A fusca gene homologue in mammalian tissues: Developmental regulation in the rat testes.
By differential screening of a rat pineal cDNA library we identified earlier a novel transcript having a 57% nucleotide homology and a 45% amino acid identity with a plant fusca-gene (fus6) to which a corresponding human sequence (gps1) has recently been reported. Expression of this mammalian fusca homologue (mfh) was seen in a variety of mammalian tissues, including kidney, pineal and retina, but it was particularly strong in the testes. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the rat testicular mfh message increases markedly from day 28 onwards. Additionally, by in situ hybridization, mfh was localized primarily to the seminiferous tubules with a stage-dependent distribution pattern, a result which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with antibodies raised against a synthetic MFH oligopeptide. Western blotting also revealed strong signals of the expected molecular weight in testicular extracts from several species. In view of its homology to fus6, a plant gene known to be involved in repressing photomorphogenesis in darkness, the conservation of mfh in mammals suggests a potential function for MFH in signaling pathways involved in the regulation of mammalian differentiation and development.
Nitz
B
B
Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, University of Hamburg, Germany.
Ivell
R
R
Hartung
S
S
Middendorff
R
R
Olcese
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D000075686:COP9 Signalosome Complex; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
C103315:GPS1 protein, human; C490121:Gps1 protein, rat; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D000075686:COP9 Signalosome Complex; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins