Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for rat hepatocytes and mammalian histone synthesis is functionally and temporally coupled to DNA replication. To gain an insight on the role of EGF in the regulation of H2B histone gene expression in primary hepatocyte cultures, the binding patterns of nuclear proteins to various elements in the H2B histone gene upstream region have been investigated. EGF induced H2B histone mRNA with maximal stimulation reached at 36 hours. The induction of H2B histone mRNA was dependent on the concentration of EGF and almost reduced by actinomycin‐D pretreatment. In DNase I footprinting analysis, one nuclear factor (TATA element‐binding protein, TBP) bound at ‐20 bp (TATA element)in either the absence or presence of EGF. One DNA‐protein complex was formed by DNA mobility shift assay when TATA element was incubated with nuclear extract prepared from EGF‐free hepatocytes, and the amount of TBP was increased after EGF treatment. These results suggest that TBP may be correlated with transcriptional regulation of H2B histone gene by EGF in primary hepatocytes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.