Sex Determining Region Y Box Protein 30 (SOX30)

SOX30encodes a member of the SOX family of transcription factors involved in the regulation of embryonic development and in the determination of the cell fate. The encoded protein may act as a transcriptional regulator after forming a protein complex with other proteins. The protein may be involved in the differentiation of developing male germ cells. Two transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been identified for this gene. The HMG box of SOX30 shows less than 50% similarity with other SOX proteins and no significant homology outside this area. The specific expression of Sox30 in normal testes, but not in maturing germ cell-deficient testes, suggested the involvement of Sox30 in differentiation of male germ cells. Western blot analysis indicated that SOX30 protein is exclusively localized in cell nuclei.