Showing papers on "Transcription (biology) published in 1992"
TL;DR: A functionally tripartite, 50-nt hypoxia-inducible enhancer which binds several nuclear factors, one of which is induced by Hypoxia via de novo protein synthesis.
Abstract: We have identified a 50-nucleotide enhancer from the human erythropoietin gene 3'-flanking sequence which can mediate a sevenfold transcriptional induction in response to hypoxia when cloned 3' to a simian virus 40 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene and transiently expressed in Hep3B cells Nucleotides (nt) 1 to 33 of this sequence mediate sevenfold induction of reporter gene expression when present in two tandem copies compared with threefold induction when present in a single copy, suggesting that nt 34 to 50 bind a factor which amplifies the induction signal DNase I footprinting demonstrated binding of a constitutive nuclear factor to nt 26 to 48 Mutagenesis studies revealed that nt 4 to 12 and 19 to 23 are essential for induction, as substitutions at either site eliminated hypoxia-induced expression Electrophoretic mobility shift assays identified a nuclear factor which bound to a probe spanning nt 1 to 18 but not to a probe containing a mutation which eliminated enhancer function Factor binding was induced by hypoxia, and its induction was sensitive to cycloheximide treatment We have thus defined a functionally tripartite, 50-nt hypoxia-inducible enhancer which binds several nuclear factors, one of which is induced by hypoxia via de novo protein synthesis
2,523 citations
1,244 citations
TL;DR: Results imply that the MDR1 gene could be activated during tumor progression associated with mutations in Ras and p53, and imply that drug resistance in human cancer is associated with overexpression of the multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene.
Abstract: Drug resistance in human cancer is associated with overexpression of the multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene, which confers cross-resistance to hydrophobic natural product cytotoxic drugs. Expression of the MDR1 gene can occur de novo in human cancers in the absence of drug treatment. The promoter of the human MDR1 gene was shown to be a target for the c-Ha-Ras-1 oncogene and the p53 tumor suppressor gene products, both of which are associated with tumor progression. The stimulatory effect of c-Ha-Ras-1 was not specific for the MDR1 promoter alone, whereas a mutant p53 specifically stimulated the MDR1 promoter and wild-type p53 exerted specific repression. These results imply that the MDR1 gene could be activated during tumor progression associated with mutations in Ras and p53.
746 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that Ssn6-Tup1 is a general repressor of transcription in yeast, recruited to target promoters by a variety of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins.
659 citations
TL;DR: Several antibodies raised against these proteins prove that they indeed do encode protein components of ISGF-3, and provides reagents to explore the modification of this cytoplasmically activated transcription factor.
Abstract: ISGF-3 is an interferon-dependent positive-acting transcription factor that is cytoplasmically activated, possibly through direct interaction with the interferon receptor. The factor has been purified, its component proteins have been separated, and its peptide sequences have been obtained. From the sequences, degenerate oligonucleotide probes were constructed to screen for cDNA clones. Sequencing of the selected clones shows that the 91- and 84-kDa components represent two forms of a previously unknown (to our knowledge) protein. Several antibodies raised against these proteins prove that they indeed do encode protein components of ISGF-3. This work provides reagents to explore the modification of this cytoplasmically activated transcription factor.
624 citations
TL;DR: Nuclear microinjection of cells constitutively expressing SV40 large T antigen with either a 15-mer or 20-mer PNA targeted to the T Ag messenger RNA suppressed T Ag expression, and Binding of PNAs to RNA resulted in site-specific termination of both reverse transcription and in vitro translation.
Abstract: Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are polyamide oligomers that can strand invade duplex DNA, causing displacement of one DNA strand and formation of a D-loop. Binding of either a T10 PNA or a mixed sequence 15-mer PNA to the transcribed strand of a G-free transcription cassette caused 90 to 100 percent site-specific termination of pol II transcription elongation. When a T10 PNA was bound on the nontranscribed strand, site-specific inhibition never exceeded 50 percent. Binding of PNAs to RNA resulted in site-specific termination of both reverse transcription and in vitro translation, precisely at the position of the PNA.RNA heteroduplex. Nuclear microinjection of cells constitutively expressing SV40 large T antigen (T Ag) with either a 15-mer or 20-mer PNA targeted to the T Ag messenger RNA suppressed T Ag expression. This effect was specific in that there was no reduction in beta-galactosidase expression from a coinjected expression vector and no inhibition of T Ag expression after microinjection of a 10-mer PNA.
624 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that intact purified wild-type human and murine p53 proteins strongly activate transcription in vitro, and this activation depends on the ability of p53 to bind to a template bearing a p53-binding sequence.
Abstract: The p53 protein is an important determinant in human cancer and regulates the growth of cells in culture. It is known to be a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein with a powerful activation domain, but it has not been established whether it regulates transcription directly. Here we show that intact purified wild-type human and murine p53 proteins strongly activate transcription in vitro. This activation depends on the ability of p53 to bind to a template bearing a p53-binding sequence. By contrast, tumour-derived mutant p53 proteins cannot activate transcription from the template at all, and when complexed to wild-type p53, these mutants block transcriptional activation by the wild-type protein. Moreover, the simian virus 40 large T antigen inhibits wild-type p53 from activating transcription. Our results support a model in which p53 directly activates transcription but this activity can be inhibited by mutant p53 and SV40 large T antigen through interaction with wild-type p53.
613 citations
TL;DR: Assays of transcription from the adenovirus E2 promoter in transfection experiments demonstrate that formation of the complex containing pRB and E2F coincides with an inhibition of E 2F-dependent transcriptional activity.
Abstract: Recent experiments have shown that the E2F transcription factor is in a complex with the RBI gene product. The E2F-pRB complex can be reconstituted in an in vitro assay using a GST-RB fusion protein isolated from Escherichia coli. This interaction is dependent on pRB sequences involved in ElA/T-antigen binding as well as carboxy-termi nal pRB sequences that are not necessary for ElA/T binding. Moreover, reconstitution assays reveal a requirement for an accessory factor, in addition to E2F and pRB, for formation of the E2F-pRB complex. Assays of transcription from the adenovirus E2 promoter in transfection experiments demonstrate that formation of the complex containing pRB and E2F coincides with an inhibition of E2F-dependent transcriptional activity. A mutant pRB protein that does not associate with E2F does not inhibit transcription. We conclude that as a consequence of its interaction with E2F, pRB may regulate the transcriptional function of the E2F factor.
552 citations
TL;DR: Findings provide a molecular basis for overexpression of IGF-II in Wilms tumors and suggest that WT1 negatively regulates blastemal cell proliferation by limiting the production of a fetal growth factor in the developing vertebrate kidney.
Abstract: The Wilms tumor suppressor gene wt1 encodes a zinc finger DNA binding protein, WT1, that functions as a transcriptional repressor. The fetal mitogen insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) is overexpressed in Wilms tumors and may have autocrine effects in tumor progression. The major fetal IGF-II promoter was defined in transient transfection assays as a region spanning from nucleotides -295 to +135, relative to the transcription start site. WT1 bound to multiple sites in this region and functioned as a potent repressor of IGF-II transcription in vivo. Maximal repression was dependent on the presence of WT1 binding sites on each side of the transcriptional initiation site. These findings provide a molecular basis for overexpression of IGF-II in Wilms tumors and suggest that WT1 negatively regulates blastemal cell proliferation by limiting the production of a fetal growth factor in the developing vertebrate kidney.
519 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that wild-type but not mutant p53 inhibits transcription in a HeLa nuclear extract from minimal promoters, suggesting a model in which p53 binds to TBP and interferes with transcriptional initiation.
Abstract: p53 activates transcription of genes with a p53 response element, and it can repress genes lacking the element. Here we demonstrate that wild-type but not mutant p53 inhibits transcription in a HeLa nuclear extract from minimal promoters. Wild-type but not mutant p53 binds to human TATA-binding protein (TBP). p53 does not bind to yeast TBP, and it cannot inhibit transcription in a HeLa extract where yeast TBP substitutes for human TBP. These results suggest a model in which p53 binds to TBP and interferes with transcriptional initiation.
514 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that sparsely methylated genes form an unstable complex with MeCP‐1 which prevents transcription when the promoter is weak and can be disrupted by a strong promoter, thereby allowing the methylated gene to be transcribed.
Abstract: Repression of transcription from densely methylated genes can be mediated by the methyl-CpG binding protein MeCP-1 (Boyes and Bird, 1991). Here we have investigated the effect of methylation on genes with a low density of methyl-CpG. We found that sparse methylation could repress transfected genes completely, but the inhibition was fully overcome by the presence in cis of an SV40 enhancer. Densely methylated genes, however, could not be reactivated by the enhancer. In vitro studies showed that the sparsely methylated genes bound weakly to MeCP-1 and that binding interfered with transcription. In the absence of available MeCP-1, methylation had minimal effects on transcription. From these and other results we propose that sparsely methylated genes form an unstable complex with MeCP-1 which prevents transcription when the promoter is weak. This complex can be disrupted by a strong promoter, thereby allowing the methylated gene to be transcribed.
TL;DR: During development, Ikaros messenger RNA was first detected in the mouse fetal liver and the embryonic thymus when hematopoietic and lymphoid progenitors initially colonize these organs; no expression was observed in the spleen or the bone marrow.
Abstract: In a screen for transcriptional regulators that control differentiation into the T cell lineage, a complementary DNA was isolated encoding a zinc finger protein (Ikaros) related to the Drosophila gap protein Hunchback. The Ikaros protein binds to and activates the enhancer of a gene encoding an early T cell differentiation antigen, CD3 delta. During development, Ikaros messenger RNA was first detected in the mouse fetal liver and the embryonic thymus when hematopoietic and lymphoid progenitors initially colonize these organs; no expression was observed in the spleen or the bone marrow. The pattern of Ikaros gene expression and its ability to stimulate CD3 delta transcription support the model that Ikaros functions in the specification and maturation of the T lymphocyte.
TL;DR: Evidence obtained from cotransfection experiments showed that A20 negatively regulated its own expression at the transcriptional level, and the mechanism by which TNF activates the A20 gene was characterized.
TL;DR: It is shown that 8 amino acids from Fos and from Jun are sufficient to mediate preferential heterodimer formation in a background of the GCN4 leucine zipper sequence, and that destabilization of the Fos homodimer by acidic residues provides a major thermodynamic driving force for preferential heterdimer formation.
TL;DR: The identification of Max and the specific DNA-binding activities of Myc and Max provides an opportunity for directly testing the transcriptional activities of these proteins in mammalian cells and reports here that Myc overexpression activates, whereas Max overeexpression represses, transcription of a reporter gene.
Abstract: The Myc family proteins are thought to be involved in transcription because they have both a carboxy-terminal basic-helix-loop-helix-zipper (bHLH-Z) domain, common to a large class of transcription factors, and an amino-terminal fragment which, for c-Myc, has transactivating function when assayed in chimaeric constructs. In addition, c-, N- and L-Myc proteins heterodimerize, in vitro and in vivo, with the bHLH-Z protein Max. In vitro, Max homodimerizes but preferentially associates with Myc, which homodimerizes poorly. Furthermore Myc-Max heterodimers specifically bind the nucleotide sequence CACGTG with higher affinity than either homodimer alone. The identification of Max and the specific DNA-binding activities of Myc and Max provides an opportunity for directly testing the transcriptional activities of these proteins in mammalian cells. We report here that Myc overexpression activates, whereas Max overexpression represses, transcription of a reporter gene. Max-induced repression is relieved by overexpression of c-Myc. Repression requires the DNA-binding domain of Max, whereas relief of repression requires the dimerization and transcriptional activation activities of Myc. Both effects require Myc-Max-binding sites in the reporter gene.
TL;DR: A genetic strategy to isolate the target of acidic activation domains of transcriptional activators based on toxicity in yeast cells of the chimeric activator, GAL4-VP16 concluded that ADA2 potentiates the activity of one class of acidicactivation domain but not a second class.
TL;DR: The promoters of many genes whose transcription is rapidly and transiently induced following growth factor or mitogen stimulation of susceptible cells contain a common regulatory element, the serum response element (SRE); the major challenge is to elucidate the signalling pathways that link cell-surface receptors to the SRE.
TL;DR: Viral transcription patterns were similar in carcinomas in situ and in invasive carcinomas, regardless of the histologic cell types or the associated virus types, consistent with the notion that additional host gene alterations were necessary for progression.
TL;DR: Expression of the yellow (y) gene of Drosophila melanogaster is controlled by a series of tissue-specific transcriptional enhancers located in the 5' region and intron of the gene, and insertion of the gypsy retrotransposon in the y2 allele results in a spatially restricted phenotype.
Abstract: Expression of the yellow (y) gene of Drosophila melanogaster is controlled by a series of tissue-specific transcriptional enhancers located in the 5' region and intron of the gene. Insertion of the gypsy retrotransposon in the y2 allele at -700 bp from the start of transcription results in a spatially restricted phenotype: Mutant tissues are those in which yellow expression is controlled by enhancers located upstream from the insertion site, but all other structures whose enhancers are downstream of the insertion site are normally pigmented. This observation can be reproduced by inserting just a 430-bp fragment containing the suppressor of Hairy-wing [su(Hw)]-binding region of gypsy into the same position where this element is inserted in y2, suggesting that the su(Hw)-binding region is sufficient to confer the mutant phenotype. Insertion of this sequence into various positions in the y gene gives rise to phenotypes that can be rationalized assuming that the presence of the su(Hw) protein inhibits the action of those tissue-specific enhancers that are located more distally from the su(Hw)-binding region with respect to the promoter. These results are discussed in light of current models that explain long-range effects of enhancers on gene expression.
TL;DR: Mutations in the gene ced-4 block almost all of the programmed cell deaths that normally occur during Caenorhabditis elegans development and two regions of the putative Ced-4 protein product show some similarity to known calcium-binding domains.
Abstract: Mutations in the gene ced-4 block almost all of the programmed cell deaths that normally occur during Caenorhabditis elegans development. We have cloned the ced-4 gene using a ced-4 mutation caused by the insertion of the transposon Tc4. When microinjected into a ced-4 animal, a 4.4 kb DNA fragment derived from the wild-type strain and corresponding to the region of the Tc4 insertion in the mutant ced-4(n1416) rescues the Ced-4 mutant phenotype. The ced-4 gene encodes a 2.2 kb RNA transcript. This mRNA is expressed primarily during embryogenesis, when most programmed cell deaths occur. The Ced-4 protein, as deduced from cDNA and genomic DNA clones, is 549 amino acids in length. Two regions of the putative Ced-4 protein product show some similarity to known calcium-binding domains.
TL;DR: It is shown that the nanos 3' untranslated region, like that of the bicoid RNA, is sufficient for RNA localization, and a role forRNA localization in regulating nanos activity is proposed.
TL;DR: To identify DNA sequences that may mediate transcriptional repression in response to 1,25(OH)2D3 in GH4C1 cells but not in ROS 17/2.8 cells, a down-regulatory element is distinguished both in sequence composition and in the requirement for particular cellular factors other than the 1, 25(OH), 2D3 receptor for repressing transcription.
Abstract: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], plays an important role in the regulation of mineral ion homeostasis. As well as being the major steroid hormone that regulates calcium metabolism, 1,25(OH)2D3 suppresses transcription of the gene encoding parathyroid hormone, a peptide that plays a dominant role in regulating extracellular calcium levels. To identify DNA sequences that may mediate this transcriptional repression, nuclear extracts containing the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor were examined for binding to sequences in the 5'-flanking region of the human parathyroid hormone gene. A 25-base-pair (bp) oligonucleotide containing the sequences from -125 to -101 from the start of exon I binds nuclear proteins recognized by monoclonal antibodies against the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor. The sequences in this region contain a single copy of a motif (AGGTTCA) homologous to the motifs repeated in the up-regulatory 1,25(OH)2D3-response elements. When placed upstream to a heterologous viral promoter, the sequences contained in this 25-bp oligonucleotide mediate transcriptional repression in response to 1,25(OH)2D3 in GH4C1 cells but not in ROS 17/2.8 cells. This down-regulatory element, therefore, differs from the up-regulatory 1,25(OH)2D3-response elements both in sequence composition and in the requirement for particular cellular factors other than the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor for repressing transcription.
TL;DR: Genomic clones of the human cdc2 gene containing 5′ flanking sequences were isolated and shown to function as a growth regulated promoter in vivo when fused to a CAT reporter gene.
Abstract: Transcription of the human cdc2 gene is cell cycle regulated and restricted to proliferating cells Nuclear run-on assays show that cdc2 transcription is high in S and G2 phases of the cell cycle but low in G1 To investigate transcriptional control further, genomic clones of the human cdc2 gene containing 5' flanking sequences were isolated and shown to function as a growth regulated promoter in vivo when fused to a CAT reporter gene In primary human fibroblasts, the human cdc2 promoter is negatively regulated by arrest of cell growth in a similar fashion to the endogenous gene This requires specific 5' flanking upstream negative control (UNC) sequences which mediate repression The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product (Rb) specifically represses cdc2 transcription in cycling cells via 136 bp of 5' flanking sequence located between -245 and -109 within the UNC region E2F binding sites in this region were shown to be essential for optimal repression A model is proposed where Rb negatively regulates the cdc2 promoter in non-cycling and cycling G1 cells
TL;DR: The binding site for the O2 protein (O2) in the promoter of 22-kD zein genes is identified and a likely explanation at the molecular level for the differential effect of o2 mutations on expression of certain members of the zein gene family is suggested.
Abstract: opaque-2 (o2) is a regulatory locus in maize that plays an essential role in controlling the expression of genes encoding the 22-kD zein proteins. Through DNase I footprinting and DNA binding analyses, we have identified the binding site for the O2 protein (O2) in the promoter of 22-kD zein genes. The sequence in the 22-kD zein gene promoter that is recognized by O2 is similar to the target site recognized by other "basic/leucine zipper" (bZIP) proteins in that it contains an ACGT core that is necessary for DNA binding. The site is located in the -300 region relative to the translation start and lies about 20 bp downstream of the highly conserved zein gene sequence motif known as the "prolamin box." Employing gel mobility shift assays, we used O2 antibodies and nuclear extracts from an o2 null mutant to demonstrate that the O2 protein in maize endosperm nuclei recognizes the target site in the zein gene promoter. Mobility shift assays using nuclear proteins from an o2 null mutant indicated that other endosperm proteins in addition to O2 can bind the O2 target site and that O2 may be associated with one of these proteins. We also demonstrated that in yeast cells the O2 protein can activate expression of a lacZ gene containing a multimer of the O2 target sequence as part of its promoter, thus confirming its role as a transcriptional activator. A computer-assisted search indicated that the O2 target site is not present in the promoters of zein genes other than those of the 22-kD class. These data suggest a likely explanation at the molecular level for the differential effect of o2 mutations on expression of certain members of the zein gene family.
TL;DR: The discovery of a protein termed Dr1 that interacts with the TATA-binding protein, TBP, and a cDNA clone encoding Dr1 suggest a regulatory role for Dr1 in repression of transcription mediated via phosphorylation.
TL;DR: Both subunits of NF-kappa B contribute independently to provide regulation at given kappa B motifs and act as a positive regulator in vitro, consistent with its isolation as a putative constitutive regulator of MHC class I genes.
Abstract: Recombinant subunits of the transcription factor NF-kappa B, p50 and p65, were analyzed both for binding to various kappa B motifs and in vitro activation. The subunits preferentially form a heterodimer that activates transcription. Although p50 and p65 bind DNA individually as homodimers and are structurally related, their activation mechanisms are distinct. p65 activates transcription by its unique carboxy-terminal activation domain. (p50)2 displays higher affinity DNA binding than (p65)2 for many distinct kappa B motifs and provides strong transcriptional activation only when adopting a chymotrypsin-resistant conformation induced by certain kappa B motifs but not others. Thus, (p50)2 acts as a positive regulator in vitro, consistent with its isolation as a putative constitutive regulator of MHC class I genes. Both subunits of NF-kappa B, therefore, contribute independently to provide regulation at given kappa B motifs.
TL;DR: A larger set of transcription factors is examined with respect to their proximal versus remote activation, and at least two distinct functional classes of transcriptional activation domains are identified.
Abstract: We reported previously that the lymphocyte-derived octamer transcription factor 2A (Oct-2A or OTF-2A) activated both natural immunoglobulin promoters and synthetic promoters which contain the 'octamer' site, but was unable by itself to stimulate transcription from a remote enhancer position. Here we examine a larger set of transcription factors with respect to their proximal versus remote activation. Since a transcription factor may contain more than one activation domain, we have chosen to study the potential of individual activation domains in the context of fusion proteins that contain the DNA binding domain of GALA. We have identified at least two distinct functional classes of transcriptional activation domains. 'Proximal' activation domains, exemplified by glutamine-rich domains of Oct-1, Oct-2A and Sp1, stimulate transcription only from a position close to the TATA box, usually in response to a remote enhancer. 'General' activation domains, derived from VP16, GAL4, p65 (NF-chi B), TFE3, ITF-1 and ITF-2, can activate transcription from remote as well as proximal positions. These domains contain many acidic amino acids and/or other features such as clusters of serine and threonine. The proline-rich activation domains of AP-2 and CTF/NF1 may represent a third class with considerable promoter activity and low but significant enhancer activity. Furthermore, activation domains of both the acidic and glutamine-rich types seem to have a modular structure, since duplicated subdomains can substitute for the entire domain.
TL;DR: RNA blot analysis showed that mRNAs for BTEB and Sp1 were expressed in all tissues tested, but their concentrations varied independently in tissues, while the former mRNA was rich in the brain, kidney, lung and testis, whereas the latter was relatively abundant in the thymus and spleen.
Abstract: The cDNAs for two DNA binding proteins of BTE, a GC box sequence in the promoter region of the P-450IA1(CYP1A1) gene, have been isolated from a rat liver cDNA library by using the BTE sequence as a binding probe. While one is for the rat equivalent to human Sp1, the other encodes a primary structure of 244 amino acids, a novel DNA binding protein designated BTEB. Both proteins contain a zinc finger domain of Cys-Cys/His-His motif that is repeated three times with sequence similarity of 72% to each other, otherwise they share little or no similarity. The function of BTEB was analysed by transfection of plasmids expressing BTEB and/or Sp1 with appropriate reporter plasmids into a monkey cell line CV-1 and compared with Sp1. BTEB and Sp1 activated the expression of genes with repeated GC box sequences in promoters such as the simian virus 40 early promoter and the human immunodeficiency virus-1 long terminal repeat promoter. In contrast, BTEB repressed the activity of a promoter containing BTE, a single GC box of the CYP1A1 gene that is stimulated by Sp1. When the BTE sequence was repeated five times, however, BTEB turned out to be an activator of the promoter. RNA blot analysis showed that mRNAs for BTEB and Sp1 were expressed in all tissues tested, but their concentrations varied independently in tissues. The former mRNA was rich in the brain, kidney, lung and testis, while the latter was relatively abundant in the thymus and spleen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
TL;DR: A facile method for isolating genes that encode interacting proteins has been developed with a polypeptide probe that contains an amino-terminal extension with recognition sites for a monoclonal antibody, a specific endopeptidase, and a site-specific protein kinase.
Abstract: A facile method for isolating genes that encode interacting proteins has been developed with a polypeptide probe that contains an amino-terminal extension with recognition sites for a monoclonal antibody, a specific endopeptidase, and a site-specific protein kinase. This probe, containing the basic region-leucine zipper dimerization motif of c-Fos, was used to screen a complementary DNA library. A complementary DNA that encoded a member of the basic-helix-loop-helix-zipper (bHLH-Zip) family of proteins was isolated. The complementary DNA-encoded polypeptide FIP (Fos interacting protein) bound to oligonucleotide probes that contained DNA binding motifs for other HLH proteins. When cotransfected with c-Fos, FIP stimulated transcription of an AP-1-responsive promoter.
Patent•
21 Feb 1992TL;DR: In this paper, a chimeric gene for conferring to plants an increased tolerance to a herbicide having as its target EPSPS is disclosed, which comprises, in the direction of transcription, a promoter region, a transit peptide region, coding sequence for glyphosate tolerance and a polyadenylation signal region.
Abstract: Chimeric gene for conferring to plants an increased tolerance to a herbicide having as its target EPSPS is disclosed. It comprises, in the direction of transcription, a promoter region, a transit peptide region, a coding sequence for glyphosate tolerance and a polyadenylation signal region, wherein the transit peptide region comprises, in the direction of translation, at least one transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localised enzyme, a partial sequence of the N-terminal mature part of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localised enzyme and then a second transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastic-localised enzyme. The invention also provides for the production of glyphosate-tolerant plants.