Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Isolation and In vitro Activation of Caenorhabditis elegans Sperm
Published on: January 31, 2011
Sperm associated antigen 8 (SPAG8), a novel regulator of activator of CREM in testis during spermatogenesis
Hongyu Wu1, Yingchun Chen, Shiying Miao
1National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
cAMP response element modulator (CREM)-mediated gene expression is an essential regulatory mechanism for germ cell differentiation. CREM and its coactivator in testis, ACT, activate the transcription of many essential genes for spermatogenesis. Sperm associated antigen 8 (SPAG8) is a testis-specific component that is expressed during germ cell differentiation. In this study, we found the pattern of SPAG8 expression largely overlapped with that of ACT during spermatogenesis and verified the association of SPAG8 with ACT. Furthermore, we showed that SPAG8 enhanced the transcriptional activation of ACT-mediated CREMtau by strengthening the binding of ACT to CREMtau. These results indicate that SPAG8 acts as a regulator of ACT and plays an important role in CREM-ACT-mediated gene transcription during spermatogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Spermatogenesis
The process of spermatogenesis can be divided into mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. During mitosis, the spermatogonia or stem cells divide to produce two identical daughter cells, type A and B spermatogonia. Type-A...
Spermatogenesis
Sperm Transport
The maturation phase occurs in the epididymis, where sperm...
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness
Evolution
Around 300 million years ago, the two sex chromosomes diverged from two identical autosomal chromosomes. Over time, the Y chromosome has lost most of its genes, shrinking in size. Today,...
Alternative RNA Splicing
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...

