enhancer containing a 5' splice site sequence in the human calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide gene

Regulation of calcitonin (CT)/calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) RNA processing involves the use of alternative 3' terminal exons. In most tissues and cell lines, the CT terminal exon is recognized. In an attempt to define regulatory sequences involved in the utilization of the CT-specific terminal exon, we performed deletion and mutation analyses of a mini-gene construct that contains the CT terminal exon and mimics the CT processing choice in vivo. These studies identified a 127-nucleotide intron enhancer located approximately 150 nucleotides downstream of the CT exon poly(A) cleavage site that is required for recognition of the exon. The enhancer contains an essential and conserved 5' splice site sequence. Mutation of the splice site resulted in diminished utilization of the CT-specific terminal exon and increased skipping of the CT exon in both the mini-gene and in the natural CT/CGRP gene. Other components of the intron enhancer modified utilization of the CT-specific terminal exon and were necessary to prevent utilization of the 5' splice site within the intron enhancer as an actual splice site directing cryptic splicing. Conservation of the intron enhancer in three mammalian species suggests an important role for this intron element in the regulation of CT/CGRP processing and an expanded role for intronic 5' splice site sequences in the regulation of RNA processing.