Characterization of dermatan sulfate proteoglycan 3 (DSPG3) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)

Michelle Williams Deere, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston

Abstract

This dissertation describes the identification and characterization of human dermatan sulfate proteoglycan 3 (DSPG3) and the characterization of the transcriptional regulation of human cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in cartilage, ligament, and tendon cells. DSPG3 and COMP are two extracellular matrix proteins. The function of these ECM proteins is unknown. DSPG3 was cloned, sequenced, and shown to be expressed in cartilage, ligament, and placenta. DSPG3 was mapped to human chromosome 12q21, and the genomic structure was identified. 1.6 kb of the promoter region has been sequenced, and several putative SOX9 sites were identified as well as 3 TATA sites. Furthermore, an evolutionary tree of the SLRP gene family, which includes DSPG3, is presented. The promoter region of COMP was cloned and sequenced. Several putative transcription factor binding sites were identified including multiple AP2 and SP1 sites. Three transcription start sites were found to be located directly downstream of one of the SP1 sites. In addition, the expression of COMP was demonstrated to be higher in tendon than in cartilage and ligament by both Northern and Western blot analysis, and several regions of the COMP promoter were shown to contain cell-specific regulatory elements. Analysis of the proximal 370bp region of the COMP promoter has also identified distinct patterns of nuclear protein binding for the three tissues, and two SP1 sites may play a role in the tissue-specific expression of COMP.

Subject Area

Genetics|Molecular biology

Recommended Citation

Deere, Michelle Williams, "Characterization of dermatan sulfate proteoglycan 3 (DSPG3) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)" (1998). Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest). AAI9828232.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI9828232

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