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Capillary morphogenesis gene (CMG)‐1 is among the genes differentially expressed in mouse male germ line stem cells and embryonic stem cells
Author(s) -
Fujino RyuSuke,
Ishikawa YuIchiro,
Tanaka Kiyoko,
KanatsuShinohara Mito,
Tamura Kazuhiro,
Kogo Hiroshi,
Shinohara Takashi,
Hara Takahiko
Publication year - 2006
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/mrd.20504
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , cyclin b1 , embryonic stem cell , cellular differentiation , gene , cell cycle , genetics , cyclin dependent kinase 1
We recently established a technique to expand male germ line stem (GS) cells in long‐term culture without losing their spermatogenic capacity. To gain insight into the genetic program of these cells, we compared the mRNA expression profile of GS cells with that of embryonic stem (ES) cells using DNA microarrays. We found 79 genes that were upregulated in GS cells compared to ES cells, including synaptonemal complex protein‐1 , deleted in azoospermia‐like , ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme E2B , and ubiquitin carboxy‐terminal hydrolase L1 , all of which are functionally important for spermatogenesis. In addition, we identified a cDNA encoding the mouse ortholog of capillary morphogenesis gene (CMG)‐1. CMG‐1 transcripts were predominantly produced in spermatogonia and spermatocytes in mouse testis. When CMG‐1 expression was attenuated in a mouse spermatocyte‐derived cell line, GC‐2spd(ts), by a target‐specific short interfering RNA, the morphology of the cells was changed and the expression of cyclin D2 was abrogated. A reporter assay using a genomic region upstream of the mouse cyclin D2 gene revealed that this downmodulation occurs at the transcriptional level. We detected FLAG‐tagged CMG‐1 protein in the nuclei of transfected COS7 cells, suggesting that CMG‐1 may play a unique role in the transcriptional regulation of the cyclin D2 gene. The upregulated GS genes identified in this study will provide useful information for the future investigation of spermatogonial stem cells and the early phase of male germ cell differentiation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 955–966, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.