Title : Putative sperm fusion
protein IZUMO and the role of N-glycosylation
Abstract :
- 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