Structure and organization of the heart isoform gene for bovine cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIIa

Mammalian cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is a 13-subunit polypeptide complex that contains 10 subunits coded by the nucleus and 3 by the mitochondria. The nuclear-encoded subunits, though of unknown function, are presumed to play a regulatory role. Three of these (subunits VIa, VIIa, and VIII) generally exist in one of two isoforms--a constitutive (L) isoform or a skeletal muscle/heart-specific (H) isoform. To study the regulation, and possibly function, of these isoforms, we have begun characterizing the genes. In this paper we describe the isolation and characterization of the gene for the bovine COX VIIa-H isoform. The gene consists of four exons spanning 1.58 kb and is associated with a CpG island. There are no canonical TATA or CCAAT boxes immediately upstream of the transcription start site. Putative DNA sequence elements associated with respiratory function, muscle gene activation, and housekeeping function are present both in the upstream regions and within introns.