Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a recombinant nucleic acid having (a) a transcriptional promoter; (b) a first plant-expressible structural gene linked to the transcriptional promoter, (c) a cDNA sequence element having an internal ribosome entry site of tobamovirus moving protein (MP) gene (IRESmp) which is located 3′ to the first plant-expressible structural gene, and (d) a second plant-expressible gene located 3′ to the (IRESmp) such that the second gene is placed under the translational control of (IRESmp); wherein the first plant-expressible gene, (IRESmp) and the second plant-expressible gene are transcribed under the action of the transcriptional promoter to give a primary transcript, and the first plant expressible gene of the primary transcript is able to translate by ribosome scanning mechanism and the second plant expressible gene of the primary transcript is capable of translation under the action of (IRESMP).

Abstract: The present invention provides human involucrin (hINV) sequences having tissue specific and cell type specific promoter activity. The sequences provided herein direct expression to suprabasal cells of stratifying epithelia. The invention further provides methods for the production of transgenic animals which contain a hINV promoter sequence which directs the expression of human papillomavirus 16 oncogenes (or other oncogenes). These animals display cervical and epidermal hyperplasias as well as cancer of the trachea, esophagus, colon, epidermis, anus/rectum, lymph nodes, spleen and lung. The animals of the invention provide a useful model for screening potential anti-neoplastic compounds, carcinogens, and co-carcinogens for a number of cancers.