Testis-specific serine kinase 3 is required for sperm morphogenesis and male fertility.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The importance of phosphorylation in sperm during spermatogenesis has not been pursued extensively. Testis-specific serine kinase 3 (Tssk3) is a conserved gene, but TSSK3 kinase functions and phosphorylation substrates of TSSK3 are not known.

Objective

The goals of our studies were to understand the mechanism of action of TSSK3.

Materials and methods

We analyzed the localization of TSSK3 in sperm, used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate Tssk3 knockout (KO) mice in which nearly all of the Tssk3 open reading frame was deleted (ensuring it is a null mutation), analyzed the fertility of Tssk3 KO mice by breeding mice for 4 months, and conducted phosphoproteomics analysis of male testicular germ cells.

Results

TSSK3 is expressed in elongating sperm and localizes to

SUBMITTER: Nozawa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10267670 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature