A Combined Computational and Experimental Study on the Structure-Regulation Relationships of Putative Mammalian {DNA} Replication Initiator {GINS}

摘要

GINS, a heterotetramer of SLD5, PSF1, PSF2, and {PSF3} proteins, is an emerging chromatin factor recognized to be involved in the initiation and elongation step of {DNA} replication. Although the yeast and Xenopus {GINS} genes are well documented, their orthologous genes in higher eukaryotes are not fully characterized. In this study, we report the genomic structure and transcriptional regulation of mammalian {GINS} genes. Serum stimulation increased the {GINS} mRNA levels in human cells. Reporter gene assay using putative {GINS} promoter sequences revealed that the expression of mammalian {GINS} is regulated by 17β-Estradiol-stimulated estrogen receptor α, and human {PSF3} acts as a gene responsive to transcription factor E2F1. The goal of this study is to present the current data so as to encourage further work in the field of {GINS} gene regulation and functions in mammalian cells.