Abstract
Sequences complementary to the X-linked ubiquitin-specific protease gene Usp9x (Dffrx) have been shown to map to the Sxrb interval of the mouse Y Chromosome (chr) and to be expressed in a testis-specific manner. In humans, ubiquitously expressed functional homologues (USP9Y and USP9X DFFRY/DFFRX) are present on both sex chromosomes, whereas in mouse it remains to be demonstrated that the Y-linked sequences encode a functional protein. In this paper, it is shown that the Usp9y gene encodes a potentially functional ubiquitin-specific protease possessing a core promoter region that shares several features characteristic of other testis-specific genes. Analysis of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide changes suggests that there is constraint on the amino acid sequence of both the mouse Usp9x and Usp9y genes, a finding that mirrors similar analysis of the human orthologs. Thus, in both mouse and human, selection is acting to maintain the amino acid sequence of the X and Y-linked genes. This indicates that in both species the genes on each sex chromosome continue to encode an important function.
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This work was supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust and the BBSRC. N. Hall was supported by a BBSRC CASE studentship and by PIC International.
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Hall, N.M., Brown, G.M., Furlong, R.A. et al. Usp9y (ubiquitin-specific protease 9 gene on the Y) is associated with a functional promoter and encodes an intact open reading frame homologous to Usp9x that is under selective constraint . Mamm Genome 14, 437–447 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-002-3068-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-002-3068-4