Functional study on a protein involved in meiotic chromosome distribution

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Meiosis is a basic process to maintain the genetic information constant through generations. Although we consider that centromere will play a key role in the separation of chromosomes, biochemical details of the process is little known. The reporter assumed at the initial phase of this study that an unique regulation of centromeres occurs in meiosis because meiosis is clearly distinguished from mitosis for the half-decreasing process of chromosomes. First, he screened cDNAs which code for DNA binding proteins from testis. Alphoid genomic DNAs were immobilized to supporting matrices as affinity materials for the target proteins. The resultant protein fraction of the affinity column work was injected into mice and immunized sera were obtained. The sera detected several cDNA clones which express recombinant proteins in E. coli host. Sequencing of a full-length cDNA shouwed that the gene product is a glutamic acid-rich protein (today the protein is known as TRIM41). The author determined that the gene is mapped to human chromosome 5q35.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. He then expected that the protein binds centromere region and performed immunochemical detection experiments using rat testis. In contrast of his assumption, the protein detected very strongly at mid-piece of matured sperm tail. Centromeres of meiotic chromosomes exhibited slight fluorescence signals in the specimen. At present, relation between TRIM41 protein and an assumed role of centromeres is unknown.