title: Differential DNA methylation of the meiosis-specific gene FKBP6 in testes of yak and cattle-yak hybrids.
abstract: FK506-binding protein 6 (FKBP6) is essential for meiosis during mammalian spermatogenesis. However, the molecular regulation of FKBP6 during spermatogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we performed molecular characterization of the meiosis-specific gene FKBP6 in yak testes. Yak FKBP6 encodes a polypeptide of 295 amino acid residues with an FK506-binding domain (FKBP_C) and three tetratricopeptide repeat domains. The methylation level of the FKBP6 promoter in testes was significantly higher in cattle-yak with male sterility than in yak, and the FKBP6 promoter was methylated in liver tissues in which FKBP6 is not expressed. FKBP6 promoter activity was significantly decreased after treatment with the M.SssI methyltransferase in vitro. Furthermore, the FKBP6 gene was remarkably activated in bovine mammary epithelial cells treated with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that the FKBP6 promoter is differentially methylated in testes; together with the functional promoter analysis, this suggests that methylation of this promoter may contribute to cattle-yak male infertility.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000502:physiology*; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008297:Male; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013045:Species Specificity; D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D022021:Tacrolimus Binding Proteins