The mRNA that encodes the testis-specific protein phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK2) is a long-lived mRNA that is transcribed in meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells. Pgk2 mRNA is present in germ cells for up to 2 wk before its protein product is detected. Using affinity chromatography with the 3′-UTR of the Pgk2 mRNA, several proteins, including the RNA-binding protein, polypyrimidine tract binding protein 2 (PTBP2), were identified in mouse testis extracts. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that PTBP2 binds to Pgk2 mRNA in the testis and RNA gel shifts demonstrated that PTBP2, but not PTBP1, binds to a specific region of the Pgk2 3′-UTR. Recombinant PTBP2 increased the stability of reporter constructs that contained the 3′-UTR Pgk2 sequence element in both testis extracts and transfected HeLa cells. We propose that PTBP2 is a trans-acting factor that helps to stabilize Pgk2 mRNA in male mouse germ cells.
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1 June 2007
Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein 2 Stabilizes Phosphoglycerate Kinase 2 mRNA in Murine Male Germ Cells by Binding to Its 3′UTR
Mingang Xu,
Norman B. Hecht
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Biology of Reproduction
Vol. 76 • No. 6
June 2007
Vol. 76 • No. 6
June 2007
gametogenesis
gene regulation
posttranscriptional control
RNA-binding proteins
spermatogenesis