The Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research

Richard V Pearse

Michael G Rosenfeld

C Wayne Bardin

Peter N Schlegel

Bogi Andersen

Disclosed is a POU transcription factor, Sprm-1 and analogs thereof, DNA molecules encoding the Sprm-1 proteins, and chimeric constructs, vectors and host cells containing the DNA molecules. Also disclosed are methods to identify putative male contraceptive agents. One involves the steps of isolating a DNA regulatory region responsive to Sprm-1, stably transforming a heterologous cell line with a first chimeric DNA construct containing a constitutive promoter capable of functioning in the cell line operably linked to a Sprm-1 DNA and a second chimeric DNA construct containing the DNA regulatory region operably linked to a reporter gene. The thus-transformed cell line is cultural in media containing the compound so that the thus-cultured cell line can be assayed to determine the Sprm-1 inhibitory activity of the compound. The above method can be modified to evaluate the Sprm-1 inhibitory activity of DNA molecules of interest, by transiently transfecting the thus-transformed cell line with a third DNA construct containing a constitutive promoter capable of functioning in the cell line operably linked to the DNA molecule, and then culturing the thus-transfected cell line so that it can be assayed to determine the inhibitory activity of the DNA molecule. Antibodies specific to Sprm-1, and their use in diagnosing male germ cell Sprm-1-mediated diseases or conditions are further disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Richard V Pearse