A mouse globin gene promoter is functional in SV40

Abstract

We have constructed two SV40 recombinants carrying a complete mouse alpha-globin gene with its presumptive promoter region. In one recombinant the globin gene can be transcribed either from its own promoter or from the adjacent viral late region promoter. In the other efficient globin expression should depend only upon the promoter carried by the chromosomal globin gene. We show that both viruses direct the synthesis of functional globin mRNA in infected monkey kidney cells and that this mRNA has a 5' terminus indistinguishable from that of authentic globin mRNA. These results suggest that the cloned globin gene contains a functional promoter that is accurately recognized in monkey kidney cells.