Spermatid-specific overexpression of the TATA-binding protein gene involves recruitment of two potent testis-specific promoters

The gene encoding the TATA-binding protein, TBP, is highly overexpressed during the haploid stages of spermatogenesis in rodents. RNase protection analyses for mRNAs containing the previously identified first, second, and eighth exons suggested that most TBP mRNAs in testis did not initiate at the first exon used in somatic cells (here designated exon 1C). Using a sensitive ligation-mediated cDNA amplification method, 5' end variants of TBP mRNA were identified, and the corresponding cDNAs were cloned from liver and testis. In liver, a single promoter/first exon is used to generate a steady-state level of roughly five molecules of TBP mRNA per diploid cell equivalent. In testis, we detect modest up-regulation of the somatic promoter and recruitment of at least five other promoters. Three of the alternative promoter/first exons, including 1C and two of the testis-specific promoter/first exons, 1D and 1E, contribute roughly equivalent amounts of mRNA which, in sum, account for greater than 90% of all TBP mRNA in testis. As a result, round spermatids contain an estimated 1000 TBP mRNA molecules per haploid cell. Testis TBP mRNA also exhibits several low abundance 5' end splicing variants; however, all detected TBP mRNA leader sequences splice onto the common exon 2 and are expected to initiate translation at the same site within exon 2. The precise locations of the three major initiation exons are mapped on the gene. The identification of the strong testis-specific promoter/first exons will be important for understanding spermatid-specific tbp gene regulation.