Reduced fertility in mice deficient for the POU protein sperm-1.
Members of the POU-homeodomain gene family encode transcriptional regulatory molecules that play important roles in terminal differentiation of many organ systems. Sperm-1 (Sprm-1) is a POU domain factor that is exclusively expressed in the differentiating male germ cell. We show here that the Sprm-1 protein is expressed in the haploid spermatid and that 129/Sv Sprm-1(-/-) mice are subfertile when compared with wild-type or heterozygous littermates yet exhibit normal testicular morphology and produce normal numbers of mobile spermatozoa. Our data suggest that the Sprm-1 protein plays a discrete regulatory function in the haploid spermatid, which is required for the optimal function, but not the terminal differentiation, of the male germ cell.
Pearse
R V
RV
Eukaryotic Regulatory Biology Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0648, USA.
Drolet
D W
DW
Kalla
K A
KA
Hooshmand
F
F
Bermingham
J R
JR
Rosenfeld
M G
MG
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050809:POU Domain Factors; C484175:Pou5f2 protein, mouse