2003/08/01 by Hiromitsu Tanaka, Naoko Iguchi, Carlos Egydio de Carvalho +3 · 1 citation
Medicine · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Sperm and Testicular Function #Reproductive Biology and Fertility #Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities #Biology #Spermiogenesis #Actin #Cytoplasm #Complementary DNA #Molecular biology #Actin-binding protein #Cell biology #Genetics #Gene #Cytoskeleton #Actin cytoskeleton #Nucleus #Cell
paper · pdf · doi:10.1095/biolreprod.103.015867
openalex publication_date 2003/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/23
We isolated cDNA clones for the novel actin-like proteins T-ACTIN 1 and T-ACTIN 2, which are expressed specifically in the mouse testis. These clones were from a subtracted cDNA library that was enriched for haploid germ cell-specific cDNAs. The mRNA sizes and deduced molecular masses of t-actin 1/mACTl7b and t-actin 2/mACTl7a were 2.2 kilobases (kb) and 1.8 kb, and Mr 43.1 x 10(3) and Mr 47.2 x 10(3), respectively. The two deduced amino acid sequences had 60% homology, and they had approximately 40% homology with other actins. The T-ACTINs contained some of the conserved regions seen in other actins. Although the cellular locations of these two proteins are quite different (T-ACTIN-1 was found in the cytoplasm and T-ACTIN-2 was located in the nucleus), the expression of their proteins and mRNAs is controlled during development and limited during spermiogenesis. In contrast, only T-ACTIN-2 was present in sperm heads and tails. These results suggest that T-ACTINs play important roles in sperm function and in the specific morphogenesis of spermatozoa during spermiogenesis.