Identification of a composite enhancer of the human tyrosinase-related protein 2/DOPAchrome tautomerase gene.

The human tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) gene promoter contains a cis-regulatory element (positions -447 to -416), termed DOPAchrome tautomerase distal enhancer 1 (DDE1). DDE1 functions as an enhancer in cultured melanoma cells and its core element includes a potential binding site for transcription factors containing a high-mobility-group domain. This core element is bound in vitro by multiple nuclear proteins, which are preferentially expressed in melanoma cells. DDE1 represents a composite enhancer that may be involved in melanocyte-specific transcription of the human TRP-2 gene.