| First Author | Lehti MS | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Development | Volume | 144 |
| Issue | 14 | Pages | 2683-2693 |
| PubMed ID | 28619825 | Mgi Jnum | J:242894 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5907053 | Doi | 10.1242/dev.152108 |
| Citation | Lehti MS, et al. (2017) SPEF2 functions in microtubule-mediated transport in elongating spermatids to ensure proper male germ cell differentiation. Development 144(14):2683-2693 |
| abstractText | Sperm differentiation requires specific protein transport for correct sperm tail formation and head shaping. A transient microtubular structure, the manchette, appears around the differentiating spermatid head and serves as a platform for protein transport to the growing tail. Sperm flagellar 2 (SPEF2) is known to be essential for sperm tail development. In this study we investigated the function of SPEF2 during spermatogenesis using a male germ cell-specific Spef2 knockout mouse model. In addition to defects in sperm tail development, we observed a duplication of the basal body and failure in manchette migration resulting in an abnormal head shape. We identified cytoplasmic dynein 1 and GOLGA3 as novel interaction partners for SPEF2. SPEF2 and dynein 1 colocalize in the manchette and the inhibition of dynein 1 disrupts the localization of SPEF2 to the manchette. Furthermore, the transport of a known SPEF2-binding protein, IFT20, from the Golgi complex to the manchette was delayed in the absence of SPEF2. These data indicate a possible novel role of SPEF2 as a linker protein for dynein 1-mediated cargo transport along microtubules. |
