This thesis gives insight into the way that transcription of the insulin gene is regulated by nutrients. This is achieved primarily by characterising a MAP kinase pathway which links glucose metabolism to the activation of a beta cell transcription factor IUF1. An understanding of the precise mechanisms by which nutrients control beta cell function may be invaluable for the development of artificial cell lines that can be used for gene replacement therapy. A study of the E2 element of the rat II promoter illustrated that at least three factors bound to the region. These were identified as IUF1 (complex D5), USF (complex D4) and an uncharacterised factor D3. IUF1 is a beta cell specific transcription factor that has been implicated previously in glucose responsive insulin gene transcription. IUF1 binds to the insulin promoter in response to high levels of extracellular glucose. USF has been shown to be involved in the carbohydrate responsive transcription of various hepatic genes. The recently characterised stress activated (Reactivating Kinase) MAP kinase pathway was clearly shown to be involved in mediating the link between glucose metabolism within the beta cell and the binding activity of IUF1. Phosphorylation of the factor serves to induce an alteration in protein structure, which converts the factor to an active form that shows a high affinity for its DNA binding site, thus activating transcription. The RK pathway may prove to be a crucial link between nutrient metabolism and the activity of other physiological processes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:361786 |
| Date | January 1997 |
| Creators | Smith, Stuart Barrie |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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