The shorter zinc finger protein ZNF230 gene message is transcribed in fertile male testes and may be related to human spermatogenesis

The zinc finger gene family represents one of the largest in the mammalian genome, with several of these genes reported to be involved in spermatogene sis, A newly discovered gene has been identified that is expressed abundant ly in the testicular tissue of fertile men as determined by mRNA differenti al display. The gene encodes a C3HC4-type zinc finger protein motif (ring f inger motif) consistent with a role in pre-meiotic or post-meiotic sperm de velopment. The gene was named ZNF230 and mapped to the short arm of chromos ome 11 (11p15). ZNF230 has two transcripts, of 1 kb and 4.4 kb in length. T he shorter 1 kb transcript was only detected in testicular tissue whereas t he longer 4.4 kb transcript was not detected in testis but was found in sev eral other tissues. The lack of detectable ZNF230 expression in azoospermic patients by reverse transcriptase-mediated PCR analysis is interpreted to mean that this gene is involved in maintaining normal human male fertility.