Finb, a multiple zinc finger protein, represses transcription of the human angiotensinogen gene

We previously identified a regulatory element at the 3'-downstream region of the human Angiotensinogen (hANG) gene. Using this element as a probe by the Southwestern screening, we isolated a cDNA clone, encoding Finb, a transcriptional activator with multiple zinc finger domains. The N-terminal zinc finger domain of Finb bound to the GGATGG sequence within the regulatory element. Unexpectedly, Finb repressed transcription dependent on the regulatory element. Inspection of the 5'-flanking region in the hANG promoter identified the GGATGG-like elements, which prompted us to examine the effect of Finb on the hANG promoter activity. We also found the two Finb binding elements in the 5'-flanking region of the hANG gene by the gel shift assay, both of which were necessary for transcriptional repression of the hANG promoter. These findings suggest that Finb functions as a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor of the hANG gene.