The 3’UTR contains regulatory elements that control mRNA 3’ end formation, polyadenylation, mRNA stability and translation, with an important function in gene expression regulation. Upstream sequence elements (USEs) arecis-regulatory sequences localized in the 3’UTR upstream of polyA signals (PAS), with a function in mRNA 3’ end formation, that have been well characterized in mammals, virus andDrosophila melanogaster. Here we studied the function of the 28 nucleotide USE from theDrosophila’s pologene inDanio rerioand human cell lines. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a subset of zebrafish, mouse and human genes that contain in their 3’UTR a USE associated with a non-canonical PAS. Microinjecting one-cell stage zebrafish embryos with a plasmid containing the USE sequence and its mutated form USEmt downstream of theGfpreporter gene showed that the USE activatesGfpexpression, revealing a new function for this non-coding sequence in gene expression in vertebrates. Furthermore, microinjection ofUSERNA reduces the activity of a USE sensor and induced severe malformation of the zebrafish embryo, indicating that theUSERNA may act as sponge sequestering RNA binding proteins (RBPs) necessary for USE function and correct mRNA biogenesis during embryogenesis. Additionally, we found that this mechanism is conserved in human cell lines, as overexpression of the USE leads to a decrease in the expression of nine USE-containing endogenous genes. We successfully identified three RBPs that bind to the USE – HuR, hnRNP C and PTBP1 and show that siRNA depletion of PTBP1 causes a deregulation in the expression of some of these genes. Finally, among several SNPs associated to human disease that overlap with the USE consensus, one (rs3087967) is associated with malignant tumor of colon and generates an ectopic consensus of USE in the 3’ UTR of POU2AF2/C11orf53 gene, causing a gain of function of the gene’s mRNA, suggesting its involvement in colon cancer development. Taken together our results show that the USE sequence is conserved in zebrafish, mouse and human genes, that it controls the expression of human genes by binding specific RBPs and moreover, that SNPs in USE might be involved in the development of human diseases.