AUTHOR=Chen Zhen , Xu Yating , Ma Dupeng , Li Changrong , Yu Ziqi , Liu Cong , Jin Tingyu , Du Ziye , Li Zejia , Sun Qi , Xu Yumin , Liu Rong , Wu Yuerong , Luo Mengcheng 

TITLE=Loss of Cep72 affects the morphology of spermatozoa in mice

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.948965

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.948965

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>The centrosome regulates mammalian meiosis by affecting recombination, synapsis, chromosome segregation, and spermiogenesis. Cep72 is one of the critical components of the centrosome. However, the physiological role of Cep72 in spermatogenesis and fertility remains unclear. In this study, we identify Cep72 as a testis-specific expression protein. Although <italic>Cep72</italic> knockout mice were viable and fertile, their sperms were morphologically abnormal with incomplete flagellum structures. Transcriptome analysis reveals significant differences in six genes (<italic>Gm49527</italic>, <italic>Hbb-bt</italic>, <italic>Hba-a2</italic>, <italic>Rps27a-ps2</italic>, <italic>Gm29647</italic>, and <italic>Gm8430</italic>), which were not previously associated with spermatogenesis. Overall, these results indicate that Cep72 participates in regulating sperm morphology and yet is dispensable for fertility in mice.</p>