Gene transcriptions/Boxes/ATAs

The ATA box is a variant of the TATA box that appears in the globin and other genes. Instead of a sequence TATA as in the TATA box, the ATA box lacks the first thymine (T) and may be tissue specific.

Consensus sequences
"The 3' flanking area contained the highly conserved hexanucleotide sequence A-A-T-A-A-A found in eukaryotic messages between the terminator codon and the polyadenylylation site (44)."

"ATA boxes [AATAAA] can be clearly identified in the chicken αA- and αD-globin genes about 70 bp upstream from the initiator ATG codon [...] The sequences of the proposed cap sites agree with those determined for other globin genes (Fig. 6A; Refs. 15, 24, and 32) as do their positions relative to the ATA boxes"

An ATA box may have the sequence AAATAT. The CArG box has the sequence CCTATTATGG.

"The [Sminthopsis crassicaudata putative embryonic β-globin gene] ATA box, located 30 bp 5' to the putative cap site, is of the form AAATAAAA typically found in eutherian embryonic β-like globin genes. In sequence comparisons with ATA boxes from human, mouse, and [Didelphis virginiana] adult and embryonic β-like globin genes, the S.c-ε ATA box was found to most closely resemble that found in the D. virginiana ε-globin gene (Fig 4)."

This suggests a consensus sequence of 3'-AAATA(A/T)A-5' on the template strand, or perhaps 3'-(A/C/G/T)AATA(A/T)A-5'.

Human genes
GeneID: 3043 HBB hemoglobin subunit beta [ Homo sapiens (human) ] "The alpha (HBA) and beta (HBB) loci determine the structure of the 2 types of polypeptide chains in adult hemoglobin, Hb A. The normal adult hemoglobin tetramer consists of two alpha chains and two beta chains. Mutant beta globin causes sickle cell anemia. Absence of beta chain causes beta-zero-thalassemia. Reduced amounts of detectable beta globin causes beta-plus-thalassemia. The order of the genes in the beta-globin cluster is 5'-epsilon -- gamma-G -- gamma-A -- delta -- beta--3'."

Cystatin genes
The "four cystatin genes [GeneID: 1469 CST1, GeneID: 1470 CST2, GeneID: 1471 CST3, and GeneID: 1472 CST4] contain the ATA-box sequence (ATAAA) in their 5'-flanking regions; however, the CAT-box sequence (CAT), a binding site of the transcription factor, CTF, is found only in the 5'-flanking region of the S-type cystatin genes."

β-thalassemia
"DNA sequence analysis of a cloned β-globin gene from a Chinese patient with β-thalassemia revealed a single nucleotide substitution (A→ G) within the ATA box homology and 28 base pairs upstream from the cap site."

"Comparison of the level of β-globin transcripts in a variety of deletion mutants shows that for efficient transcription, both the ATA or Goldberg–Hogness box, and a region between 100 and 58 base pairs in front of the site at which transcription is initiated, are required. Deletion of either of these regions results in a decrease in the level of β-globin transcripts by an order of magnitude; deletion of the ATA box causes an additional loss in the specificity of the site of initiation of RNA synthesis. The DNA sequences downstream from the ATA box, including the natural β-globin mRNA cap site, are dispensable for transcription in vivo."

"The first is a sequence rich in the nucleic acids adenine and thymine (the Goldberg-Hogness, "TATA," or "ATA" box) which is located 20-30 base pairs upstream from the RNA initiation site (the cap site which is the transcriptional start site for the mRNA) and is characterized by a concensus sequence (5'-TATAA-ATA-3')."

Hypotheses

 * 1) A1BG is not transcribed by an ATA box.