Molecular cloning of Odf3 encoding a novel coiled-coil protein of sperm tail outer dense fibers.

Christoph Petersen, Gerhard Aumüller, Masoud Bahrami, Sigrid Hoyer-Fender

III. Zoologisches Institut-Entwicklungsbiologie, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany.

Molecular reproduction and development 2002 Jan

filter terms:

The outer dense fibers (ODF) are the main cytoskeletal structures of the sperm tail found in animals with internal fecundation. They consist of at least 14 polypeptides from which only a few are identified due to difficulties in isolation of the protein components. Here we report the isolation and molecular characterization of Odf3, encoding a novel protein of rat sperm ODF. Odf3 is transcribed in testes and more specifically in spermatids but it is also expressed in epididymides and brain suggesting a possible involvement in building of the cellular cytoskeleton. Odf3 encodes a putative protein of approximately 110 kDa. Secondary structure predictions indicated that ODF3 is a coiled-coil protein. The identification of coiled-coil proteins as constituents of outer dense fibers reveals a model for ODF formation. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Citation

Christoph Petersen, Gerhard Aumüller, Masoud Bahrami, Sigrid Hoyer-Fender. Molecular cloning of Odf3 encoding a novel coiled-coil protein of sperm tail outer dense fibers. Molecular reproduction and development. 2002 Jan;61(1):102-12