Identification of the testis c-mos promoter: specific activity in a seminiferous tubule-derived extract and binding of a testis-specific nuclear factor.
The c-mos proto-oncogene is predominantly expressed in male and female germ cells and is involved in the regulation of meiosis. To investigate the mechanism of testis-specific regulation of c-mos transcription, I set out to identify the rat testis c-mos promoter. This was achieved by characterization of the rat testis c-mos transcription start site by primer extension and sequence analysis of cDNAs obtained by polymerase chain reaction amplification of 5' ends of c-mos RNA. The rat testis c-mos transcription start site is located 0.56 kb upstream of the coding region. A fragment containing the rat testis c-mos promoter directs transcription in a nuclear extract derived from rat seminiferous tubules, but not in a liver nuclear extract. DNAase I footprint analysis and gel-retardation assays showed binding of a novel testis-specific nuclear factor to the rat testis c-mos promoter at a site homologous to the testis-specific cis-acting element identified in the promoter of the RT7 gene, which is specifically expressed in haploid male germ cells.
van der Hoorn
F A
FA
University of Calgary, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Alberta, Canada.
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017231:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000502:physiology*; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012313:RNA; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017231:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos