This project is currently characterizing the genomic structure of the human Ets-2 gene. Oligonucleotides and DNA fragments containing 5' sequences of the Ets-2 gene have been used with electrophoretic mobility shift assay and in vitro footprinting assays to identify nuclear binding proteins that may regulate gene expression. Transfection experiments have been used to support a functional role for the interaction of these factors with the Ets-2 DNA sequences. An Sp1-like factor has been shown by these experiments to have functional interactions with a region of DNA containing extensive homopurine/homopyrimidine strand asymmetry and several inverted mirror repeats. Sequence-specific, single-strand DNA binding factors are also being examined in a similar manner for a possible role in the regulation of gene expression through this region.
