Changes in minor transcripts from the α1 and βmajglobin and glutathione peroxidase genes during erythropoiesis

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Abstract
We have analysed the transcriptional regulation of the murine α1 and βmaj globin genes and the glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) gene, which are all highly expressed during erythropoiesis. The levels of minor RNAs compared to the major message were monitored throughout differentiation within the erythroid lineage. For each gene, upstream transcripts arise from distinct clusters of sites which are regulated differently during differentiation: some occur only during early erythropoiesis, some occur early and persist to the terminal stages, while others accumulate later and roughly in parallel with the main RNA transcript. In addition, opposite strand transcripts from the GSHPx gene were found in increasing amounts during later stages of erythropoiesis. The initiation sites for specific subsets of these minor transcripts lie close to sequences known to be involved in globin gene regulation (i.e. the TATA, CAAT and the CACCCT boxes) or other conserved sequences; others lie close to developmentally regulated DNase I hypersensitive sites around the globin and GSHPx genes.