John E. Majors, Ph.D

We are trying to understand the ways in which specific protein- DNA interactions determine patterns of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. We use two experimental systems to address this question. First, we look in intact cells at patterns of protein association with promoter regions of several regulated genes in baker`s yeast, a simple unicellular eukaryote. Our long- term goal is to reconstruct these interactions with purified components and to find conditions under which they lead to accurate patterns of regulated expression in vitro. Second, we use the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of several retroviruses (RSV, AMV, SNV, and HIV) as models of the complex enhancer/promoter structures which establish expression patterns of most genes in vertebrate cells. Our goal is to understand the structures of several of these LTRs and to explore the contributions of individual protein-binding sites to their overall function. In the course of carrying out these studies we are constructing new retroviral vectors that facilitate our studies of the LTRs. Several of these vectors are being used to carry out simple studies in avian developmental biology.

Publications

• Morgan, J.C., Majors, J.E. and Galileo, D.S. Distinct and opposite roles for SH2 and SH3 domains of v-src in embryo survival and hemangiosarcoma formation. Clin Exp Metastasis 22:167-175 (2005).
• Axelrod, J.D., Reagan, M.S. and Majors, J.E. GAL4 disrupts a repressing nucleosome during activation of GAL1 transcription in vivo. Genes and Development 7:857-869, (1993).
• Galileo, D.S., Majors, J., Horwitz, A.F. and Sanes, J.R. Retrovirally-introduced antisense integrin RNA inhibits neuroblast migration in vivo. Neuron 9:1117-1131, (1993).
• Majors, J. Retroviral vectors-strategies and applications. Seminars in Virology 3:285-295, (1992).
• Ghattas, I.R., Sanes, J.R. and Majors, J.E. The encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site allows efficient coexpression of two genes from a recombinant provirus in cultured cells and in embryos. Molec. Cell. Biol. 11:5848-5849, (1991).
• Greuel, B.T., Sealey, L. and Majors, J.E. Transcriptional activity of the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat correlates with binding of CCAAT box factor in vitro. Virology 177:33-43, (1990).

2902 South Building
Box 8231
office: 314-362-1135
lab: 314-362-1134
FAX: 314-362-7183
e-mail: majors@biochem.wustl.edu