Abnormal sperm in mice lacking the Taf7l gene
- PMID: 17242199
- PMCID: PMC1899882
- DOI: 10.1128/MCB.01722-06
Abnormal sperm in mice lacking the Taf7l gene
Abstract
TFIID is a general transcription factor required for transcription of most protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II. TAF7L is an X-linked germ cell-specific paralogue of TAF7, which is a generally expressed component of TFIID. Here, we report the generation of Taf7l mutant mice by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells by using the Cre-loxP strategy. While spermatogenesis was completed in Taf7l(-/Y) mice, the weight of Taf7l(-/Y) testis decreased and the amount of sperm in the epididymides was sharply reduced. Mutant epididymal sperm exhibited abnormal morphology, including folded tails. Sperm motility was significantly reduced, and Taf7l(-/Y) males were fertile with reduced litter size. Microarray profiling revealed that the abundance of six gene transcripts (including Fscn1) in Taf7l(-/Y) testes decreased more than twofold. In particular, FSCN1 is an F-action-bundling protein and thus may be critical for normal sperm morphology and sperm motility. Although deficiency of Taf7l may be compensated in part by Taf7, Taf7l has apparently evolved new specialized functions in the gene-selective transcription in male germ cell differentiation. Our mouse studies suggest that mutations in the human TAF7L gene might be implicated in X-linked oligozoospermia in men.
Figures






References
-
- Adams, J. C. 2004. Roles of fascin in cell adhesion and motility. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 16:590-596. - PubMed
-
- Albright, S. R., and R. Tjian. 2000. TAFs revisited: more data reveal new twists and confirm old ideas. Gene 242:1-13. - PubMed
-
- Aumüller, G., and J. Seitz. 1988. Immunocytochemical localization of actin and tubulin in rat testis and spermatozoa. Histochemistry 89:261-267. - PubMed
-
- Bell, B., E. Scheer, and L. Tora. 2001. Identification of hTAF(II)80 delta links apoptotic signaling pathways to transcription factor TFIID function. Mol. Cell 8:591-600. - PubMed
-
- Breitbart, H., G. Cohen, and S. Rubinstein. 2005. Role of actin cytoskeleton in mammalian sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction. Reproduction 129:263-268. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Associated data
- Actions
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Molecular Biology Databases