Discovery of a new sialic acid binding region that regulates Siglec-7.

Siglec-7 is a human CD33-like siglec, and is localised predominantly on human natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes. Siglec-7 is considered to function as an immunoreceptor in a sialic acid-dependent manner. However, the underlying mechanisms linking sialic acid-binding and function remain unknown.

Discovery, primary, and crystal structures and capacitation-related properties of a prostate-derived heparin-binding protein WGA16 from boar sperm.

Mammalian sperm acquire fertility through a functional maturation process called capacitation, where sperm membrane molecules are drastically remodeled. In this study, we found that a wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-reactive protein on lipid rafts, named WGA16, is removed from the sperm surface on capacitation. WGA16 is a prostate-derived seminal plasma protein that has never been reported and is deposited on the sperm surface in the male reproductive tract.