A protein encoded by a member of the multicopy Ssty gene family located on the long arm of the mouse Y chromosome is expressed during sperm development.
Multicopy Y-chromosomal genes in human and mouse have been postulated to play a role in spermatogenesis. The mouse Y long arm (Yq) carries hundreds of supposedly intronless copies of Ssty, for which no protein has hitherto been identified; mice lacking Yq are sterile with grossly abnormal sperm. We have now identified an Ssty-encoded protein (Ssty1) that is expressed in spermatids. The protein is absent from spermatids of mice that lack Yq, but is not reduced in mice with a two-thirds reduction of Ssty copies, implying that most do not produce this protein. Furthermore, no protein was produced by a strongly transcribed intronless Ssty transgene, raising doubts as to the protein-encoding potential of these intronless genes. We have now identified an intron-containing copy that is also present in multiple copies on Yq. One or more intron-containing copies are retained in the Ssty-deficient mice and may be the source of the Ssty1 protein.
Touré
Aminata
A
Division of Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hil, London, UK. atoure@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
Grigoriev
Vladimir
V
Mahadevaiah
Shantha K
SK
Rattigan
Aine
A
Ojarikre
Obah A
OA
Burgoyne
Paul S
PS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013087:Spermatids / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011506:Proteins; C491842:Ssty1 protein, mouse