New insights into the t-complex and control of sperm function.
The mouse t-complex, located on chromosome 17, contains genes known to influence male, but not female, fertility. Although some t-complex genes are recessive lethals, t-chromosomes are maintained in the population by transmission ratio distortion. When male mice heterozygous for the t-chromosome mate with wild-type females, most offspring will possess the t-chromosome, indicating a link between t-complex genes and sperm function. Several proteins coded for by t-complex genes have been localised in the sperm flagellum, suggesting roles relating to motility. Another t-complex protein appears able to regulate the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP signal transduction pathway, known to play an important role in capacitation. Defective motility and/or failure to capacitate ("switch on") would result in poorly fertile or infertile spermatozoa. Given the existence of human homologues for many genes in the t-complex and the prevalence of "male factor" infertility, information obtained about the t-complex not only will provide insight into basic biological mechanisms but may be of future clinical relevance as well.
Fraser
L R
LR
Anatomy and Human Biology Group and Developmental Biology Research Centre, London, United Kingdom. lynn.fraser@kcl.ac.uk
Dudley
K
K
D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*