| First Author | Charron M | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Mol Cell Biol | Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 8 | Pages | 5823-32 |
| PubMed ID | 10409768 | Mgi Jnum | J:56391 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1340908 | Doi | 10.1128/mcb.19.8.5823 |
| Citation | Charron M, et al. (1999) A novel 14-base-pair regulatory element is essential for in vivo expression of murine beta4-galactosyltransferase-I in late pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids. Mol Cell Biol 19(8):5823-32 |
| abstractText | During murine spermatogenesis, beginning in late pachytene spermatocytes, the beta4-galactosyltransferase-I (beta4GalT-I) gene is transcribed from a male germ cell-specific start site. We had shown previously that a 796-bp genomic fragment that flanks the germ cell start site and contains two putative CRE (cyclic AMP-responsive element)-like motifs directs correct male germ cell expression of the beta-galactosidase reporter gene in late pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids of transgenic mice (N. L. Shaper, A. Harduin-Lepers, and J. H. Shaper, J. Biol. Chem. 269:25165-25171, 1994). We now report that in vivo expression of beta4GalT-I in developing male germ cells requires an essential and previously undescribed 14-bp regulatory element (5'-GCCGGTTTCCTAGA-3') that is distinct from the two CRE-like sequences. This cis element is located 16 bp upstream of the germ cell-specific start site and binds a male germ cell protein that we have termed TASS-1 (transcriptional activator in late pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids 1). The presence of the Ets signature binding motif 5'-GGAA-3' on the bottom strand of the TASS-1 sequence (underlined sequence) suggests that TASS-1 is a novel member of the Ets family of transcription factors. Additional transgenic analyses established that an 87-bp genomic fragment containing the TASS-1 regulatory element was sufficient for correct germ cell-specific expression of the beta-galactosidase reporter gene. Furthermore, when the TASS-1 motif was mutated by transversion, within the context of the original 796-bp fragment, transgene expression was reduced 12- to 35-fold in vivo. |
