Upstream activating sequence

An upstream activation sequence (UAS) is a cis-acting regulatory sequence. It is distinct from the promoter and increases the expression of a neighbouring gene. Due to its essential role in activating transcription, the upstream activating sequence is often considered to be analogous to the function of the enhancer in multicellular eukaryotes.^[1]

Examples of Upstream Activation Sequences in Research

GAL1-GAL10 Intergenic Region

Several studies have been conducted with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to explore the exact function of upstream activation sequences, often focusing on the GAL1-GAL10 intergenic region [1]. Its property to bind the GAL4 protein is utilised in the GAL4/UAS technique for controlled gene misexpression in Drosophila. In this technique, four related binding sites between the GAL10 and GAL1 loci in Saccharomyces cerevisiae serve as an Upstream Activating Sequences (UAS) element through GAL4 binding.^[2].

One study explored the galactose-responsive upstream activation sequence (UAS_G),looking at the influence of proximity to this UAS for nucleosome positioning. The role of specific regions of UAS_G was analyzed by inserting oligonucleotides with different binding properties, leading to the successful identification of a region responsible for the creation of an ordered array.^[3].

Another study looked at the effect of inserting the UAS_G into the promoter region of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GPD). When compared to the native GPD promoter, the transcriptional activity remained equivalently enhanced under induced conditions.^[4]

References

^ Webster, Nocholas; Jin, Jia Rui; Green, Stephen; Hollis, Melvyn; Chambon, Pierre (29 January 1988). "The Yeast UAS_G is a transciptional enhancer in human hela cells in the presence of the GAL4 trans-activator". Cell. 52 (2): 169–178.
^ Duffy, Joseph B. (2002). "GAL4 system in Drosophilia: A Fly Geneticist's Swiss Army Knife". Genesis. 34 (1–2): 1–15.
^ Fedor, Martha J.; Lue, Neal F.; Kornberg, Roger D. (5 November 1988). "Statistical positioning of nucleosomes by specific protein-binding to an upstream activating sequence in yeast". Journal of Molecular Biology. 204 (1): 109–127.
^ Bitter, Grant A.; Egan, Kevin M. (30 September 1988). "Expression of interferon-gamma from hybrid yeast GPD promoters containing upsream regulatory sequences from the GAL1-GAL10 intergenic region". Gene. 69 (2): 193–207.

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[1] Webster, Nocholas; Jin, Jia Rui; Green, Stephen; Hollis, Melvyn; Chambon, Pierre (29 January 1988). "The Yeast UAS_G is a transciptional enhancer in human hela cells in the presence of the GAL4 trans-activator". Cell. 52 (2): 169–178.

[2] Duffy, Joseph B. (2002). "GAL4 system in Drosophilia: A Fly Geneticist's Swiss Army Knife". Genesis. 34 (1–2): 1–15.

[3] Fedor, Martha J.; Lue, Neal F.; Kornberg, Roger D. (5 November 1988). "Statistical positioning of nucleosomes by specific protein-binding to an upstream activating sequence in yeast". Journal of Molecular Biology. 204 (1): 109–127.

[4] Bitter, Grant A.; Egan, Kevin M. (30 September 1988). "Expression of interferon-gamma from hybrid yeast GPD promoters containing upsream regulatory sequences from the GAL1-GAL10 intergenic region". Gene. 69 (2): 193–207.

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