Ubiquitin specific peptidase 9, Y-linked (fat facets-like, Drosophila), also known as USP9Y, is an enzyme which in humans is encoded by the USP9Ygene.[5] It is required for sperm production. This enzyme is a member of the peptidase C19 family and is similar to ubiquitin-specific proteases, which cleave the ubiquitin moiety from ubiquitin-fused precursors and ubiquitinylated proteins.
The USP9Y gene is found on the azoospermia factor (AZF) region on the Y chromosome. Men who have impaired or no sperm production often have a deletion in the AZF region, especially in the USP9Y gene, and it was thought that USP9Y was necessary for sperm production. However, a man and his father with a USP9Y deletion who could produce sperm were recently reported. The corresponding gene is present but inactive in chimpanzees and bonobos.[6][7]
^Luddi A, Margollicci M, Gambera L, Serafini F, Cioni M, De Leo V, Balestri P, Piomboni P (February 2009). "Spermatogenesis in a man with complete deletion of USP9Y". N. Engl. J. Med. 360 (9): 881–5. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0806218. PMID19246359.
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Sun C, Skaletsky H, Birren B, et al. (1999). "An azoospermic man with a de novo point mutation in the Y-chromosomal gene USP9Y". Nat. Genet. 23 (4): 429–32. doi:10.1038/70539. PMID10581029. S2CID12286008.
Ioulianos A, Sismani C, Fourouclas N, et al. (2002). "A nation-based population screening for azoospermia factor deletions in Greek-Cypriot patients with severe spermatogenic failure and normal fertile controls, using a specific study and experimental design". Int. J. Androl. 25 (3): 153–8. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2605.2002.00340.x. PMID12031043.
Dada R, Gupta NP, Kucheria K (2003). "Cryptorchidism and AZF microdeletion". Asian J. Androl. 4 (2): 148. PMID12085107.
Dada R, Gupta NP, Kucheria K (2003). "AZF microdeletions associated with idiopathic and non-idiopathic cases with cryptorchidism and varicocele". Asian J. Androl. 4 (4): 259–63. PMID12508125.
Richard SM, Knuutila S, Peltomäki P, et al. (2003). "Y chromosome instability in lymphoproliferative disorders". Mutat. Res. 525 (1–2): 103–7. doi:10.1016/S0027-5107(03)00007-1. PMID12650910.
Lee KH, Song GJ, Kang IS, et al. (2005). "Ubiquitin-specific protease activity of USP9Y, a male infertility gene on the Y chromosome". Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 15 (1–2): 129–33. doi:10.1071/RD03002. PMID12895410.