Identification of RS as a flagellar and head sperm protein.
RS is 20-kDa microtubule-associated protein found in several human tissues. Sequence analysis showed that the polypeptide is highly related to a rat protein whose level has been previously reported to be correlated with sperm fertility. The present study examines the intracellular distribution of RS in spermatozoa from both humans and rats employing a specific antibody to the polypeptide and immunofluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate that in humans, RS is mainly a flagellum protein, but in rats, it is also abundant in the sperm head. In the sperm tail, RS was found to be co-localized with beta-tubulin, a major component of the axoneme, suggesting that RS is also associated with the flagellum axoneme. Contrary to a previous report, incubation of isolated spermatozoa from both humans and rats in the presence of ornidazole, a reported male contraceptive drug in rats, did not result in modulation in the level of RS, suggesting that the drug does not act directly on sperm RS. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55:189-196, 2000.
Whyard
T C
TC
Prostate Cancer Research Center, Department of Urology, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8093, USA.
Cheung
W
W
Sheynkin
Y
Y
Waltzer
W C
WC
Hod
Y
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009950:Ornidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D000071617:Protein Deglycase DJ-1; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000378:metabolism; D013082:Sperm Tail / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C115438:contraception associated protein 1; D009950:Ornidazole; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C404267:PARK7 protein, rat; D000071617:Protein Deglycase DJ-1