title: The cloning and expression characterization of the centrosome protein genes family (centrin genes) in rat testis.
abstract: Centrins are members of the centrosome protein family, which is highly conserved during revolution. The homologous genes of centrin in many organisms had been cloned, but the sequences of the rat centrin genes were not reported yet in GenBank. We cloned the cDNA fragments of centrin-1, -2 and -3 from the rat testis by RT-PCR, and analyzed the homology of the deduced amino acid sequences. The expression characterization of centrin genes in rat spermatogenesis was carried out by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The results show that the homology of the corresponding centrin proteins in human, mouse and rat is high. The expression of centrin-1 is testis-specific, spermatogenic cell-specific and developmental stage-related. Centrin-1 begins to be transcribed when the meiosis occurs, and its mRNA level reaches the peak in round spermatids. Centrin-2 and centrin-3 are highly expressed in spermatogonia and their mRNA level decreases markedly when meiosis occurs. These results suggest that centrin-1 may play roles in meiosis and spermiogenesis, and centrin-2 and centrin-3 may be related to mitosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yehua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zuoren
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Sai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yongchao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shepu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Daishu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han