TEX38 localizes ZDHHC19 to the plasma membrane and regulates sperm head morphogenesis in mice

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2417943122
• Publication Date: 2025-03-03T20:06:51Z
• Authors: Yuki Kaneda; Yonggang Lu; Jiang Sun; Keisuke Shimada; Chihiro Emori; Taichi Noda; Takayuki Koyano; Makoto Matsuyama; Haruhiko Miyata; Masahito Ikawa
• Keywords: Palmitoylation; Knockout mouse

Sperm morphogenesis is a tightly regulated differentiation process, disruption of which leads to sperm malfunction and male infertility. Here, we show that Tex38 knockout (KO) mice are infertile. KO spermatids exhibit excess retention residual cytoplasm around the head, resulting in abnormal morphology with backward head bending. TEX38 interacts colocalizes ZDHHC19, testis-enriched acyltransferase catalyzing protein S-palmitoylation, at plasma membrane spermatids. ZDHHC19 each downregulated mouse testes lacking other protein. stabilizes localizes cultured cells vice versa, consolidating their interdependence. Mice deficient or harboring C142S mutation disables palmitoyltransferase activity display phenotypes resembling those mice. Strikingly, palmitoylates ARRDC5, an arrestin family regulating differentiation. Overall, our findings indicate forms stable complex spermatids, governs downstream S-palmitoylation proteins essential for morphological transformation