'Huddle' Gene Linked to Infertility

The discovery of a gene known as SRPK might become the most helpful discovery for people trying to become pregnant.  A correlation has been identified between the absence of this gene and infertility.  In order for development and fertilization to take place in the egg, chromosomes must gather together (referred to as huddling).  Studies that were performed with mice and fruit flies led to the huddling findings, which detail the formation of karyosomes (the clustered chromosomes).  

Further, two meiotic steps involving the kinase SRPK are now considered to be directly correlated to oocytes.  When there is a mutation or complete absence of the SRPK gene, meiotic chromosomes cannot group together and form a karyosome, which in turn restricts the assembly of spindle microtubules.  Without these spindles, oocytes cannot mature, thus leading to infertility or sterility.  There is still more research to be done on this whole process and the functions involving SRPK, but this is already a fantastic find that might leave hope for those who want to have a pregnancy, but currently cannot.

I am curious as to why SRPK might be absent some individuals.  That being the case, infertility would seem like an almost easy fix.  If scientists could figure out a way to either insert SRPK into the DNA or find another way to conjoin the spindle microtubules and form a karyosome, it seems the oocyte could mature.  With such complicated processes, however, I wonder if there are more causes for the absence of SRPK or other reasons as to why the chromosomes do not gather into the karyosome form.  With the simultaneous studies of both fruit flies and mice, hopefully a simple cure to infertility and sterility will be on its way sooner than hoped for!