Two <i>Spag6</i> genes control sperm formation and male fertility in mice.

ABSTRACT: Sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) is the mammalian orthologue of Chlamydomonas PF16, a central axonemal protein essential for flagellar motility. In mice, two homologous genes have been identified: the ancestral Spag6 on chromosome 2 and the evolutionary derived Spag6l on chromosome 16. Although Spag6 knockout mice (Spag6 ^-/-) are phenotypically normal, the surviving Spag6l ^-/- males are infertile. To further investigate the roles of SPAG6 and SPAG6L, we generated compound mutants by crossing the two knockout lines. Compound heterozygous Spag6 ^+/-; Spag6l ^+/- mice are fertile, while all Spag6 ^-/-; Spag6l ^+/- males are infertile despite grossly normal appe

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12330654 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature