TEX14 explained

Testis-expressed protein 14 is a protein in humans encoded by the TEX14 gene, and is 1497 amino acids in length.^[1] TEX14 plays a vital role in the formation of germ cells, as it is an essential component of the mammalian germ cell interphase bridge.^[2]

An orthologue of TEX14 exists in other mammals, also called TEX14.

Function

During cell division, specifically in telophase, the spindle is converted into a midbody. This midbody contains a ring of TEX14, which gradually travels outwards as cell division progresses. Finally, TEX14 marks the ends of the intercellular bridge.^[3]

Clinical significance

Male mice and male pigs that lack normal TEX14 are incapable of producing functional sperm, and thus are infertile.^[4] However, TEX14-knockout female mice are not infertile.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: TEX14 Gene - GeneCards TEX14 Protein TEX14 Antibody . 2022-09-28 . www.genecards.org . 2022-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928003201/https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=TEX14 . live .
2. Greenbaum MP, Yan W, Wu MH, Lin YN, Agno JE, Sharma M, Braun RE, Rajkovic A, Matzuk MM . 6 . TEX14 is essential for intercellular bridges and fertility in male mice . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 103 . 13 . 4982–4987 . March 2006 . 16549803 . 1458781 . 10.1073/pnas.0505123103 . 2006PNAS..103.4982G . free .
3. Greenbaum MP, Ma L, Matzuk MM . Conversion of midbodies into germ cell intercellular bridges . Developmental Biology . 305 . 2 . 389–396 . May 2007 . 17383626 . 2717030 . 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.02.025 .
4. Sironen A, Uimari P, Venhoranta H, Andersson M, Vilkki J . An exonic insertion within Tex14 gene causes spermatogenic arrest in pigs . BMC Genomics . 12 . 1 . 591 . December 2011 . 22136159 . 3248578 . 10.1186/1471-2164-12-591 . free .
5. Greenbaum MP, Iwamori N, Agno JE, Matzuk MM . Mouse TEX14 is required for embryonic germ cell intercellular bridges but not female fertility . Biology of Reproduction . 80 . 3 . 449–457 . March 2009 . 19020301 . 2805395 . 10.1095/biolreprod.108.070649 .