PMID:9546393

Citation	Singson, A, Mercer, KB and L'Hernault, SW (1998) The C. elegans spe-9 gene encodes a sperm transmembrane protein that contains EGF-like repeats and is required for fertilization. Cell 93:71-9
Abstract	In the nematode worm C. elegans, individuals with mutations in the spe-9 gene produce spermatozoa with wild-type morphology and motility that cannot fertilize oocytes even after contact between gametes. Therefore, disruption of spe-9 function affects either gamete recognition, adhesion, signaling, and/or fusion. The spe-9 gene encodes a sperm transmembrane protein with an extracellular domain that contains ten epidermal growth factor-like repeats. A common feature of proteins that include epidermal growth factor-like motifs is their involvement in extracellular functions such as adhesive and ligand-receptor interactions. Additionally, the overall structure of the predicted SPE-9 protein is similar to that of ligands for the Notch/LIN-12/GLP-1 family of transmembrane receptors. These results suggest that SPE-9 functions in the specialized cell-cell interactions required for fertilization.
Links	PubMed
Keywords	Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Cloning, Molecular; Disorders of Sex Development; Epidermal Growth Factor/chemistry; Female; Fertilization/physiology; Genes, Helminth; Germ Cells/physiology; Male; Membrane Proteins/biosynthesis; Membrane Proteins/chemistry; Membrane Proteins/genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Ovulation; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis; Recombinant Proteins/chemistry; Sperm Motility; Sperm-Ovum Interactions/physiology; Spermatozoa/physiology
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Gene product	Qualifier	GO ID	GO term name	Evidence Code	with/from	Aspect	Notes	Status
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