Recent research has revealed that modifications to certain amino acids in sperm are linked to infertility. These modifications are known as post-translational modifications, and they occur after the protein-coding genes have been translated into proteins. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of St Andrews in the UK, found that certain modifications to amino acids in sperm are associated with infertility. This research could help to explain why some men are infertile and could potentially lead to treatments for infertility. The study focused on a specific post-translational modification called phosphorylation, which regulates the activity of proteins. The researchers examined sperm samples from infertile and fertile men and found that certain amino acids in the sperm of infertile men had higher levels of phosphorylation compared to the sperm of fertile men. The research team believes that these modifications to amino acids could be responsible for infertility in some men. The results of this study suggest that post-translational modifications could be important for understanding male infertility. Future research could help to identify treatments for infertility by targeting these modifications.

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source: Phys.org