Testicular expression of PC4 in the rat: molecular diversity of a novel germ cell-specific Kex2/subtilisin-like proprotein convertase.

Abstract

The rat cDNA sequence of PC4 (rPC4), representing a new member of the Kex2/subtilisin-like proprotein convertases, demonstrated the presence of at least three rPC4 mRNAs resulting in the production of rPC4-A (654 amino acids), rPC4-B (619 amino acids), and rPC4-C (609 amino acids) with different C-terminal sequences. Analogous to rat PC4, three cDNAs were also found for the mouse PC4. The observed molecular diversity of PC4 mRNA possibly results from the differential splicing and/or exon skipping of the parent gene. PC4 mRNA, with a major form at 2.8 kilobases, was highly abundant in the rat testis but could not be detected by Northern analysis in any other tissues including the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Testicular cell separation studies combined with Northern analysis indicate the high expression levels of PC4 in germ cells but not in Leydig, Sertoli, or peritubular cells. In situ hybridization histochemistry confirms the site of PC4 gene expression as the pachytene spermatocytes and the round spermatids but not in the elongating spermatids. We also demonstrate the colocalization of PC4 with proenkephalin in testicular germ cells by in situ hybridization. A study of the ontogeny of PC4 indicated that PC4 mRNA was first expressed postnatally between days 19 and 22, coinciding with the first stages of spermiogenesis. The stage-specific expression of PC4 in testis indicates its potential role in the developmental maturation of germ cells and that this convertase may play a specific physiological function in reproduction.

Comparative analysis of expression of the proprotein convertases furin, PACE4, PC1 and PC2 in human lung tumours

“…PC4 was not considered because it is a germline-specific convertase (Seidah et al, 1992). Expression of PC5 and PC7 remains to be studied.…”

Sorting and processing of secretory proteins

“…PC4 mRNA is expressed exclusively in the testis [210,211], mainly in the early stages of spermatogenesis [210]. One of its possible candidate substrates would be proenkephalin, and indeed PC4 has been co-localized by in situ hybridization with proenkephalin [211].…”

Functional analysis of human PACE4‐A and PACE4‐C isoforms: identification of a new PACE4‐CS isoform

“…All of these I'Cs exhibit an N-terminal signal peptide, followed by a i,ro-segment, a catalytic domain, a P-domain and an enzyme-specific C-terminal segment [5]. Variant cDNA structures, possibly arising from alternative gene splicing, have !,een reported for PC4 [6,7], PC5 [8] and PACE4 [9,10]. In the case of PC5, the isoform PC5-A is directed to secretory !ranules while PC5-B localizes to the trans Golgi network 'Corresponding author.…”