The Cilia-Associated Protein CCDC89 Is Dispensable for Male Fertility in Mice

Cilia are microtubule-based organelles that protrude from the cell surface and are crucial for cellular sensory and motility functions. Defects in cilia are associated with various diseases, collectively known as ciliopathies. Although single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics have identified many proteins linked to cilia, their physiological roles remain largely unclear. In this study, we identify coiled-coil domain-containing 89 (CCDC89) as a new ciliary protein. Super-resolution imaging reveals that CCDC89 localizes to the axonemal lumen in motile cilia of mouse ependymal multiciliated cells. However, no apparent morphological abnormalities are observed in the lung and brain of Ccdc89 knockout mice. While CCDC89 is highly abundant in the testis, Ccdc89 knockout mice appear to have normal male fertility. Overall, our findings suggest that CCDC89 is dispensable for male fertility in mice, providing valuable information for other researchers to avoid unnecessary detailed studies.