Characterization and purification of carbohydrate response element-binding protein of the rat L-type pyruvate kinase gene promoter.

The L-III transcriptional regulatory element of the rat pyruvate kinase L gene is located between -170 and -150 base pairs upstream of the hepatocyte-specific transcription initiation site. As the L-III element is not only necessary for cell type-specific expression but also for transcriptional stimulation by carbohydrates, it is also referred to as a carbohydrate-response element. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using rat liver nuclear extract showed that L-III element-binding protein (L-IIIBP) was observed as multiple bands. These bands disappeared when the nuclear extract was preincubated at 60 degrees C for 5 min and were competed with unlabeled L-III oligonucleotide but not with unlabeled adenovirus major late promoter E box oligonucleotide. In addition, these bands were not affected in the presence of antiserum against upstream stimulating factor (USF). Thus, we conclude that L-IIIBP is different from USF. Then, heat-labile L-IIIBP was purified from rat liver nuclear extracts. Purified L-IIIBP exhibited two bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by silver staining. Ultraviolet crosslinking experiment showed that both bands had binding activity to the L-III oligonucleotide. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.