title: Expression of Tom34 splicing isoforms in mouse testis and knockout of Tom34 in mice.
abstract: The 34-kDa translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (Tom34) is a putative mammalian-specific factor involved in protein import into mitochondria. We analyzed the genomic sequence of the mouse Tom34 gene and found it has two alternative initial exons. Using reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we found that these two mRNAs differs only in the 5'-proximal sequences corresponding to the two initial exons (exon 1a and 1b). Tom34 mRNA with exon 1a (Tom34a) is expressed ubiquitously, while that with exon 1b (Tom34b) is expressed only in mature testicular germ cells. To explore the in vivo function of Tom34 proteins, we generated Tom34-deficient mice by targeted disruption. The Tom34(-/-) mice were viable and grew normally and had a normal Mendelian inheritance pattern. Male as well as female Tom34(-/-) mice were fertile. In vitro-preprotein import into isolated mitochondria showed no apparent difference between Tom34(-/-) and wild-type mice. These results indicate that Tom34 is dispensable for mouse growth and development under optimal conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan. terada@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazutoyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Shota
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yomogida
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyonari
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D000226:Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000226:Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases; D009954:Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase