Two-directional trafficking of the IFT25 protein in the developing mouse sperm flagella.

Intraflagellar transport 25 (IFT25) is a component of the IFT-B complex. In mice, even though this IFT component is not required for cilia formation in somatic cells, it is essential for sperm formation. However, the intracellular localization of this protein in male germ cells is not known given no reliable antibodies are available for histologic studies, and the dynamic trafficking in the developing sperm flagella is not clear.

DNALI1 interacts with the MEIG1/PACRG complex within the manchette and is required for proper sperm flagellum assembly in mice.

The manchette is a transient and unique structure present in elongating spermatids and required for proper differentiation of the germ cells during spermatogenesis. Previous work indicated that the MEIG1/PACRG complex locates in the manchette and is involved in the transport of cargos, such as SPAG16L, to build the sperm flagellum. Here, using co-immunoprecipitation and pull-down approaches in various cell systems, we established that DNALI1, an axonemal component originally cloned from , recruits and stabilizes PACRG and we confirm in vivo, the co-localization of DNALI1 and PACRG in the manchette by immunofluorescence of elongating murine spermatids.

Inactivation of Cops5 in Smooth Muscle Cells Causes Abnormal Reproductive Hormone Homeostasis and Development in Mice.

COP9 constitutive photomorphogenic homolog subunit 5 (COPS5), also known as Jab1 or CSN5, has been implicated in a wide variety of cellular and developmental processes. By analyzing male germ cell-specific COPS5-deficient mice, we have demonstrated previously that COPS5 is essential to maintain male germ survival and acrosome biogenesis. To further determine the role of Cops5 in peritubular myoid cells, a smooth muscle lineage surrounding seminiferous tubules, we herein derived mice conditionally deficient for the Cops5 gene in smooth muscle cells using transgenic Myh11-Cre mice.

Generation of floxed Spag6l mice and disruption of the gene by crossing to a Hprt-Cre line.

Mouse sperm-associated antigen 6 like (SPAG6L) is an axoneme central apparatus protein, essential for the normal function of the ependymal cell and lung cilia, and sperm flagella. Accumulated evidence has disclosed multiple biological functions of SPAG6L, including ciliary/flagellar biogenesis and polarization, neurogenesis, and neuronal migration. Conventional Spag6l knockout mice died of hydrocephalus, which impedes further investigation of the function of the gene in vivo.

Disrupted intercellular bridges and spermatogenesis in fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1 knockout mice: A new model of ether lipid deficiency.

Peroxisomal fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1 (FAR1) is a rate-limiting enzyme for ether lipid (EL) synthesis. Gene mutations in FAR1 cause a rare human disease. Furthermore, altered EL homeostasis has also been associated with various prevalent human diseases.

MEIG1 determines the manchette localization of IFT20 and IFT88, two intraflagellar transport components in male germ cells.

Sperm flagella formation is a complex process that requires cargo transport systems to deliver structural proteins for sperm flagella assembly. Two cargo transport systems, the intramanchette transport (IMT) and intraflagellar transport (IFT), have been shown to play critical roles in spermatogenesis and sperm flagella formation. IMT exists only in elongating spermatids, while IFT is responsible for delivering cargo proteins in the developing cilia/flagella.

The Ancient and Evolved Mouse Sperm-Associated Antigen 6 Genes Have Different Biologic Functions In Vivo.

Sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) is the mammalian orthologue of , an axonemal central pair protein involved in flagellar motility. In mice, two genes have been identified. The ancestral gene, on mouse chromosome 2, is named .

Autophagy core protein ATG5 is required for elongating spermatid development, sperm individualization and normal fertility in male mice.

Spermiogenesis is the longest phase of spermatogenesis, with dramatic morphological changes and a final step of spermiation, which involves protein degradation and the removal of excess cytoplasm; therefore, we hypothesized that macroautophagy/autophagy might be involved in the process. To test this hypothesis, we examined the function of ATG5, a core autophagy protein in male germ cell development. Floxed and mice were crossed to conditionally inactivate in male germ cells.

Dissecting the SPAG6 domain that mediates interaction with Snapin.

SPAG6 domain encompassing amino acids 199-280 mediates an interaction between SPAG6 and Snapin.

Murine germ cell-specific disruption of Ift172 causes defects in spermiogenesis and male fertility.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a conserved mechanism essential for the assembly and maintenance of most eukaryotic cilia and flagella. IFT172 is a component of the IFT complex. Global disruption of mouse Ift172 gene caused typical phenotypes of ciliopathy.

Abnormal fertility, acrosome formation, IFT20 expression and localization in conditional knockout mice.

GMAP210 (TRIP11) is a cis-Golgi network-associated protein and a Golgi membrane receptor for IFT20, an intraflagellar transport component essential for male fertility and spermiogenesis in mice. To investigate the role of GMAP210 in male fertility and spermatogenesis, floxed mice were bred with mice so that the gene is disrupted in spermatocytes and spermatids in this study. The mutant mice showed no gross abnormalities and survived to adulthood.