High accumulation of components of the RNA polymerase II transcription machinery in rodent spermatids

Levels of mRNA and protein encoded by the TATA-binding protein (tbp) gene are shown to increase dramatically during late spermatogenesis in rodents, culminating in a highly testis-enriched expression pattern. Whereas adult spleen and liver contained roughly 0.7 and 2.3 molecules of TBP mRNA per haploid genome-equivalent, respectively, adult testis contained 80–200 molecules of TBP mRNA per haploid genome-equivalent. Comparison of nuclear and cytoplasmic levels of TBP mRNA in liver and testis suggested that nuclear events (transcription or processing) contribute roughly 12-fold, and cytoplasmic events (mRNA stability) roughly 6-fold, to testis-specific overaccumulation. Levels of nuclear TBP protein in testis cells were, on average, 8- and 11-fold higher than those in liver and spleen cells, respectively. Overexpression of TBP mRNA in testis began about 20 days after birth and reached a plateau around day 40, corresponding to the developmental emergence of haploid cells. Besides TBP, two other components of the general RNA polymerase II machinery, TFIIB and RNA polymerase II, were also overexpressed in testis. By immunostaining, it was found that TBP and RNA polymerase II were particularly rich in round spermatid nuclei. Our results suggest a molecular explanation for how early spermatids are able to accumulate all of the mRNA necessary for the final week of spermiogenesis.