In this study, a gene coding a novel human sperm tail protein named NYD-SP28 was cloned and characterized using a complementary DNA (cDNA) microarray. Its expression was 3.5 times higher in human testis than in fetal testis, and very high in human spermatozoa. The full length of NYD-SP28 cDNA was 1798 bp and encoded a 484-amino-acid protein. Motif analysis revealed that the protein contained a cluster of phosphorylation sites, N-glycosylation sites and N-myristoylation sites. Immunohistochemical analysis of normal human testes showed that NYD-SP28 was expressed in the cytoplasm of spermatogenic cells but not in interstitial cells. The EGFP-NYD-SP28 fusion protein was also localized in the cytoplasm of transfected 7721 cells. In human spermatozoa, NYD-SP28 immunoreactivity was detected in entire sperm tail. Using the two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting technique, NYD-SP28 was found to be post-translationally modified during sperm capacitation. In conclusion, these results suggest that NYD-SP28 is a new human sperm tail protein and might play an important role during sperm capacitation.

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