T-STAR/ÉTOILE: A Novel Relative of SAM68 That Interacts with an RNA-Binding Protein Implicated in Spermatogenesis

• Published in: Human molecular genetics 1999-06, Vol.8 (6), p.959-969
• Main Authors: Venables, J. P., Vernet, C., Chew, S. L., Elliott, D. J., Cowmeadow, R. B., Wu, J., Cooke, H. J., Artzt, K., Eperon, I. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3T3 Cells; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Blotting, Northern; Cell Nucleus - chemistry; Chromosome Mapping; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 - genetics; COS Cells; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; DNA, Complementary - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins; Gene Expression; HeLa Cells; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular Sequence Data; Muridae; Plasmids; Protein Binding; Rats; RNA - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Spermatogenesis; Tissue Distribution; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism
• ISSN: 0964-6906; 1460-2083; 1460-2083
• DOI: 10.1093/hmg/8.6.959

RBM is an RNA-binding protein encoded on the Y chromosome in mammals and is expressed only in the nuclei of male germ cells. Genetic evidence from infertile men implicates it in spermatogenesis, but its function is unknown. Of a number of potential partners for RBM identified by a yeast two-hybrid screen with testis cDNA, the most frequent isolates encoded a novel RNA-binding protein, termed T-STAR, that is closely related to SAM68, an Src-associated protein of unknown function. The mouse homologue was also cloned and designated étoile. It mapped to chromosome 15, while T-STAR mapped to the syntenic region on human chromosome 8. T-STAR/étoileis expressed primarily in the testis; in rat germ cells, the expression of both T-STAR/étoile and SAM68 is regulated during meiosis. Transfection of T-STAR/étoile fused with green fluorescent protein into HeLa cells caused an accumulation of protein in a novel compartment of the nucleus, adjacent to the nucleolus but distinct from the perinucleolar compartment. RBM and other hnRNP G family members are candidate downstream targets for regulation by T-STAR/ÉTOILE and SAM68.