# STRUCTURE AND EXPRESSION OF THE BOVINE ELASTIN GENE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 1987 · $110,696

## Abstract

The overall objective of this research is to obtain and characterize the
entire bovine elastin gene including the 5' flanking region and to study
regulation of elastin gene transcription.  We have already obtained and
sequenced a 1300 bp cDNA from sheep elastin and characterized 10 kb of the
3' end of the bovine elastin gene.  The remainder of the bovine elastin
gene will be obtained by screening of lambda and cosmid genomic libraries.
Once obtained, the gene will be characterized by restriction enzymes, S1
mapping and DNA sequencing.  Detailed characterization of the elastin gene
is important to:  (1) determine the primary structure of elastin which has
not been completely determined at protein level, (2) find out whether the
elastin gene arose from gene duplication of the hydrophobic and crosslink
regions, (3) identify possible multiple types of elastin.

Bovine nuchal ligament fibroblasts will be utilized to study the mechanisms
involved in the control of elastin synthesis.  Previous observations on
transcriptional control of elastin synthesis will be extended by using cDNA
probes to quantitate elastin mRNA extracted from nuchal ligaments of
various age bovine foetuses and from cultured fibroblasts derived from
these ligaments.  The mechanism of the glucocorticoids stimulation of
elastin synthesis will be investigated by similar method.

Our final aim will be to determine the elements in the elastin gene which
are responsible for control of transcription.  The gene for an easily
assayable enzyme, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) will be fused to
the elastin promoter in a recombinant plasmids.  The transfected
recombinant plasmids will be used to study transcriptional control in (1)
bovine nuchal ligament fibroblasts from various age foetuses which normally
synthesize elastin to varying degrees, (2) bovine tendon fibroblasts which
normally do not synthesize elastin, (3) bovine nuchal ligament fibroblast
treated with glucocorticoids.  The amount of endogenous mRNA obtained from
nuchal ligament fibroblast will be quantitated and compared with the CAT
activity in each experiment.  Finally, the CAT assay will be used to
identity possible enhancer elements contained in the elastin gene.

The elastin fiber is an important connective tissue element in the
cardiovascular system, in the lung, in the dermis and other specialized
structures.  A clear understanding of elastin structure and control of
elastin synthesis is fundamental to understanding the development of these
tissues and their involvement in genetic and acquired diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157116
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035229-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GM1XX56LEP58
- **Principal Investigator:** JOEL ROSENBLOOM
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $110,696
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-20 → 1988-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157116

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157116, STRUCTURE AND EXPRESSION OF THE BOVINE ELASTIN GENE (5R01AR035229-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157116. Licensed CC0.

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