Ccdc159, coiled-coil domain-containing protein 159, is a protein-coding gene. It is specifically involved in spermatogenesis in mice, playing a crucial role in the assembly of spermatid head and tail. The protein contains a C-terminal coiled-coil domain functioning as the centrosomal localization signal [1].

In mice, gene knockout (KO) of Ccdc159 led to acephalic spermatozoa, abnormal flagella, and male infertility. This indicates its importance in maintaining the sperm head-tail connection and flagellar microtubule formation. Yeast two-hybrid screen identified CCDC159-binding proteins, suggesting its role in head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) assembly by regulating protein phosphatase PP1 activity. RNA-sequencing of Ccdc159 KO testes showed down-regulation of numerous genes involved in male gamete generation [1].

In conclusion, Ccdc159 is a novel centrosomal protein in spermatids that anchors the sperm head to the tail. The Ccdc159 KO mouse model has revealed its essential function in spermatogenesis, highlighting its significance in male infertility research [1]. Additionally, CCDC159 was detected as a gene potentially associated with lung adenocarcinoma through a multi-omics integration approach, though its role in this context requires further exploration [2].

References:

1. Ge, Tingting, Yuan, Lu, Xu, Linwei, Zhou, Huiping, Zheng, Ying. . Coiled-coil domain containing 159 is required for spermatid head and tail assembly in mice†. In Biology of reproduction, 110, 877-894. doi:10.1093/biolre/ioae012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38236177/

2. Zhao, Shaofei, Qi, Caleb, Zhao, Geran, Wang, Yangsheng, Fu, Guifang. 2024. A model-free and distribution-free multi-omics integration approach for detecting novel lung adenocarcinoma genes. In Scientific reports, 14, 17996. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-45813-w. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39097651/