TESSP-1: a novel serine protease gene expressed in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes of adult mouse testes.
A cDNA encoding a novel type of serine protease, designated testis-specific serine protease 1 (TESSP-1), was cloned using mRNA isolated from the adult mouse testis. The open reading frame of this cDNA codes for a protein of 322 amino acids, which includes a hydrophobic signal peptide of 18 amino acids and an N-terminal activation peptide of 34 amino acids. The protein has an additional hydrophobic amino acid sequence at the C-terminus. Expression of the TESSP-1 gene was restricted to the testis. TESSP-1 mRNA expression initiated in the mouse testis at 2 weeks after birth, and its level increased steadily with sexual maturation of the animal. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that TESSP-1 mRNA was expressed in type B spermatogonia and spermatocytes at stages between preleptotene and pachytene. The testis contained at least five distinct forms of TESSP-1 transcript, which presumably resulted from alternative splicing of the mRNA, but only one of these transcripts encodes a complete, functional enzyme. Expression experiments using COS-7 cells showed that TESSP-1 was synthesized as a glycoprotein with N-glycosylated carbohydrates. Tests also showed that the C-terminal hydrophobic region of TESSP-1 was important upon its binding to the membrane by anchoring through glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI).
Takano
Naoharu
N
Division of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Matsui
Hitoshi
H
Takahashi
Takayuki
T
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019556:COS Cells; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015870:Gene Expression; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000201:enzymology*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development
D006023:Glycoproteins; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C499831:TESSP-1 protein, mouse