A tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein gene, tpis, whose expressionis induced with differentiation of spermatogenic cells

The tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) is a degenerate 34-amino-acid sequence w hich forms scaffolds to mediate protein-protein interactions. We have isola ted a cDNA named tpis from mouse embryonic skin and found that the deduced 529-amino-acid sequence contained 5 TPRs, In addition to skin, the transcri pt of tpis was detected in tissues with stratified squamous epithelium, e.g ., tongue, esophagus, and forestomach, tpis was most strongly expressed in testis among adult tissues examined. The transcript of tpis from testis was longer, encoding 372 additional amino acid residues at the 5'-side with 3 more TPRs, In situ hybridization revealed specific expression of tpis at a distinct differentiation stage of spermatogenic cells, indicating involveme nt of tpis in spermatogenesis. Chromosomal localization of the tpis gene wa s determined as 18.10 cM of chromosome 15. (C) 1999 Academic Press.