Spermatogenesis Associated Protein 16 (SPATA16)

The SPATA16 protein contains a region of homology to the mouse male enhanced antigen-2 (Mea2), a SCOP domain belonging to the tetratricopeptide repeat-like superfamily , 3 glycosylation sites, and several phosphorylation sites. The mouse and human proteins share 77% sequence identity. Northern blot analysis of multiple human tissues detected a strong signal in testis and weak expression in pancreas and kidney. Laser confocal microscopy localized a GFP-SPATA16 fusion protein specifically to the Golgi apparatus.Expression levels of mouse Spata16 mRNA were significantly higher in 28- and 50-day-old mouse testes than in 7-day-old mouse testes, suggesting a correlation between Spata16 expression and testicular development. In situ hybridization revealed that Spata16 mRNA is localized primarily in mouse spermatocytes.