Evolution of a New Testis-Specific Functional Promoter Within the Highly Conserved Gene of the Mouse

Overview

Journal Front Genet

Date 2022 Jan 24

PMID 35069705

Authors

Tobias Heinen

Chen Xie

Maryam Keshavarz

Dominik Stappert

Sven Kunzel

Diethard Tautz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

(synonym ) is a conserved regulatory kinase gene and a central component of the JNK signaling cascade with key functions during cellular differentiation. It shows complex transcription patterns, and different transcript isoforms are known in the mouse (). We have previously identified a newly evolved testis-specific transcript for the gene in the subspecies . Here, we identify the new promoter that drives this transcript and find that it codes for an open reading frame (ORF) of 50 amino acids. The new promoter was gained in the stem lineage of closely related mouse species but was secondarily lost in the subspecies and . A single mutation can be correlated with its transcriptional activity in , and cell culture assays demonstrate the capability of this mutation to drive expression. A mouse knockout line in which the promoter region of the new transcript is deleted reveals a functional contribution of the newly evolved promoter to sperm motility and the spermatid transcriptome. Our data show that a new functional transcript (and possibly protein) can evolve within an otherwise highly conserved gene, supporting the notion of regulatory changes contributing to the emergence of evolutionary novelties.

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