TEX13 is a novel male germ cell-specific nuclear protein potentially involved in transcriptional repression.
The identification and characterization of male germ cell-specific genes is crucial to understanding the mechanisms of male germ cell development. In this study, we investigated the protein encoded by the novel mouse germ cell-specific gene testis-expressed gene 13 (Tex13). We found that TEX13 expression is testis- and germ cell-specific and is regulated in a stage-specific manner via translational repression. Immunostaining of testicular cells and sperm showed that TEX13 is localized in the nuclei of spermatogenic cells and the redundant nuclear envelope of mature sperm. Remarkably, we found that TEX13 possesses transcriptional repressor activity and that its overexpression in GC-2 cells altered the expression levels of 130 genes. Our results suggest that TEX13 has a potential role in transcriptional regulation during spermatogenesis.
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Jun Tae
JT
Kwon
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Sora
S
Jin
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Heejin
H
Choi
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Jihye
J
Kim
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Juri
J
Jeong
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Jaehwan
J
Kim
School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea. choch@gist.ac.kr.
Chunghee
C
Cho
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C000618764:TEX13 protein, mouse
male germ cell; microarray; spermatogenesis; testis; testis-expressed gene 13; transcription