The gene for the human tMDC I sperm surface protein is non-functional: implications for its proposed role in mammalian sperm–egg recognition
Keyword(s):
The sperm surface antigen tMDC I (also known as cyritestin) has been proposed to play a role in sperm–egg binding in the mouse via an interaction between its disintegrin-like domain and an integrin receptor on the oolemma plasma membrane. Here we report the cloning and sequence of human tMDC I transcripts and show that they are non-functional, owing to the presence of a variety of deletions, insertions and in-frame termination codons. The absence of a tMDC I protein is further supported by the lack of immunoreactivity on Western blots of human testis and sperm extracts probed with macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and human anti-tMDC I antisera.
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1994 ◽
Vol 125
(4)
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pp. 867-878
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1997 ◽
Vol 137
(1)
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pp. 105-112
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1984 ◽
Vol 230
(3)
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pp. 473-483
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1991 ◽
Vol 115
(5)
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pp. 1357-1374
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1987 ◽
Vol 104
(5)
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pp. 1239-1248
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