Sequence similarities of the protamine genes: implications for regulation and evolution.

With the recent availability of the primary structural data for the trout, bovine, and mouse protamine genes, a detailed comparison of their structures has been made. This has revealed extensive conservation of potentially biologically significant regions. An inverse correlation is apparent between gene copy number and the number of sequence-distinct protamines synthesized with the number of CP-box-like (CCYPCCC) putative transcription modulating sequences situated 5' to these genes. A common nucleotide sequence 5' to the CP-box-like putative transcription modulating sequence(s) at the end of a common region has been identified. It is postulated that this is the testis-specific protamine P1 transcription regulator sequence. Evidence based on sequence similarity is also provided for the existence of a primordial protamine gene and a scheme for the evolution of vertebrate protamine genes is proposed.