First Author | Inoue N | Year | 2008 |
Journal | Biochem Biophys Res Commun | Volume | 377 |
Issue | 3 | Pages | 910-4 |
PubMed ID | 18952059 | Mgi Jnum | J:144869 |
Mgi Id | MGI:3832120 | Doi | 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.10.073 |
Citation | Inoue N, et al. (2008) Putative sperm fusion protein IZUMO and the role of N-glycosylation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 377(3):910-4 |
abstractText | IZUMO is the mouse sperm protein proven to be essential for fusion with eggs. It contains one immunoglobulin-like domain with a conserved glycosylation site within. In the present paper, we produced transgenic mouse lines expressing unglycosylated IZUMO (N204Q-IZUMO) in Izumo1 -/- background. The expression of N204Q-IZUMO rescued the infertile phenotype of IZUMO disrupted mice, indicating glycosylation is not essential for fusion-facilitating activity of IZUMO. The N204Q-IZUMO was produced in testis in comparable amounts to wild-type IZUMO, but the amount of N204Q-IZUMO on sperm was significantly decreased by the time sperm reached the cauda epididymis. These data suggest that glycosylation is not essential for the function of IZUMO, but has a role in protecting it from fragmentation in cauda epididymis. |