Izumo1 and Juno

Abstract

Reproductive proteins are among the most rapidly evolving classes of proteins. For a subset of these, rapid evolution is driven by positive Darwinian selection despite vital, well-conserved, reproductive functions. Izumo1 is the only essential sperm–egg fusion protein currently known on mammalian sperm, and its egg receptor (Juno formerly Folr4) was recently discovered. Male knockout mice for Izumo1 and female knockout mice for Juno are both healthy but sterile. Here, both sperm–egg binding proteins are shown to be evolving under positive selection.