Cloning and characterization of the promoter region of the human prostaglandin F2α receptor gene

The promoter region of the human prostaglandin F-2alpha receptor (FP) gene was isolated, sequenced, and characterized. The 5'-flanking region has minimal homology to the bovine, mouse, and rat FP promoters with the exception of a 100-bp region. The human promoter similarly lacks a canonical TATA-box and a CAAT-box. Potential binding sites for SP-1, GATA-1, STAT-1, and AP-1 are present in the 5'-flanking region. One major transcription start site was identified using 5' RLM-RACE analysis and mapped to an adenine residue 262 nucleotides upstream from the initiator codon in exon 2. Transfection of HeLa cells with FP promoter-GFP deletion constructs indicates that the (_)2437/(_)1946 region contains repressor activity. DNase I footprinting analysis of this region identifies a footprint over the GATA-like site at (_)2400. This suggests repression of basal FP transcription may be mediated by a GATA binding site. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.