This element represents a conserved regulatory region upstream of the rhodopsin (Rho) gene, where the orthologous bovine sequence functions as a rhodopsin enhancer in retinal cells of transgenic mice. This conserved region also shares a region of homology with the opsin locus control region (OPSIN-LCR), which controls cone cell-specific expression of the red/green cone pigment genes on chromosome X. However, the bovine rhodopsin enhancer does not display transgene copy number-dependent or position-independent activity, and it is therefore not an LCR. This mouse conserved region is thought to bind retina-specific transcription factors, and it forms looping interactions with the Rho gene in rod cells. [provided by RefSeq, May 2016]
