A novel function for the presenilin family member spe-4: inhibition of spermatid activation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sperm cells must regulate the timing and location of activation to maximize the likelihood of fertilization. Sperm from most species, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, activate upon encountering an external signal. Activation for C. elegans sperm occurs as spermatids undergo spermiogenesis, a profound cellular reorganization that produces a pseudopod. Spermiogenesis is initiated by an activation signal that is transduced through a series of gene products. It is now clear that an inhibitory pathway also operates in spermatids, preventing their premature progression to spermatozoa and resulting in fine-scale control over the timing of activation. Here, we describe the involvement of a newly assigned member of the inhibitory pathway: spe-4, a homolog of the hum

SUBMITTER: Gosney R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2383881 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature