SPATC1L maintains the integrity of the sperm head-tail junction.

Spermatogenesis is a tightly regulated process involving germ cell-specific and germ cell-predominant genes. Here we investigate a novel germ cell-specific gene, Spatc1l (spermatogenesis and centriole associated 1 like). Expression analyses show that is expressed in mouse and human testes. We find that mouse duanyu1842TC1L localizes to the neck region in testicular sperm. Moreover, duanyu1842TC1L associates with the regulatory subunit of protein kinase A Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering, we generate mice lacking Disruption of Spatc1l in mice leads to male sterility owing to separation of sperm heads from tails. The lack of duanyu1842TC1L is associated with a reduction in activity in testicular sperm, and we identify capping protein muscle Z-line beta as a candidate target of phosphorylation by duanyu1529 in testis. Taken together, our results implicate the complex in maintaining the stability of the sperm head-tail junction, thereby revealing a new molecular basis for sperm head-tail integrity.

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