Sugihara T, Wadhwa R, Kaul S C, Mitsui Y
National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, 305-8566, Japan.
Genomics. 1999 Apr 1;57(1):130-6. doi: 10.1006/geno.1999.5756.
We have cloned a novel cDNA encoding testis-specific metallothionein-like protein, tesmin, by randomized RT-PCR on RNA from mouse tissues. Two tesmin-related transcripts (2.2 and 1.8 kb) in mouse and one (2.1 kb) in human were detected and cloned. These encode a cysteine-rich 32-kDa protein that contained a metallothionein-like motif. In situ hybridization analysis in adult mouse testis showed that tesmin is specifically expressed in spermatocytes. Quantitative RT-PCR at different stages of mouse postnatal development (days 4, 8, 12, 18, and 42) revealed that tesmin is expressed as early as day 8 and coincides with the entry of germ cells into meiosis. Furthermore, adult W/Wv sterile mice that harbor the c-kit mutation lacked tesmin expression. The gene is assigned to mouse chromosome 19B, which has been reported to translocate (11;19) in male sterile mice.
我们通过对小鼠组织RNA进行随机逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR），克隆了一种编码睾丸特异性金属硫蛋白样蛋白（tesmin）的新型互补DNA（cDNA）。在小鼠中检测并克隆到了两种与tesmin相关的转录本（2.2和1.8 kb），在人类中检测并克隆到了一种（2.1 kb）。这些转录本编码一种富含半胱氨酸的32 kDa蛋白，该蛋白含有一个金属硫蛋白样基序。成年小鼠睾丸的原位杂交分析表明，tesmin在精母细胞中特异性表达。对小鼠出生后不同发育阶段（第4、8、12、18和42天）进行的定量RT-PCR显示，tesmin早在第8天就开始表达，且与生殖细胞进入减数分裂的时间一致。此外，携带c-kit突变的成年W/Wv不育小鼠缺乏tesmin表达。该基因定位于小鼠19B染色体，据报道该染色体在雄性不育小鼠中发生了（11；19）易位。
