Gene:
sperm associated antigen 9
Gene ID:
190877
Symbol:
SPAG9
Species:
1000
Description:
Extracellular signals are transduced into cells through mitogen-activated protein kinases. The structural organization of these kinases into specific signaling domains is facilitated by scaffolding proteins involved in closely tethering different kinases so that successive phosphorylation events can occur. The protein encoded by this gene is a scaffolding protein that brings together mitogen-activated protein kinases and their transcription factor targets for the activation of specific signaling pathways. This gene which is abundantly expressed in testicular haploid germ cells encodes a protein that is recognized by sperm-agglutinating antibodies and implicated in infertility. Alternatively spliced variants that encode different protein isoforms have been described but the full-length sequences of only two have been determined.