Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a severe demyelinating disease, is caused by mutations in a gene coding for a peroxisomal membrane protein (ALDP), which belongs to the superfamily of ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters and has the structure of a half transporter. ALDP showed 38% sequence identity with another peroxisomal membrane protein, PMP70, up to now its closest homologue. We describe here the cloning and characterization of a mouse ALD-related gene (ALDR), which codes for a protein with 66% identity with ALDP and shares the same half transporter structure. The ALDR protein was overexpressed in COS cells and was found to be associated with the peroxisomes. The ALD and ALDR genes show overlapping but clearly distinct expression patterns in mouse and may thus play similar but nonequivalent roles. The ALDR gene, which appears highly conserved in

Activation of the HTLV‐I promoter by the viral Tax1 transactivator is mediated by a 21 bp sequence motif imperfectly repeated three times and composed of three exactly conserved domains (A, B and C from 5′ to 3′). We show here that the Tax1 response requires the integrity of the B domain and of at least one of the flanking A or C domains. We have identified three cellular proteins which bind specifically to the 21 bp motif. One of these is the already well‐characterized transcription factor ATF. The other two, namely HEB1 and HEB2, are specific for the 21 bp motif. HEB1 can bind to either domain A or C, but binding of ATF and HEB2 is determined by domain B. However, neither domain B alone, nor ATF/CREB binding sites respond significantly to Tax1. We therefore propose that Tax1 induction of the 21 bp enhancer element requires interaction with the two different cellular proteins identified in this study: HEB1 and HEB2, rather than binding of the ATF factor.

Transcription driven by the HTLV‐I promoter is strongly activated by the viral transactivator protein Tax1. This effect is mediated via a 21 bp sequence which is imperfectly repeated three times in the viral promoter. We showed previously that a single 21 bp copy exhibits a strong Tax1‐inducible enhancer activity and is able to bind different cellular proteins, namely ATF, HEB1 and HEB2. We have further investigated the molecular mechanism involved in the Tax1 induction of the 21 bp motif's enhancer activity by analysing Tax1 interaction with this DNA sequence. For this purpose a HeLa cell line constitutively expressing a functional Tax1 protein was established and nuclear extracts of these cells were used to perform a DNA affinity precipitation assay. This experimental approach allowed us to show that Tax1 specifically binds to the 21 bp motif. The same sequence elements of the 21 bp motif are required both for Tax1 binding and for Tax1‐induced enhancer activity. Chromatographic fractionation of the HeLa tax nuclear extract showed that the binding is indirect and is mediated by the cellular factor HEB 1.