The E-Box Motif, Recognized by Tissue-Specific Nuclear Factor(s), Is Important for BMP-4 Gene Expression in Osteogenic Cells

Abstract

We analyzed the promoter activity of mouse BMP-4 gene in three different types of cell lines and demonstrated that position −786 to −691 of the 5′-flanking region of exon I plays a critical role for regulation of tissue specific expression of mouse BMP-4 gene in cells of an osteogenic lineage. By use of site-directed mutagenesis, we have established that the E-box, CATCTG, located within this 5′-flanking region, is essential for tissue-specific transcriptional activation of mouse BMP-4 gene and demonstrated that an osteogenic lineage-specific novel transcriptional factor(s) recognizes this E-box.