Abstract
Transfection of genes into tissue culture cell lines has demonstrated that relatively short DNA sequences can allow expression of inmiunoglobulin1–3, insulin and chymotrypsin4 genes in their appropriate cell types. A definitive test of cell-specific gene expression, however, requires testing genes in every possible cell type, an experiment performed easily by introducing the gene in question into the germ line of an animal. Transfer of intact genes into mice has demonstrated that a mouse immunglobulin κ gene is expressed specifically in B lymphocytes5,6, a rat elastase I gene is expressed specifically in pancreas7 and a chicken transferrin gene is expressed preferentially in liver8. Mouse metallothionein-growth hormone fusion genes introduced into mice are preferentially expressed in the liver, consistent with the expression of endogenous metallothionein genes9, but initial experiments with β-globin genes have not revealed proper regulation10–12. To identify the DNA elements required for pancreas-specific expression of the rat elastase I gene, we joined the 5′-flanking region of this gene to the human growth hormone (hGH) structural gene and introduced the fusion gene into mice. Here we demonstrate that a fusion gene containing only 213 base pairs (bp) of elastase I gene sequence directs expression of hGH in pancreatic acinar cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gillies, S. D., Morrison, S. L., Oi, V. T. & Tonegawa, S. Cell 33, 717–728 (1983).
Banerji, J., Olson, L. & Schaffner, W. Cell 33, 729–740 (1983).
Queen, C. & Baltimore, D. Cell 33, 741–748 (1983).
Walker, M. D., Edlund, T., Boulet, A. M. & Rutter, W. J. Nature 306, 557–561 (1983).
Brinster, R. L. et al. Nature 306, 332–336 (1983).
Storb, U., O'Brien, R. L., McMullen, M. D., Gollahon, K. A. & Brinster, R. L. Nature 310, 238–241 (1984).
Swift, G. H., Hammer, R. E., MacDonald, R. J. & Brinster, R. L. Cell 38, 639–646 (1984).
McKnight, G. S., Hammer, R. E., Kuenzel, E. A. & Brinster, R. L. Cell 34, 335–341 (1983).
Palmiter, R. D., Norstedt, G., Gelinas, R. E., Hammer, R. E. & Brinster, R. L. Science 222, 809–814 (1983).
Wagner, E. F., Stewart, T. A. & Mintz, B. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 5016–5020 (1981).
Stewart, T. A., Wagner, E. F. & Mintz, B. Science 217, 1046–1048 (1982).
Lacy, E., Roberts, S., Evans, E. P., Burtenshaw, M. D. & Costantini, F. D. Cell 34, 343–358 (1983).
Seeburg, P. H. DNA 1, 239–249 (1982).
Hammer, R. E., Palmiter, R. D. & Brinster, R. L. Advances in Gene Technology Vol. 1 (eds Ahmad, F., Black, S., Schultz, J., Scott, W. A. & Whelan, W.) 52–60 (ICSU Press, Miami, 1984).
Swift, G. H. et al. J. biol. Chem. (in the press).
Durnam, D. M. & Palmiter, R. D. Anal. Biochem. 131, 385–393 (1983).
Chirgwin, J. M., Prezybyla, A. E., MacDonald, R. J. & Rutter, W. J. Biochemistry 24, 5294–5299 (1979).
Ashley, P. L. & MacDonald, R. J. Analyt. Biochem. 140, 95–103 (1984).
Glisin, V., Crkvenjakov, R. & Byus, C. Biochemistry 13, 2633–2637 (1974).
Lehrach, H., Diamond, D., Wozney, J. M. & Boedtker, H. Biochemistry 16, 4743–4751 (1977).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ornitz, D., Palmiter, R., Hammer, R. et al. Specific expression of an elastase–human growth hormone fusion gene in pancreatic acinar cells of transgenic mice. Nature 313, 600–602 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/313600a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/313600a0
This article is cited by
-
Strategies for selection marker-free swine transgenesis using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system
Transgenic Research (2011)
-
Enzymatic engineering of the porcine genome with transposons and recombinases
BMC Biotechnology (2007)
-
PERK eIF2 alpha kinase is required to regulate the viability of the exocrine pancreas in mice
BMC Cell Biology (2007)
-
Recent advances in transgenic technology
Molecular Biotechnology (1997)
-
Visualization and ablation of phenylethanolamineN-methyltransferase producing cells in transgenic mice
Transgenic Research (1994)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.