Skip to main content
Log in

A mouse Y Chromosome pseudogene is related to human ubiquitin activating enzyme E1

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Mammalian Genome Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 2041 bp DNA fragment isolated from the Sxr (sex reversed) region of the mouse Y Chromosome (Chr) was sequenced and characterized. The sequence, pY8/b, contains four exons that are highly similar to 525 contiguous bases from the cDNA of human ubiquitin activating enzyme El. Two of the exons contain stop codons, indicating that pY8/b is not part of a functional gene. Sequences related to pY8/b were amplified from the Y Chr of the inbred mouse strain, C57BL/6J. These sequences may be portions of the recently discovered functional equivalent of pY8/b. Despite a high degree of similarity with the human El gene, the functional equivalent of pY8/b is not the mouse El gene, because unlike El, the functional equivalent of pY8/b is expressed in a tissue-specific manner. These data are discussed with respect to theory on the evolution of the mammalian Y Chr, and in particular, to the prediction that functional genes on the Y Chr have a male-specific function.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baron, B., Metezeau, P., Hatat, D., Roberts, C., Goldberg, M.E., and Bishop, C.E.: Cloning of DNA libraries from mouse Y chromosomes purified by flow cytometry. Som Cell Mol Gen 12: 289–295, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop, C.E., Roberts, C., Michot J.-L., Nagamine, C., Winking, H., Guénet, J.-L., and Weith, A.: The use of specific DNA probes to analyse the Sxr mutation in the mouse. Development 101 (Suppl): 167–175, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth, B.: The evolution of sex chromosomes. Science 251: 1030–1033, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eicher, E.M. and Washburn, L.L.: Genetic control of primary sex determination in mice. Ann Rev Genet 20: 327–360, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, A.P. and Vogelstein, B.: A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to a high specific activity. Anal Biochem 132: 6–13, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, A.P. and Vogelstein, B.: A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to a high specific activity. Anal Biochem 132: 6–13, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, A.P. and Vogelstein, B.: A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to a high specific activity. Anal Biochem 137: 266–267, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, E.M.C., Beer-Romero, P., Brown, L.G., Ridley, A., McNeil, J.A., Lawrence, J.B., Willard, H.F., Bieber, F.R., and Page, D.C.: Homologous ribosomal protein genes on the human X and Y chromosomes: Escape from X inactivation and possible implications for Turner syndrome. Cell 63: 1205–1218, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gubbay, J., Collignon, J., Koopman, P., Capel, B., Economou, A., Munsterberg, A., Vivian, N., Goodfellow, P., and Lovell-Badge, R.: A gene mapping to the sex-determining region of the mouse Y chromosome is a member of a novel family of embryonically expressed genes. Nature 346: 245–250, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamuas, R.M., Brown, S.D.M., Kerr, J.T., Fisher, E.M., Romero, P., Vinn, A., and Page, D.: The mapping of the locus Rps4 to the X inactivation region in the mouse. Cytogenet Cell Genet, in press, 1992.

  • Handley, P.M., Mueckler, M., Siegel, N.R., Ciechanover, A., and Schwartz, A.L.: Molecular cloning, sequence, and tissue distribution of the human ubiquitin-activating enzyme El. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88: 258–262, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koopman, P., Gubbay, J., Vivian, N., Goodfellow, P.N., and Lovell-Badge, R.: Male development of chromosomally female mice transgenic for Sry. Nature 351: 117–121, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau, Y.-F.C. and Chan, K.: The putative testis-determining factor and related genes are expressed as discrete-sized transcripts in adult gonadal and somatic tissues. Am J Hum Genet 45: 942–952, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, C.B., Goldman, D.A., and Hood, R.A.: Optimized homology searches of the gene and protein sequence banks. Bull Math Biol 48: 569–583, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, C.B. and Goldman, D.A.: Definition and identification of homology domains. CABIOS 4: 25–33, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mardon, G. and Page, D.C.: The sex-determining region of the mouse Y chromosome encodes a protein with a highly acidic domain and 13 zinc fingers. Cell 56: 765–770, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mardon, G., Mosher, R., Disteche, C.M., Nishioka, Y., McLaren, A., and Page, D.C.: Duplication, deletion and polymorphism in the sex-determining region of the mouse Y chromosome. Science 243: 78–80, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mardon, G., Luoh, S.-W., Simpson, E.M., Gill, G., Brown, L.G., and Page, D.C.: Mouse Zfx protein is similar to Zfy-2: Each contains an acidic activating domain and 13 zinc fingers. Mol Cell Biol 10: 681–688, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLaren, A., Simpson, E., Epplen, J.T., Studer, R., Koopman, P., Evans, E.P., and Burgoyne, P.S.: Location of the genes controlling H-Y antigen expression and testis determination on the mouse Y chromosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 6442–6445, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M.M., Simon, D., Affara, N., Ferguson-Smith, M., Avner, P., and Bishop, C.E.: Localization of murine X and autosomal sequences homologous to the human Y located testisdetermining region. Genetics 121: 803–809, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M.M., Woods, D.R., Tucker, P.K., Opp, J.S., and Bishop, C.E.: A candidate spermatogenic gene from the mouse Y chromosome may be a ubiquitin activating enzyme. Nature 354: 483–486, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller, H.J.: A gene for the fourth chromosome of Drosophila. J Exp Zool 17: 325–336, 1914.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagamine, C.M., Kaimin, C., Kozak, C.A., and Lau, Y.-F.C.: Chromosome mapping and expression of a putative testisdetermining gene in the mouse. Science 342: 80–83, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagamine, C.M., Chan, K., Hake, L.E., and Lau, Y.-F.C.: The two candidate testis-determining Y genes (Zfy-1 and Zfy-2) are differentially expressed in fetal and adult mouse tissues. Genes Develop 4: 63–74, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, M.S., Berta, P., Sinclair, A.H., Pym, B., and Goodfellow, P.N.: Comparison of human ZFY and ZFX transcripts. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87: 1681–1685, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Page, D.C., Mosher, R., Simpson, E.M., Fisher, E.M.C., Mardon, G., Pollack, J., McGillivray, B., de la Chapelle, A., and Brown, L.G.: The sex-determining region of the human Y chromosome encodes a finger protein. Cell 51: 1091–1104, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, K.C. and Mann, D.A.: Rapid transfer of DNA from agarose gels to nylon membranes. Nucl Acids Res 13: 7207–7221, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, C., Weith, A., Passage, E., Michot, J.L., Mattei, M.G., and Bishop, C.E.: Molecular and cytogenetic evidence for the location of Tdy and Hya on the mouse Y chromosome short arm. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 6446–6449, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saiki, R.K., Scharf, S., Faloona, F., Mullis, K.B., Horn, G.T., Erlich, A., and Arnheim, N.: Enzymatic amplification of β-globin genomic sequences and restriction site analysis for diagnosis of sickle cell anemia. Science 230: 1350–1354, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, F., Nicklen, S., and Coulson, A.R.: DNA sequencing with chain terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74: 5463–5467, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider-Gadicke, A., Beer-Romero, P., Brown, L.G., Nussbaum, R., and Page, D.C.: ZFX has a gene structure similar to ZFY, the putative human sex determinant, and escapes X inactivation. Cell 75: 1247–1258, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, A.H., Berta, P., Palmer, M.S., Hawkins, J.R., Griffiths, B.L., Smith, M.J., Foster, J.W., Frischauf, A.-M., Lovell-Badge, R., and Goodfellow, P.N.: A gene from the human sexdetermining region encodes a protein with homology to a conserved DNA-binding motif. Nature 346: 240–244, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, A.H., Foster, J.W., Spencer, J.A., Page, D.C., Palmer, M., Goodfellow, P.N., and Graves, J.A.: Sequences homologous to ZFY, a candidate human sex-determining gene, are autosomal in marsupials. Nature 336: 780–783, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, K.D.: Purification and structural properties of ubiquitin. In M. Rechsteiner (ed.); Ubiquitin, pp. 5–38, Plenum Press, New York, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tucker, P.K., Phillips, K.S. & Lundrigan, B. A mouse Y Chromosome pseudogene is related to human ubiquitin activating enzyme E1 . Mammalian Genome 3, 28–35 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00355838

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00355838

Keywords

Navigation