Protein Essential for Fertilization Discovered

Fertilization occurs when an egg and a sperm recognize each other and fuse together to form an embryo. In 2005, the Izumo protein, coded by the IZUMO-1 gene, was discover as the protein displayed on the sperm that recognizes the egg. But the protein on the egg that gets recognized was never known, until now. The  is Juno protein named after the Roman Goddess of fertility and marriage. Scientist found the Juno protein by making artificial Izumo proteins and using it to find where it binds best on the egg. Then the scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute tested the affects of the absence of these proteins in mice and saw that it made them infertile. This interaction was so hard to find because it is a very weak interaction and also once fertilization occurs, the Juno protein becomes undetectable. This explains why once the egg is fertilized by one sperm cells, it shuts down its ability to recognize other sperm.
         This new information is extremely helpful. This can broaden the treatment of infertility in women. Doctors can finally examine the eggs of infertile women to determine if it is because of the lack of the Juno protein. Also this can create new forms of birth control which could maybe deactivate the Juno protein for a period of time.