title: TCTEX1D4 interactome in human testis: unraveling the function of dynein light chain in spermatozoa.
abstract: Studies were designed to identify the TCTEX1D4 interactome in human testis, with the purpose of unraveling putative protein complexes essential to male reproduction and thus novel TCTEX1D4 functions. TCTEX1D4 is a dynein light chain that belongs to the DYNT1/TCTEX1 family. In spermatozoa, it appears to be important to sperm motility, intraflagellar transport, and acrosome reaction. To contribute to the knowledge on TCTEX1D4 function in testis and spermatozoa, a yeast two-hybrid assay was performed in testis, which allowed the identification of 40 novel TCTEX1D4 interactors. Curiously, another dynein light chain, TCTEX1D2, was identified and its existence demonstrated for the first time in human spermatozoa. Immunofluorescence studies proved that TCTEX1D2 is an intra-acrosomal protein also present in the midpiece, suggesting a role in cargo movement in human spermatozoa. Further, an in silico profile of TCTEX1D4 revealed that most TCTEX1D4 interacting proteins were not previously characterized and the ones described present a very broad nature. This reinforces TCTEX1D4 as a dynein light chain that is capable of interacting with a variety of functionally different proteins. These observations collectively contribute to a deeper molecular understanding of the human spermatozoa function.
authors.affiliation: Signal Transduction Laboratory, Centre for Cell Biology, Biology Department, Health Sciences Department, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korrodi-Gregório
authors.forename: Filipa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morais-Santos
authors.forename: Edgar da
authors.initials: Ed
authors.lastname: Cruz e Silva
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fardilha
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D056445:Cytoplasmic Dyneins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004398:Dyneins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D056445:Cytoplasmic Dyneins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004398:Dyneins; C000593114:DYNLT2B protein, human; C000593113:TCTEX1D4 protein, human