Transacting regulation ofβglobin gene expression in erythroleukemia (K562) cells

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Abstract
K562 cells are induced by hemin to produce γ and γ globin but not β globin, although the β globin gene is intact, and when isolated is expressed in a transient expression assay (1, 2). We have previously shown that an ε globin gene transferred into K562 cells is expressed and inducible (3). In this paper, we report the stable transfer of a sickle or βS globin gene into K562 cells. Thirty-six differentransformed lines were tested; 24 of 36 lines contained an intact βS globin gene. However, using S1 nuclease, Dot blot, and Northern blotting analyses, none of these lines showed β globin mRNA expression. These results indicate that trans acting factors are responsible for the lack of expression of the β globin gene in K562 cells.