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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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TSSK3
testis specific serine kinase 3
Chromosome 1 · 1p35.1
NCBI Gene: 81629Ensembl: ENSG00000162526.7HGNC: HGNC:15473UniProt: Q96PN8
16PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Kinase
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingprotein serine/threonine kinase activitysperm flagellumspermatogenesisneuroinflammatory disorderazoospermialiver diseasespermatogenic failure 65
✦AI Summary

TSSK3 (testis specific serine kinase 3) is a serine/threonine protein kinase essential for male fertility and spermatogenesis 1. The protein localizes to the sperm tail and is expressed in elongating sperm during spermiogenesis 1. TSSK3 exhibits optimal enzymatic activity at 30°C, consistent with its testis-specific function, and can autophosphorylate as well as phosphorylate substrates including histones and casein 2. The kinase is regulated through phosphorylation of threonine 168 in its T-loop by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1), which increases its catalytic activity 2. TSSK3 knockout mice are completely sterile with dramatically reduced sperm counts, abnormal sperm morphology, and disorganized seminiferous epithelium 13. Phosphoproteomic analysis reveals that TSSK3 is crucial for phosphorylation of multiple proteins implicated in male infertility, including GAPDHS, ACTL7A, ACTL9, and REEP6 1. The essential role in spermiogenesis and exclusive testicular expression make TSSK3 a potential target for nonhormonal male contraception 3. Expression is post-meiotic and confined almost exclusively to testis across mammalian species 45.

Sources cited
1
TSSK3 is essential for male fertility, localizes to sperm tail, knockout mice are sterile with reduced sperm counts and abnormal morphology, and is required for phosphorylation of infertility-related proteins
PMID: 36306217
2
TSSK3 exhibits optimal activity at 30°C, can autophosphorylate and phosphorylate substrates, and is regulated by PDK1-mediated phosphorylation of threonine 168
PMID: 16336268
3
TSSK3 knockout mice are sterile and have defective spermiogenesis, supporting its role as a potential male contraceptive target
PMID: 34623009
4
TSSK mRNAs including TSSK3 are expressed almost exclusively postmeiotically in testis
PMID: 20729278
5
TSSK3 expression is confined to testis across mammalian species
PMID: 26600552
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neuroinflammatory disorderOpen Targets
0.30Weak
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
liver diseaseOpen Targets
0.10Weak
spermatogenic failure 65Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 84Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 93Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 56Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 92Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 94Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 3Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 40Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 76Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 80Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 54Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 10Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 11Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 47Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 58Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 72Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 39Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
SUN5Shared pathway100%SPATA16Shared pathway100%TSKSProtein interaction72%CDYLShared pathway67%ADGBShared pathway67%KLC3Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Ovary
100%
Bone Marrow
46%
Lung
38%
Heart
37%
Liver
34%
Brain
16%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TSSK3SUN5SPATA16TSKSCDYLADGBKLC3
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q96PN8
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.22LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.81 [0.55–1.22]
RankingsWhere TSSK3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,428of 20,598
    Most Researched16
  • #12,898of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.22
Genes detectedTSSK3
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Testis-specific serine kinase 3 is required for sperm morphogenesis and male fertility.
PMID: 36306217
Andrology · 2023
1.00
2
Characterization of testis-specific serine-threonine kinase 3 and its activation by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1-dependent signalling.
PMID: 16336268
FEBS J · 2005
0.90
3
TSSK3, a novel target for male contraception, is required for spermiogenesis.
PMID: 34623009
Mol Reprod Dev · 2021
0.80
4
Cloning, sequence characterization, and expression patterns of members of the porcine TSSK family.
PMID: 26600552
Genet Mol Res · 2015
0.70
5
miRNA Expression Profiles of Mouse Round Spermatids in GRTH/DDX25-Mediated Spermiogenesis: mRNA-miRNA Network Analysis.
PMID: 36899892
Cells · 2023
0.60