Genetic control of levels of murine kidney glucuronidase mRNA in response to androgen.

Abstract

A cis-acting genetic element, designated Gus-r, regulates the androgen-induced rates of murine glucuronidase (EC 3.2.1.31) synthesis in kidney tubule cells and is tightly linked to the glucuronidase structural gene, Gus-s. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation, a glucuronidase-specific c[complementary]DNA sequence was cloned in plasmid pBR322. This cloned DNA was utilized as a probe in blot hybridization analyses to determine whether the control of androgen responsiveness of kidney glucuronidase synthesis of Gus-r is exerted over the level or the translatability glucuronidase mRNA. Glucuronidase mRNA exists as a single size class of approximately 2800 nucleotides. Androgen stimulation of glucuronidase synthesis is directly related to the level of glucuronidase mRNA. Strain differences in levels of kidney glucuronidase mRNA accumulated in response to androgen are controlled by alleles of Gus-r. Gus-r regulates the androgen responsiveness of glucuronidase synthesis by controlling the amount of glucuronidase mRNA available for translation and is a cis-acting genetic element that regulates the hormonal responsiveness of a specific mRNA.