Characterization and sequence of the promoter region of the human epidermal growth factor receptor gene.

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Abstract
The promotor region of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor has been identified by in vitro transcription using EGF receptor genomic DNA fragments as template, and by primer extension and nuclease S1 mapping using EGF receptor mRNA. Six transcriptional start sites were identified. DNA sequence analysis shows that the promotor region contains neither a TATA box nor a CAAT box, has an extremely high G + C content (88%), and contains 5 CCGCCC repeats and 4 (TCC)TCCTCCTCC repeats. This promotor region is situated close to or within a DNase I-hypersensitive site in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells, which overproduce the EGF receptor. The EGF receptor gene promotor has some resemblance to the promotor of the hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase gene and the early promotor of simian virus 40. This similarity may offer a clue to the mechanism by which the receptor gene is regulated.