SPAG8

Chr 9

sperm associated antigen 8

Also known as: BS-84, CILD28, CT142, HSD-1, SMP1, SPAG3, hSMP-1

This gene encodes a microtubule inner protein that is essential for motile cilia beating and plays critical roles in spermatogenesis, including enhancing CREM-mediated gene transcription, regulating cell cycle progression through G2/M phase, and facilitating sperm-zona pellucida binding. Mutations in SPAG8 cause primary ciliary dyskinesia with male infertility, inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. The gene shows very low constraint against loss-of-function variants, consistent with recessive inheritance where heterozygous carriers are typically unaffected.

OMIMResearchSummary from RefSeq, UniProt
MultiplemechanismLOEUF 1.25
Clinical SummarySPAG8
Population Constraint (gnomAD)
Low constraint (pLI 0.00) — loss-of-function variants are relatively tolerated in the population.

Population Genetics & Constraint

gnomAD v4 — loss-of-function & missense intolerance

Tolerant — LoF & missense variants common in population
LoF Constraint
1.25LOEUF
pLI 0.000
Z-score 0.62
OE 0.86 (0.601.25)
Tolerant

Highly tolerant — LoF variants common in population

Missense Constraint
0.57Z-score
OE missense 0.90 (0.811.00)
253 obs / 279.7 exp
Tolerant

Mild missense constraint

Observed / Expected Ratios
LoF OE0.86 (0.601.25)
00.351.4
Missense OE0.90 (0.811.00)
00.61.4
Synonymous OE0.98
01.21.6
LoF obs/exp: 20 / 23.2Missense obs/exp: 253 / 279.7Syn Z: 0.13
DN
0.6357th %ile
GOF
0.6736th %ile
LOF
0.48top 25%

This gene has evidence for multiple mechanisms of pathogenicity (gain-of-function and dominant-negative). Both the Badonyi & Marsh prediction and the broader genomic evidence point to gain-of-function as the predominant mechanism. Different variants in this gene may act through different mechanisms — interpret in context of the specific variant.

GOFprediction above median
DNprediction above median

Note: In-silico variant effect predictors (SIFT, PolyPhen, REVEL, CADD) may underestimate pathogenicity of missense variants in genes with GOF or DN mechanisms. Consider functional evidence and clinical context.

Predictions from Badonyi M, Marsh JA. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(8):e0307312.

ClinVar Variant Classifications

0 submitted variants in ClinVar

Protein Context — Lollipop Plot

SPAG8 · protein map & ClinVar variants

Showing all ClinVar variants across the protein. Search a specific variant to highlight its position.

3D Protein StructureAlphaFold

Clinical Trials

Active and recruiting trials from ClinicalTrials.gov

No active trials found for this gene.

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Clinical Literature
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Recent Gene-Specific Literature
Gene in title · MEDLINE · newest first
Europe PMC