Purified glucocorticoid receptors bind selectively in vitro to a cloned DNA fragment whose transcription is regulated by glucocorticoids in vivo.

Activated glucocorticoid receptor protein, purified to 40-60% homogeneity from rat liver extracts, binds selectively in vitro to a cloned fragment of murine mammary tumor virus (MTV) DNA. The DNA fragment tested contains about half of the sequences present in intact MTV DNA, and its rate of transcription, like that of the intact viral element, is strongly stimulated by glucocorticoids when it is introduced into the genome of a receptor-containing cell. In contrast, the receptor fails to bind selectively to DNA restriction fragments from E. coli plasmids pBR322 and RSF2124 or from bacteriophages lambda and T4. Preliminary experiments to localize regions within MTV DNA responsible for selective binding have revealed thus far one subfragment that fails to bind the receptor and one selectively bound subfragment that maps far downstream from the 5' terminus of the normal RNA transcript. These studies are consistent with the notion that steroid receptors may modulate rates of transcription by recognizing specific DNA sequences within or near the regulated genes.