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The RNA‐ and DNA‐binding protein TB‐RBP is spatially and developmentally regulated during spermatogenesis
Author(s) -
Gu Wei,
Wu XinQi,
Meng XiuHua,
Morales Carlos,
ElAlfy Mohamed,
Hecht Norman B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2795(199803)49:3<219::aid-mrd1>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , rna binding protein , in situ hybridization , rna , messenger rna , gene , gene expression , blot , spermatogenesis , three prime untranslated region , untranslated region , genetics , endocrinology
Testis brain RNA‐binding protein (TB‐RBP) suppresses translation in vitro and attaches mRNAs to microtubules by binding to conserved elements in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of specific testis and brain mRNAs. Purification of TB‐RBP from testicular and brain cytoplasmic extracts has revealed that mouse TB‐RBP is 99% identical to the human protein translin, a recombination “hot spot” binding protein associated with chromosomal translocations. Using a cDNA encoding TB‐RBP, the gene copy number and the developmental expression of TB‐RBP have been analyzed by Southern blotting, Northern blotting, and in situ hybridization. In the mouse, TB‐RBP is encoded by a single copy gene. In mouse testes, three TB‐RBP mRNAs of about 1.2, 1.7, and 3.0 kb are developmentally regulated with high levels of expression in meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells. A fourth TB‐RBP transcript of about 3.2 kb is seen in the brain. In situ hybridization confirms high levels of testicular TB‐RBP mRNAs in meiotic and postmeiotic cells, with the highest levels of TB‐RBP mRNAs in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids of the mouse and in round spermatids of the rat. RNase H digestion assays reveal that the three TB‐RBP mRNAs of mouse testes result from processing differences in their 3' untranslated regions. These data demonstrate that multiple TB‐RBP mRNAs are primarily expressed in meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells in the mammalian testis, and although the specific RNA‐binding ability of TB‐RBP appears limited to brain and testis, TB‐RBP mRNAs are widely expressed. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 49:219–228, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.