ESA-SRB 2013* "Male infertility - the canary in your coal mine" (#80)
Male infertility affects 1 in 20 Australian men of reproductive age and for at least half a precise diagnosis cannot be provided. Conversely, for the majority of other people additional contraceptive options, including those that target the male germ line, are desirable. Both deficits are in reality caused by the same problem, a lack of knowledge regarding the processes why which sperm are produced and how they function. In an effort to address this knowledge gap, we conduct a random mouse mutagenesis (forward genetic) screen to identify additional genes/proteins involved in male fertility. The screen was conducted through the Australian Phenomics Network and was extremely successful. We identified numerous genes that had not previously been implicated in fertility, and often in any biological process. We identified multiple genes involved in microtubule dynamics and protein transport within haploid germ cells; regulators of RNA metabolism and others involved in stem cell function. Each of these mouse lines is now revealing novel insights of relevance not only to male fertility, but often to diverse tissues throughout the body.
