A possible role of STRA8 as a transcriptional factor

Abstract

The Stra8 gene is a retinoic acid responsive gene. Its expression in premeiotic germ cells in both sexes implies that STRA8 protein plays roles for the progression of meiosis. Stra8 deficient germ cells do not initiate meiotic chromosome condensation and DNA double strand breaks. Its deficient mice were infertile. STRA8 is required for the transition into meiosis in both female and male germ cells. In addition its expression was confirmed in trophoblast giant cells in placenta, indicating another physiological role of STRA8 in other tissues. Yet it is still unclear how STRA8 is related in molecular level to meiosis and placentation. Here we report a possible function of STRA8 as a transcription factor. We have discovered that Stra8 gene is present in the nucleus and can activate basal transcription in F9 and P19 cells. Deletion mutant study revealed that C-terminus of STRA8 protein is important for its transcriptional activation activity. And N-terminus of the protein is critical for its nucleus localization. Moreover, random oligonucleotide electrophoresis mobility shift assay shows that the STRA8 directly binds to double strand DNA.

Cloning and Expression Characteristics of the Pig Stra8 Gene

“…However, when the plasmid was transfected into pig SSCs, fluorescence was observed in the cytoplasm as well as the nucleus. Stra8 has previously been found in the nucleus in P19 cells and F9 cells [33]. In this study, we found pig Stra8 has a HLH structure based on sequence analyses and is located in the nucleus of some SSCs.…”

Human GV oocytes generated by mitotically active germ cells obtained from follicular aspirates

“…Here, we also found this distinct intracellular localization and the dynamic changes of these two compartments with prolonged RA induction, but the functions of cytoplasmic and nuclear STRA8 were unknown. Previous studies demonstrated that STRA8 directly binds to DNA and possesses transcriptional activity4849. By using a yeast two-hybrid system, Zheng et al .…”

Does MAX open up a new avenue for meiotic research?

“…; Choi et al . ), although the functions of STRA8 have not been scrutinized and remain controversial.…”

“…Interestingly, a recent report has demonstrated that periodic RA-Stra8 signaling is also involved in facilitating differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (Endo et al 2015). Mechanistically, some reports show that STRA8 protein resides in both cytoplasm and nucleus and that nuclear STRA8 may function as a transcription factor (Tedesco et al 2009;Choi et al 2010), although the functions of STRA8 have not been scrutinized and remain controversial.…”