The maf proto-oncogene stimulates transcription from multiple sites in a promoter that directs Purkinje neuron-specific gene expression.

L7 is expressed in all adult cerebellar Purkinje cells, although during development it appears in a stereotyped spatial and temporal pattern that is manifested as parasagittal domains of neurons. Mutations of the L7 promoter in transgenic mice have established that these domains represent functional compartments of Purkinje neurons. Therefore, it is hoped that by defining the transcriptional control of the L7 gene insights into the mechanisms that control functional fate and organization in the nervous system can be gained. Fragments of the L7 promoter were introduced into a selectable reporter gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and these strains were used to select for cerebellar cDNAs encoding proteins that can bind to, and activate transcription from, these elements. This assay identified the c-Maf proto-oncogene as activating transcription from two sites in the L7 promoter. We did a functional domain analysis of vertebrate c-Maf based upon transcriptional activation in S. cerevisiae and showed the requirement for a transactivation domain, leucine zipper, and DNA-binding region in c-Maf. The c-Maf interaction site was mapped to the sequence G/TGG/CNG/TNCT CAGNN in the L7 promoter, which represents an atypical 12-O-tetradecanoate-13-acetate-responsive element-type Maf-responsive element. However, neither Fos nor Jun, either alone or in combination with each other or c-Maf, altered transcription from this element. In contrast, a Maf-related protein, Nrl, completely mimicked c-Maf actions. These data suggest that Maf may interact with additional basic-zipper proteins that determine a subtype of Maf-responsive element binding.