Abstract:To explore the function of the bmp2a and bmp4 genes and regulatory networks of the related transcription factors in yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, RLM5′RACE method was used to identify the transcription start site (TSS) of bmp2a and bmp4. Then, the promoters of bmp2a and bmp4 were cloned by hiTAILPCR method and a cluster of putative binding sites of several transcription factors were identified by bioinformatics analysis. The results showed that the TSS of bmp2a and bmp4 were located at 391 bp and 351 bp upstream of the coding sequence, respectively. Then 1 830 bp and 1 962 bp upstream of the TSS of bmp2a and bmp4 were cloned and key binding sites of several transcription factors, such as AP1, SP1, GATA1, CREB, PPARγ, SOX5, SOX6 and SOX9, were predicted, suggesting that these transcription factors may play crucial roles in the transcriptional regulation of the bmp2a and bmp4 genes.