Specific expression of pfkfb4 gene in spermatogonia germ cells and analysis of its 5'-flanking region.

The results presented demonstrate the expression of pfkfb4 gene in adult testis and in a mouse spermatogonia germ cell line (GC-1spg). The genomic organization of the human pfkfb4 gene shows the existence of 14 exons and 13 introns, spanning 45 kb. A detailed analysis of the 5'-flanking region by transient transfection assays with different 5'-deletion promoter constructs in GC-1spg and mouse sertoli cells (TM-4), allows us to define the minimal promoter unit, containing several GC-rich and ETF sequences along the first -141 nucleotides involved in basal expression. This gene is activated by serum and chemical hypoxia (CoCl(2) treatment) whereas beta-estradiol decreases its expression.