Usp9y (ubiquitin-specific protease 9 gene on the Y) is associated with a functional promoter and encodes an intact open reading frame homologous to Usp9x that is under selective constraint.
Sequences complementary to the X-linked ubiquitin-specific protease gene Usp9x (Dffrx) have been shown to map to the Sxr(b) interval of the mouse Y Chromosome (chr) and to be expressed in a testis-specific manner. In humans, ubiquitously expressed functional homologues (USP9Y and USP9X DFFRY/DFFRX) are present on both sex chromosomes, whereas in mouse it remains to be demonstrated that the Y-linked sequences encode a functional protein. In this paper, it is shown that the Usp9y gene encodes a potentially functional ubiquitin-specific protease possessing a core promoter region that shares several features characteristic of other testis-specific genes. Analysis of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide changes suggests that there is constraint on the amino acid sequence of both the mouse Usp9x and Usp9y genes, a finding that mirrors similar analysis of the human orthologs. Thus, in both mouse and human, selection is acting to maintain the amino acid sequence of the X and Y-linked genes. This indicates that in both species the genes on each sex chromosome continue to encode an important function.
Hall
Nicola M
NM
Human Molecular Genetics Group, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK. na@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
Brown
Graeme M
GM
Furlong
Robert A
RA
Sargent
Carole A
CA
Mitchell
Michael
M
Rocha
Dominique
D
Affara
Nabeel A
NA
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C481724:USP9Y protein, human; D010450:Endopeptidases; C481723:Usp9y protein, mouse; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; C404328:Usp9x protein, mouse