Isolation and expression analysis of the testis-specific gene, STRA8, stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8.
Retinoids are known to be required for vertebrate reproduction, and in the male, for the maintenance of normal testicular structure and function. Previously several novel retinoic acid responsive genes, collectively designated as the Stra genes, had been isolated in the mouse. The Stra8 gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein and is expressed specific to the developing male gonad during mouse embryogenesis. In adult mouse, its expression is restricted to the premeiotic germ cells. Thus it has been suggested that the mouse Stra8 protein may play a role in the premeiotic phase of spermatogenesis. Recently a lot of genes that are expressed only in male germ cells have been isolated in the mouse. The mouse Stra8, Rnh2, Piwil2, Tex17, and Tuba7 were identified as testis-specific expressed genes. In addition, the Figla was known to be a testis- and ovary-specific gene. Recently we had reported the isolation of the human RNH2 cDNA and its expression, which is limited to the human testis. In the present study, we have isolated full-length cDNA of S TRA8 and partial cDNAs of PIWIL2, FIGLA, TEX17, and TUBA7, and analyzed their expression patterns in human tissues.
Miyamoto
Toshinobu
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Asahikawa Medical College, Hokkaido, Japan. toshim@asahikawa-med.ac.jp
Sengoku
Kazuo
K
Takuma
Naoyuki
N
Hasuike
Shiga
S
Hayashi
Hiroaki
H
Yamauchi
Tomofumi
T
Yamashita
Tsuyoshi
T
Ishikawa
Mutsuo
M
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D011506:Proteins; C484447:STRA8 protein, human; C102019:Stra8 protein, mouse; D014212:Tretinoin