New insights into cellular cholesterol acquisition: promoter analysis of human HMGCR and SQLE, two key control enzymes in cholesterol synthesis

•We found that human HMGCR and SQLE promoters both possess two closely-spaced SREs.•We identified a novel NF-Y site in the human HMGCR promoter.•We found two NF-Y sites in the human SQLE promoter, which are conserved with mouse.•We show a previous study incorrectly identified an SRE in the human SQLE promoter.•HMGCR is only activated by high SREBP-2 levels, when cholesterol is truly needed.