Testis

NYD-SP16, A Novel Gene Associated with Spermatogenesis of Human Testis

Abstract

By hybridizing human adult testis cDNA microarray with human adult and embryo testis cDNA probes, respectively, a novel human testis gene NYD-SP16 was identified. NYD-SP16 was expressed 6.44-fold higher in adult testis than in fetal testis. NYD-SP16 contains 1595 bp and a 762-bp open reading frame encoding a 254 amino acids protein with 73% amino acid sequence identity with the mouse testis homologous protein. NYD-SP16 gene was localized to human chromosome 5q14. The deduced structure of NYD-SP16 protein contained one transmembrane domain, which is confirmed by GFP/NYD-SP16 fusion protein expression in the cytomembrane of the transfected human choriocarcinoma JAR cells suggesting its being a transmembrane protein. Multiple tissues distribution indicated that NYD-SP16 mRNA was highly expressed in the testes and pancreas with little or no expression elsewhere. Further analysis of its abnormal expression in patients with male infertility revealed that NYD-SP16 was absent in the testes of patients with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome, and variable expression in patients with spermatogenic arrest. The mouse testis homologous gene expression in mouse testis was confirmed to spermatogenic cells by in situ hybridization and its expression in mouse different spermatogenic cells. The results of cDNA microarray, in situ hybridization and semiquantitative PCR in mouse testis of different stages indicated its expression was developmentally regulated. In conclusion, these results suggested that the putative NYD-SP16 protein may play an important role in testicular development/spermatogenesis and may correlated with male infertility.