Work

The lipocalin sperm coating lizard epididymal secretory protein family: mRNA structural analysis and sequential expression during the annual cycle of the lizard, Lacerta vivipara

Year: 2000

Type: article

Abstract: The epididymal epithelial cells of the lizard (Lacerta vivipara) produce large amounts of specific proteins under androgenic control. Amongst them, a major protein family that binds to the head of spermatozoa, the lizard epididymal secretory protein (LESP) family, has been identified as a member of the lipocalin superfamily. LESPs are composed of 9 elements that present an identical molecular mass of 18 000 Da but have a large range of pHi (3.5 to 9). The structural analysis of this protein family was performed by the determination and comparison of both the aminoterminal sequence of each element and the complete sequence of three specific LESP cDNA clones. When not identical, LESP elements present randomly dispatched nucleotide and amino acid substitutions, indicating the existence of at least five LESP mRNA populations encoded by a multigenic family. We determined that these LESP genes are differentially expressed during the annual epididymal cycle.

Source: Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

DOI: 10.1677/jme.0.0240127

Authors: L Morel, JP Dufaure, A Depeiges

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Blaise Pascal

Language: English

Topic: Sperm and Testicular Function

Subfield: Reproductive Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

OpenAlex ID: W2156077278