title: Transgenic mice demonstrate a testis-specific promoter for angiotensin-converting enzyme.
abstract: There are two isozymes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), one produced by somatic tissues and a smaller protein synthesized by developing spermatozoa (testis ACE). To investigate the molecular control of testis ACE, we generated mice transgenic for a construct containing a putative testis-specific ACE promoter linked to the Escherichia coli reporter gene encoding beta-galactosidase. The transgenic mice express beta-galactosidase protein and RNA only within the testis. Histochemical analysis of the transgenic mice shows co-localization of beta-galactosidase protein and endogenous ACE within elongating spermatozoa. These studies demonstrate that transcription of testis ACE is controlled by a strong intragenic testis-specific promoter that is contained within a 698-base pair fragment immediately upstream from the transcription start site of testis ACE. Characterization of the testis ACE promoter may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling cell stage-specific gene expression in the male germ line.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Langford
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Shai
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kovac
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Overbeek
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Bernstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A