摘要
Tssk4 belongs to the Testis Specific Serine/threonine protein Kinase (TSSK) family, members of which play an important role in spermatogenesis and/or spermiogenesis. Several Tssk family proteins have extensively been studied. However, the exact function of Tssk4 remains unclear. A Tssk4 knockout mouse model was generated and the males were subfertile due to seriously decreased sperm motility. The ultrastructure of the Tssk4−/−sperm tail is disorganized at the midpiece–principal piece junction, leading to a severe bend in the sperm flagellum. One or more axonemal microtubule doublets are absent and the midpiece is fused with the principal piece. Furthermore, we identified the association between Tssk4 and Odf2, a prominent cytoskeletal protein of the outer dense fiber (ODF) in sperm flagellum. Tssk4 can change the phosphorylation state of Odf2 and conversely Odf2 potentiates the autophosphorylation activity of Tssk4. These findings reveal that Tssk4 is required for maintaining the structural integrity of sperm flagellum and male fertility.
摘要译文
Tssk4属于睾丸特异性丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶（TSSK）家族，其成员在精子发生和/或精子发生过程中起重要作用许多Tssk家族蛋白已被广泛研究。然而，Tssk4的确切功能仍不清楚产生Tssk4敲除小鼠模型，由于精子活力严重下降，雄性不育Tssk4超细胞超微结构在中间部分断头处被杂乱无章，导致精子鞭毛严重弯曲一个或多个轴突微管双重缺失，中间片与主体融合。此外，我们确定了Tssk4和Odf2之间的关联，精子鞭毛中外部致密纤维（ODF）的突出细胞骨架蛋白Tssk4可以改变Odf2的磷酸化状态，反之Odf2可以增强Tssk4的自磷酸化活性这些研究结果表明，Tssk4是维持精子鞭毛和雄性生殖力结构完整性所必需的
Xiaoli Wang[1];Youheng Wei[1];Guolong Fu[1];Haitao Li[1];Hexige Saiyin[1];Gang Lin[1];Zhugang Wang[2];Shi Chen[3];Long Yu[1]. Tssk4 is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of sperm flagellum[J]. MHR: Basic science of reproductive medicine, 2015,21(2): 136-145