TSSK5, a novel member of the testis-specific serine/threonine kinase family, phosphorylates CREB at Ser-133, and stimulates the CRE/CREB responsive pathway.
Several protein kinases have been shown to be involved in spermatogenesis. Recently, a novel subfamily of serine/threonine kinases has been isolated whose expression is limited to testis. Here, we report the fifth family member, named TSSK5, which encodes a 328 amino acid protein. RT-PCR analysis showed that TSSK5 is exclusively expressed in human testis. We isolated cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), a TSSK5 interacting protein via yeast two-hybrid system. The in vitro kinase assay showed that TSSK5 phosphorylated CREB at Ser-133. Using a CRE reporter system, we found that TSSK5 could stimulate the CREB/CRE responsive pathway in Hek293 cells. These results suggest that this kinase may be involved in spermatogenesis through phosphorylating CREB and then stimulating the CREB/CRE responsive pathway.
Chen
Xiujuan
X
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Lin
Gang
G
Wei
Youheng
Y
Hexige
Saiyin
S
Niu
Yajie
Y
Liu
Lingling
L
Yang
Chenyi
C
Yu
Long
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology*
D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012694:Serine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C504028:TSSK4 protein, human