First published online September 7, 2007
Development 134, 1902e (2007)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
BETs on for spermatogenesis
The conserved bromodomain motif binds to acetylated lysines in histones,
but although some bromodomain-containing proteins are implicated in chromatin
remodelling, the in vivo roles of most are poorly understood. Now, on
p. 3507, Shang and
colleagues report that Brdt, a testis-specific member of the BET subfamily of
double-bromodomain-containing proteins, is essential for male germ cell
differentiation. The researchers report that mice homozygous for a mutant
allele of Brdt that lacks the first bromodomain
(Brdt
BD1) are viable but the
males are infertile. The morphologically abnormal sperm that these animals
make lack the foci of heterochromatin at the perinuclear envelope seen in
elongating wild-type spermatids. Furthermore, the researchers report, there is
increased expression of testis-specific histone H1t in
BrdtBD1/BD1
testes, and Brdt protein (but not BrdtBD1 protein)
associates with the H1t promoter. These results suggest that Brdt is
involved in the chromatin condensation that occurs during the late stages of
spermatogenesis - interestingly, some infertile but otherwise healthy men have
mutations in the human BRDT gene.
Related articles in Development:
- The first bromodomain of Brdt, a testis-specific member of the BET sub-family of double-bromodomain-containing proteins, is essential for male germ cell differentiation
- Enyuan Shang, Helen D. Nickerson, Duancheng Wen, Xiangyuan Wang, and Debra J. Wolgemuth
Development 2007 134: 3507-3515.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
