title: Molecular cloning and characterization of fox testis kinectin.
abstract: Kinectin was isolated and characterized from a fox testis cDNA library using a monoclonal antibody (FTA-1) raised against testis surface proteins. The cDNA sequence of 4,479 nucleotides encodes an ORF of 1,330 amino acids (aa) with high homology to mouse, human, and chicken kinectins (GenBank Accession Number AF095786). Southern analysis was used to show that genes homologous to kinectin are present in several mammal species and in at least one marsupial, but not in bacteria. Alternatively spliced forms of fox kinectin were identified, and one of these is uniquely expressed in brain and spleen tissues. Kinectin expression was highest in testis relative to other tissues examined. Sequence analysis and comparisons between species revealed that kinectin encodes multiple alpha-helical coiled coils predicted to form dimers, and is, therefore, likely to exist as a dimer. The results presented in this article suggest that kinectin is required for spermatogenesis, but is not a likely candidate for use in immunocontraceptive vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Research Centre for the Biological Control of Pest Animals, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hardy
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000379:methods; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005589:Foxes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C088547:KTN1 protein, human; C511012:Ktn1 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins