title: Identification of RARhoGAP, a novel putative RhoGAP gene expressed in male germ cells.
abstract: A gene encoding a novel RhoGAP of 1146 amino acids was isolated from rat testis RNA. Analysis of this protein identified two conserved domains, a RhoGAP domain and an RA domain. Thus the gene was named RARhoGAP. The RhoGAP domain contained conserved residues critical for RhoGAP activity, suggesting this domain is involved in the down-regulation of Rho GTPases. The presence of the RA domain suggests that RARhoGAP also functions as an effector for Ras- or Ral-like GTPases. RT-PCR analysis showed the transcript was ubiquitous in extragonadal tissues; however, Northern analysis indicated highest expression was in the testis. Homologues of rat RARhoGAP were found in mouse and human and were found expressed in testis by nested RT-PCR. In situ hybridization confirmed the specific expression of RARhoGAP in differentiating male germ cells. We postulate that RARhoGAP may be involved in rearrangements of the cytoskeleton and cell signaling events that occur during spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Science Group, Discipline of Biological Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Estelle G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Eileen A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.forename: R John
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Aitken
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C085379:rho GTPase-activating protein