Sequence and expression of testis-expressed gene 14 (Tex14): a gene encoding a protein kinase preferentially expressed during spermatogenesis.
To discover germ cell-specific genes, we used in silico subtraction and identified testis expressed gene 14 (Tex14). Mouse Tex14 contains an open reading frame encoding a 1450-amino-acid protein, which shares 64% amino acid identity with the predicted human TEX14 protein. The predicted TEX14 amino acid sequence consists of three ankyrin repeats, a protein kinase domain, and a leucine zipper dimerization motif. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization show that Tex14 mRNA is expressed specifically in the testis, with highest levels observed in pachytene, diplotene, and meiotically dividing spermatocytes. Two 5' splice variants of mouse Tex14 were discovered by sequencing 5'-RACE polymerase chain reaction products. TEX14 is predicted to be localized to the nucleus, suggesting that it may play a key role in regulating gene expression or modulating nuclear events during mammalian spermatogenesis.
Wu
Meng-Hsing
MH
Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Rajkovic
Aleksandar
A
Burns
Kathleen H
KH
Yan
Wei
W
Lin
Yi-Nan
YN
Matzuk
Martin M
MM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology*
D011494:Protein Kinases