Biomaterial Database

Developmental and hormonal regulation of DNA methyltransferase in the rat testis. 1995

K Jue, and G Benoit, and A A Alcivar-Warren, and J M Trasler

Department of Pediatrics, McGill University Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Changes in DNA methylation patterns during gametogenesis have been implicated in the regulation of germ cell development and genomic imprinting. Cytosine methylation is catalyzed by the enzyme DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase (DNA MTase). The objective of this study was to determine the presence and study the developmental and hormonal regulation of DNA MTase expression in the rat testis. Northern blots of RNA isolated from 10 different adult rat tissues were used to determine tissue-specific differences in transcript size and abundance of DNA MTase. The developmental regulation of DNA MTase in the rat testis was examined by use of Northern blots of testicular and isolated germ cell RNA from rats ranging in age from 7 to 91 days. For a better understanding of the hormonal regulation of DNA MTase in the rat testis, adult rats were hypophysectomized and 4 wk later (Day 0) received 24-cm testosterone silastic implants; controls were sham hypophysectomized. At Days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56, one testis from each rat (n = 4/group) was used to prepare total RNA. Examination of DNA MTase mRNA expression in different rat tissues demonstrated the existence of a single 5.2-kb transcript; up to 5-fold tissue-specific variations in the levels of DNA MTase mRNA between the tissue with the highest expression, spleen, and that with the lowest expression, prostate; and significant levels of expression in the testis (three times prostate levels). During testicular development, DNA MTase mRNA levels were highest at 7-21 days of age and decreased by 45% by Day 28; mRNA levels decreased further to reach steady adult levels by Day 42.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007016	Hypophysectomy	Surgical removal or destruction of the hypophysis, or pituitary gland. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Hypophysectomies
D008297	Male		Males
D008745	Methylation	Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Methylations
D009928	Organ Specificity	Characteristic restricted to a particular organ of the body, such as a cell type, metabolic response or expression of a particular protein or antigen.	Tissue Specificity,Organ Specificities,Specificities, Organ,Specificities, Tissue,Specificity, Organ,Specificity, Tissue,Tissue Specificities
D003596	Cytosine	A pyrimidine base that is a fundamental unit of nucleic acids.
D004248	DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases	Enzymes that catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from S-ADENOSYLMETHIONINE to the 5-position of CYTOSINE residues in DNA.	DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase,DNA Cytosine-5-Methylase,DNA (Cytosine 5) Methyltransferase,Cytosine-5-Methylase, DNA,DNA Cytosine 5 Methylase
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D013737	Testis	The male gonad containing two functional parts: the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES for the production and transport of male germ cells (SPERMATOGENESIS) and the interstitial compartment containing LEYDIG CELLS that produce ANDROGENS.	Testicles,Testes,Testicle