The mammalian homologues of frog Bv8 are mainly expressed in spermatocytes.
Bv8, a protein from skin secretions of Bombina variegata, reacts with receptors present in mammalian brain and intestine (Mollay et al. (1999) Eur. J. Pharmacol. 374, 189-196). As deduced from cloned cDNAs, the murine and human Bv8 homologues have identical amino-terminal sequences and also contain 10 cysteines. From mouse testes, two forms of Bv8 mRNA have been characterized, of which one contains an additional exon which codes for 21 mostly basic amino acids. The mouse Bv8 gene is most active in mid-late pachytene spermatocytes. In mouse testes, Bv8 mRNA can first be detected at the end of the second week post partum.
Wechselberger
C
C
Institute of Molecular Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Billrothstrasse 11, A-5020, Salzburg, Austria.
Puglisi
R
R
Engel
E
E
Lepperdinger
G
G
Boitani
C
C
Kreil
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009479:Neuropeptides; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D029845:Amphibian Proteins; C121344:Bv8 protein, Bombina variegata; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011506:Proteins