The vertebrate- and testis- specific transmembrane protein C11ORF94 plays a critical role in sperm-oocyte membrane binding.

ABSTRACT: Sperm-oocyte membrane fusion is necessary for mammalian fertilization. The factors that determine the fusion of sperm with oocytes are largely unknown. So far, spermatozoon factor IZUMO1 and the IZUMO1 counter-receptor JUNO on the oocyte membrane has been identified as a protein requiring fusion. Some sperm membrane proteins such as FIMP, SPACA6 and TEME95, have been proved not to directly regulate fusion, but their knockout will affect the fusion process of sperm and oocytes. Here, we identified a novel gene C11orf94 encoding a testicular-specific small transmembrane protein that emerges in vertebrates likely acquired via horizontal gene transfer from bacteria and plays an indispensable role in sperm-oocyte binding. We demonstrated that the deletion of C11orf94 dramatically decreased male

SUBMITTER: Hao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9437168 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature