title: Functional characterization of PKDREJ, a male germ cell-restricted polycystin.
abstract: Polycystin-1 regulates a number of cellular processes through the formation of complexes with the polycystin-2 ion channel or with other signal transduction proteins. Polycystin-1 is expressed in many tissues but other members of this gene family are distributed in a more restricted fashion. PKDREJ expression has been detected only in the mammalian testis, where it is restricted to the spermatogenic lineage and retained in mature sperm. However, the functional characteristics of this protein and its role in sperm biology are not well understood. In this study it is shown that PKDREJ can modulate G protein signaling and associates with several members of the polycystin-2 family. These interactions, as well as polycystin-2 association with TRPC channels, are consistent with a role of this protein in the regulation of the acrosome reaction and in other aspects of sperm physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA. keith.sutton@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: Melissa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jungnickel
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Harvey M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Florman
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015220:Calcium Channels; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002412:Cations; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117185:PKD2L1 protein, human; C511304:PKD2L2 protein, human; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels