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Cloning and sequencing of cDNA encoding for a human sperm antigen involved in fertilization

A cDNA encoding for a sperm antigen, designated NZ‐2, was cloned and sequenced from human testis cDNA‐λgt11 expression library by using antibodies to human sperm surface antigens belonging to 14–18 kD molecular regions. These sperm antigens are involved in binding to zona pellucida of the human oocyte. Computer generated translation analysis of 963‐bp cDNA yielded an open reading frame (ORF) of 163 amino acids (aa) with first ATG, Met start codon at nucleotide (nt) 335 and the stop codon TAA at nt 824. The NZ‐2 cDNA has 335‐bp 5′ and 139‐bp 3′ noncoding regions. The translated protein has a calculated molecular weight of ∼19 kD, and has two casein kinase II (CK‐2) sites at aa 94–97 and 149–152, respectively. Extensive computer search in the GenBank, National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), and Swiss database indicates it to be a novel protein, having 99.5% nt sequence similarity, except for the first 40‐bp, only with the human bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing cloned human sperm DNA, at position 76935–76009. The in vitro translated product of T3 RNA polymerase by using NZ‐2 cDNA digested with XhoI yielded a protein band of ∼20 kD, indicating it to be sense strand. The in vitro translated product of T7 RNA polymerase by using NZ‐2 cDNA digested with NotI did not yield any protein band, indicating it to be antisense strand. The ∼20 kD protein was recognized specifically by the antisperm IgG, not by the control IgG in the Western blot procedure. Neither antisperm IgG nor control IgG recognized any protein band in the in vitro translation products of the antisense strand. The human genomic DNAs from three different cells/tissues namely, sperm, kidney, and testis when cut by HindIII, and then hybridized with the NZ‐2 cDNA probe in the Southern blot procedure, showed restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The recombinant human sperm NZ‐2 antigen may find applications in the development of a contraceptive vaccine, and diagnosis and treatment of infertility in humans. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 51:176–183, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.