Mutations at the mitochondrial DNA polymerase (POLG) locus associated with male infertility.
Rovio AT., Marchington DR., Donat S., Schuppe HC., Abel J., Fritsche E., Elliott DJ., Laippala P., Ahola AL., McNay D., Harrison RF., Hughes B., Barrett T., Bailey DM., Mehmet D., Jequier AM., Hargreave TB., Kao SH., Cummins JM., Barton DE., Cooke HJ., Wei YH., Wichmann L., Poulton J., Jacobs HT.
Human mitochondrial DNA polymerase, encoded by POLG, contains a polyglutamine tract encoded by a CAG microsatellite repeat. Analysis of POLG genotypes in different populations identified an association between absence of the common, ten-repeat allele and male infertility typified by a range of sperm quality defects but excluding azoospermia.