title: The human fertilin alpha gene is non-functional: implications for its proposed role in fertilization.
abstract: In the guinea-pig, the alpha subunit of the fertilin complex, a heterodimeric surface membrane glycoprotein found on the head region of spermatozoa, has previously been proposed to mediate membrane fusion with the oolemma plasma membrane during fertilization. Here we describe experiments which indicate that the only fertilin alpha-like gene in humans is an expressed, but nonfunctional, pseudogene, possibly derived by genetic recombination between the two fertilin alpha genes found in some primates. This finding clearly raises questions about the importance and/or role of fertilin alpha in mammalian fertilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, School of Medical Sciences, U.K.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jury
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frayne
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019281:Dimerization; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000737:chemistry; D000072196:Fertilins; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000502:physiology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011323:Primates / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011544:Pseudogenes / Q000235:genetics; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019483:Disintegrins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000072196:Fertilins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases