pDRIVE-NphsI

NphsI promoter (Podocytes) in pDRIVE expression plasmid

Nephrin is a transmembrane protein that belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily and is localized to the slit diaphragms that are a critical component of the glomerular filtration barrier in the kidney.

A 1.25 kb fragment of the nephrin gene promoter, which includes the initiation codon and immediate 5’-flanking region, is capable of directing podocyte-specific expression of a β-galactosidase transgene in vivo [1,2].

This promoter lacks a TATA box but contains GATA binding sites and E-box consensus sequences. An enhancer was identified within the proximal promoter which is activated by the Wilms tumor suppressor protein (WT1) in vitro [3].

References:

1. Wong MA. et al., 2000. Identification and characterization of a glomerular-specific promoter from the human nephrin gene. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 279(6):F1027-32.
2. Moeller MJ. et al., 2002. Two gene fragments that direct podocyte-specific expression in transgenic mice. J Am Soc Nephrol. 13(6):1561-7.
3. Guo G. et al., 2004. WT1 activates a glomerular-specific enhancer identified from the human nephrin gene. J Am Soc Nephrol. 15(11):2851-6.