Fig. 1.

Tcte1 is a conserved testis-enriched gene required for male fertility. (A) Sequence alignment of TCTE1 proteins from several metazoans and two volvocaceaen species. Only the LRR domain is shown. (B, Top panels) RT-PCR for Tcte1 in various mouse tissues with Hprt as a control. (Bottom panels) RT-PCR from testis at various postnatal days with Hprt as a control. (C) Schematic of the Tcte1^{tm1a(KOMP)Wtsi} (Tcte1⁻) allele from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. (D and E) β-Galactosidase staining of wild-type (D) and Tcte1^+/− testis (E). (F and G) H&E-stained testis cross-sections from control (F) and Tcte1^−/− mice (G). (Bottom panels in F and G: magnification of Top panels in F and G) Arrows highlight germ cells at various stages of spermatogenesis. PL-L, preleptonema-leptonema; P, pachynema; RS, round spermatid; ES, elongated spermatid. (H and I) periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-stained cauda epididymis sections from control (H) and Tcte1^−/− mice (I). (J and K) Spermatozoa from control (J) and Tcte1^−/− mice (K).