Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Isolation and In vitro Activation of Caenorhabditis elegans Sperm
Published on: February 1, 2011
The Caenorhabditis elegans spe-38 gene encodes a novel four-pass integral membrane protein required for sperm
Indrani Chatterjee1, Alissa Richmond, Emily Putiri
1Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Abstract:
A mutation in the Caenorhabditis elegans spe-38 gene results in a sperm-specific fertility defect. spe-38 sperm are indistinguishable from wild-type sperm with regards to their morphology, motility and migratory behavior. spe-38 sperm make close contact with oocytes but fail to fertilize them. spe-38 sperm can also stimulate ovulation and engage in sperm competition. The spe-38 gene is predicted to encode a novel four-pass (tetraspan) integral membrane protein. Structurally similar tetraspan molecules have been implicated in processes such as gamete adhesion/fusion in mammals, membrane adhesion/fusion during yeast mating, and the formation/function of tight-junctions in metazoa. In antibody localization experiments, SPE-38 was found to concentrate on the pseudopod of mature sperm, consistent with it playing a direct role in gamete interactions.
Related Concept Videos
Spermatogenesis
Fertilization
Sperm Transport
The maturation phase occurs in the epididymis, where sperm...

