Comparison of the rat TME with TME-like sequences in the 5′-flanking region of mouse and human PF4 genes. (A) Mouse and human TME-like sequences that exist immediately upstream of the T-cluster region were compared with the rat TME sequence. Homologous sequences are indicated by shaded boxes. Dashes indicate deletion sequences. (B) EMSA was performed with the rat TME probe; MEIS1 and PBXs proteins were prepared by in vitro translation. Mouse and human TME-like sequences described in panel A were used as the competitors. (C) Locations of the 3 TGACAG motifs found within the 1-kb 5′-flanking region of the human PF4 gene are delineated. Fragments, including TGACAG motifs, region 1 to region 4, were used as the competitors in EMSA shown in panel D. (D) EMSA was performed with the rat TME probe; MEIS1 and PBXs proteins were prepared by in vitro translation. Fragments from the human PF4 gene described in panel C and the rat TME mutated fragment (MutTGACAG) were used as the competitors. (–) indicates no competitor.