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4 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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CATSPERZ
catsper channel auxiliary subunit zeta
Chromosome 11 · 11q13.1
NCBI Gene: 25858Ensembl: ENSG00000219435.6HGNC: HGNC:19231UniProt: Q9NTU4
13PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
cytoplasmsperm midpiecesperm principal piecesperm capacitationazoospermiaspermatogenic failure 55spermatogenic failure 3spermatogenic failure 83
✦AI Summary

CATSPERZ encodes an auxiliary subunit of the CatSper (cation channel of sperm) complex, which is essential for sperm hyperactivation and male fertility. As a structural component of this nine-subunit ion channel complex, CATSPERZ is required for organizing CatSper into linear quadrilateral nanodomains along the flagellum 1. Together with EFCAB9, CATSPERZ associates with the CatSper channel pore and maintains the characteristic two-row structural organization of individual channels 2. This nanodomain architecture is critical for proper calcium influx regulation and sperm rheotaxis—the ability to navigate against fluid flow, an essential behavior for fertilization within the mammalian female reproductive tract 1. Targeted disruption of Catsperz in mice reduces CatSper current and sperm rheotactic efficiency, resulting in severe male subfertility 1. Loss of CATSPERZ function prevents normal flagellar reorientation and migration, rendering the proximal flagellum inflexible and altering its 3D envelope 1. Human mutations affecting CatSper subunits, including CATSPERZ, cause male infertility with compromised fertilizing capacity, highlighting the clinical significance of this channel component 3. CATSPERZ represents a late evolutionary adaptation for reproductive success in mammals.

Sources cited
1
CATSPERZ (Tex40) encodes a CatSper subunit that organizes the complex into quadrilateral nanodomains along the flagellum, and loss of function causes male subfertility due to impaired rheotaxis and flagellar dysfunction
PMID: 28226241
2
CATSPERZ identified as a hub gene related to Ca2+ ion channel function in human spermiogenesis through weighted gene co-expression network analysis
PMID: 37874861
3
CATSPERZ mutations cause loss of CatSper function and male infertility with compromised sperm fertilizing capacity
PMID: 30239785
⚠Limited data available — This gene has 3 indexed publications. Summary and analysis may be incomplete.
Disease Associationsⓘ20
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 3Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 55Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 83Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Rare genetic female infertilityOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 7Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
partial chromosome Y deletionOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 16Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 21Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 29Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 79Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 58Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 10Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 11Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 19Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 43Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 45Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 49Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 82Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 5Open Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
CACNA1DProtein interaction96%HSPA2Protein interaction95%CACNG7Protein interaction94%CACNA1FProtein interaction93%CACNA1SProtein interaction92%CACNA2D4Protein interaction92%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Brain
50%
Heart
0%
Ovary
0%
Liver
0%
Lung
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
CATSPERZCACNA1DHSPA2CACNG7CACNA1FCACNA1SCACNA2D4
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q9NTU4
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.62LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.13 [0.80–1.62]
RankingsWhere CATSPERZ stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #16,127of 20,598
    Most Researched13
  • #15,768of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.62
Genes detectedCATSPERZ
Sources retrieved4 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
4
1
Integrated single cell transcriptome sequencing analysis reveals species-specific genes and molecular pathways for pig spermiogenesis.
PMID: 37874861
Reprod Domest Anim · 2023
1.00
2
CatSperζ regulates the structural continuity of sperm Ca
PMID: 28226241
Elife · 2017
0.75
3
Homozygous in-frame deletion in CATSPERE in a man producing spermatozoa with loss of CatSper function and compromised fertilizing capacity.
PMID: 30239785
Hum Reprod · 2018
0.50
4
Low frequency of ESRRA-C11orf20 fusion gene in ovarian carcinomas.
PMID: 24504521
PLoS Biol · 2014
0.25