CELE_R13H9.4, R13H9.4

msp-53 encodes a protein that belongs to a family of proteins called the Major Sperm Proteins (MSPs) that is conserved in nematodes; msp-53 has a C. briggsae homolog as identified by the Wobble Aware Bulk Aligner (WABA); the MSP family consists of closely related, small, basic proteins that make up 15% of sperm protein; this multigene family consists of over fifty genes, including many pseudogenes; MSPs are involved in both extracellular signaling and cytoskeletal functions during reproduction-MSP antagonizes Eph/ephrin signaling, in part, by binding VAB-1 Eph receptor tyrosine kinase on oocytes and sheath cells to promote oocyte maturation and MAPK activation; MSPs assemble into fibrous networks that drive movement of the C. elegans sperm; msp genes are expressed only in late primary spermatocytes.

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