Mouse submandibular glands express an androgen-regulated transcript encoding an acidic epididymal glycoprotein-like molecule.
Acidic epididymal glycoprotein (AEG) is an androgen-regulated, epididymal secretory protein assumed to be involved in sperm maturation. In the present study, we show that the mouse submandibular gland (SMG) expresses two genes designated Aeg-1 and Aeg-2. The nucleotide sequence of Aeg-1 cDNA clones was identical to that of epididymis-expressed Aeg cDNA clones, indicating that Aeg-1 is expressed in both epididymides and SMGs. The second, more abundant transcript, Aeg-2, had a sequence similar to, but distinct from, that of Aeg-1, and was not detectable in the epididymis. The level of Aeg-1 and Aeg-2 transcripts in the SMG was androgen-regulated and showed sexual dimorphism. In situ hybridization of SMG sections showed that Aeg-1 and Aeg-2 transcripts are produced by the cells of granular convoluted tubules. The C-terminal cysteine-rich region of the mouse AEG-2 molecule appears to have diverged faster than that of the mouse AEG-1 molecule, consistent with the idea that this region may play a role unique to the protein of the male reproductive system.[1]References
- Mouse submandibular glands express an androgen-regulated transcript encoding an acidic epididymal glycoprotein-like molecule. Mizuki, N., Kasahara, M. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. (1992) [Pubmed]
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