title: Developmental expression of multiple forms of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase mRNA in rat testes.
abstract: The developmental expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting reaction of mevalonate formation, was investigated in rat testes. Adult testes were found to contain three distinct forms of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA of 4.8, 4.2, and 4.0 kilobases (kb) in length. In testes from 26-day-old rats the 4.8-kb species was the major form present. By 40 days of age, large increases in the levels of the testes-specific 4.2- and 4.0-kb forms occurred, with a small decrease in the amount of the 4.8-kb form. The level of the 4.8-kb form appeared to be associated with the level of testicular HMG-CoA reductase activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa 33612.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ness
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Nazian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases