ETS 2 ( v - ets erythroblastosis virus E 26 oncogene homolog 2 ( avian ) )

Structural analysis of the Ets2 promoter has revealed the absence of TATA and CAAT boxes, thus allowing transcription initiation from multiple start sites (Papas et al., 1990a). The first Intron of Ets2 also contains transcriptional initiation sequences, facilitating transcription. These sequences may compensate for the absence of TATA and CAAT sites within the promoter (Begue et al., 1997). The three RNA transcripts are thought to arise from alternative splicing by a number of different promoter polyadenylation signals (Watson et al., 1990). All Ets genes, including Ets2, are characterised by a region of conserved sequence known as the Ets domain (GGAA/T). This comprises an 85 amino acid region which forms the winged helix-turnhelix DNA binding domain (Watson et al., 1990).