In this study, a gene coding a novel human sperm tail protein named NYD-SP28 was cloned and characterized using a complementary DNA (cDNA) microarray. Its expression was 3.5 times higher in human testis than in fetal testis, and very high in human spermatozoa. The full length of NYD-SP28 cDNA was 1798 bp and encoded a 484-amino-acid protein. Motif analysis revealed that the protein contained a ...

OBJECTIVE Sperm DNA undergoes apoptotic fragmentation when exposed to HPV DNA. Details of the specific gene regions targeted by HPV in sperm are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the integrity of exons 5 and 8 of the p53 gene in sperm exposed to HPV DNA. METHODS Washed sperm were exposed to either HLA-DQA1 (control) or HPV type 6b/11, 16, 18, 31, or 33 DNA fragments for 24...

Region-specific gene expression is an intriguing feature of the mammalian epididymis. This unique property is essential for sperm maturation and storage, and it also implicates stringent and multi-level regulations of gene expression. Over the past decade, the androgen-driven activation of epididymal gene transcription has been extensively studied. However, it still remains largely unexplored w...

The murine septin4 gene (Sept4) has been implicated in diverse cellular functions, including cytokinesis, apoptosis, and tumor suppression. Here, we investigated the function of Sept4 proteins during mouse development by creating a targeted deletion of the Sept4 genomic locus. Sept4 mutant mice are viable but male sterile due to immotile and structurally defective sperm. During spermatogenesis,...

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death crucial for development, homeostasis, immunity, spermatogenesis, and prevention of cancer. Positive selection acting on mammalian apoptosis related genes targets protein interfaces that interact with pathogens and also elements of signaling complexes. Selection appears primarily to be driven by the immune/defense related function of these genes. More...

abstract: background: the availability of testis specific genes will be of help in choosing the most promising biomarkers for the detection of testicular sperm retrieval in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (noa). cdy1 histone acetyltransferase is a histone modifier which concentrates in the nucleus of round spermatids, where histone hyperacetylation occurs and causes the replacement of...

BACKGROUND CatSper1-4 are a unique family of sperm cation channels, which are exclusively expressed in the testis and play an important role in sperm motility and male fertility. Despite their vital role in male fertility, almost nothing is known about the factors regulating their expression. Here, we investigated the effects of selenium (Se) on the expression of CatSper genes and sperm paramet...

In sexually reproducing animals, the ability to coordinate oocyte maturation and sperm availability has profound effects on reproductive success. InCaenorhabditis elegans, cell–cell signaling is crucial for promoting germline development, oocyte maturation, and ovulation. In this issue of Genes & Development, Miller et al. (2003) provide new insights into the role that sperm play in oocyte matu...

introduction: sperm cryopreservation is widely used as a way of preserving the male sperm used in future artificial insemination and fertilization. despite all the recent advances in cryopreservation technology, sperm motility is negatively affected by freezing and the thawing afterwards. yet hyaluronic acid is believed to improve the vitality and motility of the sperm, enhancing the physiologi...