The microtubule-associated protein tau is produced from a 6-kb mRNA expressed primarily in neurons. A 2-kb tau mRNA has also been characterized, which produces a tau isoform that localizes to the nucleus, and an 8-kb mRNA is expressed in the PNS. Mapping and sequencing of the human tau gene start showed that it has an unusually GC-rich 5'-untranslated region coded by a single untranslated exon (designated -1). Primer extensions and expression assays indicated that upstream of exon -1 is a promoter that is not neuron specific. This region contains consensus binding sites for transcription factors AP2, Sp1, and GCF.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Andreadis et al. (1996) studied this question.