Semenogelin I: a coagulum forming, multifunctional seminal vesicle protein |
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Authors: | M Robert C Gagnon |
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Institution: | (1) Chugai Research Institute for Molecular Medicine, Inc., 153-2 Nagai, Niihari-mura, Ibaraki, 300-0041 (Japan), JP;(2) Urology Research Laboratory, Rm H6.46, Royal Victoria Hospital, 687 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec, H3A 1A1 (Canada), Fax +1 514 843 1457, e-mail: cgagnon@is.rvh.mcgill.ca, CA |
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Abstract: | Human seminal plasma spontaneously coagulates after ejaculation. The major component of this coagulum is semenogelin I, a
52-kDa protein expressed exclusively in the seminal vesicles. Recently, a sperm motility inhibitor has been found to be identical
to semenogelin I, suggesting that it may also be a physiological sperm motility inhibitor. The protein is rapidly cleaved
after ejaculation by the chymotrypsin-like prostatic protease prostate-specific antigen, resulting in liquefaction of the
semen coagulum and the progressive release of motile spermatozoa. Some of the cleavage products of Sg I may also have various
biological functions. While the semenogelin I protein is unique to human and higher primates, it has recently been shown to
belong to a gene family having a similar gene structure but encoding widely differing proteins. The recently elucidated characteristics
of the semenogelin I gene as well as the biochemical and functional properties of the encoded protein are reviewed, and an
attempt is made to integrate the various findings into a model for semen coagulation, sperm immobilization and potential other
functions.
Received 21 October 1998; received after revision 15 December 1998; accepted 15 December 1998 |
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Keywords: | , Seminal plasma, sperm motility inhibitor, prostate-specific antigen, seminal vesicle-specific antigen, inhibin-like,,,,,peptides, REST gene, sperm hyaluronidase, |
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