title: The hypoxic testis and post-meiotic expression of PAS domain proteins.
abstract: Spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubuli of the testis occurs under a high proliferation rate, suggesting considerable oxygen consumption. Because of the lack of blood vessels, the oxygen partial pressure in the lumen of the tubuli is very low. However, the consequences of these environmental conditions on spermatogenesis are unknown. The PAS domain is found in environmental protein sensors involved in the perception of oxygen partial pressure, light intensity, redox potentials, voltage and certain ligands. We previously identified two PAS proteins highly expressed in the testis: a novel isoform of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and PASKIN, a PAS-Ser/Thr kinase related to bacterial oxygen sensing PAS-domain proteins.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University of Zürich-Irchel, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland. roland.wenger@access.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Roland H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wenger
authors.forename: Dörthe M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Katschinski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C116037:PAS domain kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases