High impact information on Odf2

• Odf2-deficient mother centrioles lack distal/subdistal appendages and the ability to generate primary cilia [1].
• Unexpectedly, the cell cycle of Odf2(-/-) cells does not seem to be affected [1].
• These findings are in contrast with early studies reporting Odf2 expression as testis specific and suggest that embryonic Odf2 expression plays a critical role during preimplantation development in mice. genesis 44:515-522, 2006 [2].
• Furthermore, no homozygous embryos were found at the blastocyst stage of embryonic development, implying a critical pre-implantation role for Odf2 [2].
• Outer dense fiber 2 (Odf2) is highly expressed in the testis where it encodes a major component of the outer dense fibers of the sperm flagellum [2].

Biological context of Odf2

• Mouse genomic library Screening and database searches identified two MPOS-derived sequences in Odf2 gene and RP23-86H7 cosmid clone, respectively, in which MPOS might be a core segment for the retropositions [3].

Anatomical context of Odf2

• While the expression of Odf2 highlighted a potential role for this gene in male germ cell development and centrosome function, the in vivo function of Odf2 was not known [2].
• We have generated Odf2 knockout mice using an Odf2 gene trapped embryonic stem cell (ESC) line [2].
• For example, keratins Sak57, Odf1, and Odf2 are initially stored in the manchette before being sorted to the outer dense fibers and fibrous sheath of the developing spermatid tail [4].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Odf2

• Immunofluorescence and ultrathin-section electron microscopy reveals that in Odf2(-/-) cells, distal/subdistal appendages disappear from mother centrioles, making it difficult to distinguish mother from daughter centrioles [1].

References