Transcription factor GATA-3 in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): Molecular characterization, promoter activity and expression analysis

GATA-3 is a T cell-specific transcription factor and is essential for the development of the T cell lineage and differentiation of T helper type 2 cells. We have identified and characterized the full-length Atlantic salmon GATA-3 cDNA (3074 bp), having two zinc finger domains which are fully conserved within teleosts and higher vertebrates. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the Atlantic salmon GATA-3 (AsGATA-3) is strongly expressed in gills, thymus, and brain. Moreover, the involvement of GATA-3 in Atlantic salmon immune response was demonstrated by investigating the early time dependent expression profile of GATA-3 in spleen and head kidney following intraperitoneal injection of live Aeromonas salmonicida, LPS, and β-glucan. Furthermore, we have determined 1.9 kb of upstream promoter sequence and found a number of sequence motifs which match those of known transcription factor binding sites and the AsGATA-3 promoter is a TATA-less promoter. Activities of presumptive regulatory regions of this gene were assessed by transfecting different 5′ deletion constructs and the result showed the basal promoter and positive transcriptional regulator activity of AsGATA-3 gene is determined by sequences located between +58 and −199 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site (TSS). This study provides further insights into the transcriptional regulation of AsGATA-3.