SPATA33 (spermatogenesis associated 33) is a testis-enriched gene that plays a critical role in male fertility through regulation of mitochondrial quality control. The protein localizes to the outer mitochondrial membrane via binding to VDAC2 and functions as a selective autophagy mediator 1. SPATA33 bridges damaged mitochondria to autophagosomes by simultaneously binding the mitochondrial protein VDAC2 and the autophagy machinery component ATG16L1, thereby promoting mitophagy—the autophagic degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria 1. During spermatogenesis, SPATA33 expression increases during the first meiotic wave and is predominantly localized to spermatocytes, spermatogonia, and round spermatids 2. The gene is associated with sperm motility; reduced SPATA33 expression correlates with asthenozoospermia, characterized by impaired sperm motility 3. Genetic variations in SPATA33 have been identified in patients with primary ovarian insufficiency, indicating pleiotropic reproductive effects 4. While nucleotide variations in SPATA33 do not appear to significantly impair spermatogenesis in nonobstructive azoospermia patients 5, the gene's role in mitochondrial homeostasis remains therapeutically relevant. SPATA33's function in autophagy-mediated mitochondrial degradation provides a potential target for addressing mitochondrial dysfunction-related male infertility.