THE Y-CHROMOSOME REGION ESSENTIAL FOR SPERMATOGENESIS

We analyzed DNA from 153 Japanese men with azoospermia or severe oligo zoospermia whose Y chromosomes were cytogenetically normal. A total of 23 loci oil the Y chromosome were examined: 15 loci within interval 6 including YRRM1 and DAZ, and 8 loci outside interval 6. Microdeletion s were observed in 20 individuals. All deletions involved at least one locus within interval 6. The YRRM1 gene deletion was found in 4 patie nts, of whom 2 also lacked the SMCY gene. The remaining 16 individuals shared the absence of 10 loci between DYS7C and DYS239 including the DAZ gene. Among them, 13 were azoospermic while 3 showed a little sper m production, indicating that the common deletion resulted in phenotyp ic diversity. Since there is no region commonly deleted in all patient s, azoospermia caused by deletion of the Y chromosome long arm may be genetically heterogeneous.