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Molecular control of melatonin receptor gene expression

Reference	S11297
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor David Hazelrigg
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr David Miller
Institution	University of Aberdeen
Department	Agriculture and Forestry
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	151,912
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/08/1999
End date	01/08/2002
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Melatonin has been implicated in the foetal programming of neuroendocrine function, as well as circadian and photoperiodic responses. Although melatonin responsiveness depends on the expression of high affinity melatonin receptors, the mechanisms controlling receptor gene expression are not known. The project will explore the molecular control of melatonin receptor gene expression by promoter analysis. The developmental loss of melatonin receptors from the rat pars distalis (PD) will be used as a model since it offers the potential to isolate critical response elements and transcription factors through developmental changes in protein-DNA interaction. Following cloning of approximately 2 kilobases of genomic DNA upstream from the exon 1 start site of the Mel-1a melatonin receptor, DNase footprinting and gel-shift assays will be used to identify regions that interact with nuclear proteins. The function of candidate promoter elements will be investigated by luciferase-based reporter assays and in vitro transcription assays.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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