Identification and characterization of a novel spermatogenesis related gene LM23 in rat testis.

The aim of this study is to screen the novel gene related to the spermatogenesis. A novel rat testis-specific gene LM23 was identified and characterized by differential display PCR with total RNA from rat type A spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids. LM23 cDNA consists of 1896 base pairs (bp) with a complete open reading frame of 936 bp, and encodes a putative protein including 312 amino acids, which shares no significant homology with any known gene.