Molecular cloning of Odf3 encoding a novel coiled-coil protein of sperm tail outer dense fibers. |
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Authors: | Christoph Petersen Gerhard Aumüller Masoud Bahrami Sigrid Hoyer-Fender |
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Institution: | III. Zoologisches Institut-Entwicklungsbiologie, Georg-August-Universit?t, G?ttingen, Germany. |
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Abstract: | 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. |
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Keywords: | spermatogenesis sperm tail outer dense fibers cytoskeletal proteins coiled‐coil proteins |
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