Elucidation of the molecular network controlling sperm acrosome formation in mammals

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Mammalian sperm possess a cap-shaped, exocytotic vesicle, acrosome that is located at the anterior part of the nucleus. ACRBP/sp32, is an acrosomal protein, initially identified as a binding protein for the precursor (proACR) of sperm serine protease ACR. Unlike other mammalian ACRBPs, two forms of Acrbp mRNA, wild-type ACRBP-W and variant Acrbp-V5 mRNAs, were generated by alternative splicing of Acrbp in the mouse. In this study, we produced knockout mice lacking ACRBP to uncover the role of ACRBP in spermatogenesis and fertilization. These results demonstrate that ACRBP-V5 palys key role in condensation and subsequent spread of acrosomal proteins in the acrosome during spermiogenesis. It is also suggested that ACRBP-W may function in the retention of proACR in the acrosome until after sperm undergo acrosomal exocytosis.