In mammals, the Y chromosome directs the development of the testes and plays an important role in spermatogenesis. A high percentage of infertile men have deletions that map to regions of the Y chromosome. The DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) gene cluster maps to the AZFc region of the Y chromosome and
is deleted in many azoospermic and severely oligospermic men. It is thought that the DAZ gene cluster arose from the transposition, amplification, and pruning of the ancestral autosomal gene DAZL also involved in germ cell development and gametogenesis. This gene encodes a RNA-binding protein with two RNP motifs that was originally identified by its interaction with the infertility factors DAZ and DAZL. Two isoforms are encoded by transcript variants of this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
This gene is a member of the myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors. Members of this family are involved in control of muscle and neuronal cell differentiation and development, and are regulated by class II histone deacetylases. Fusions of the encoded protein with
Deleted in Azoospermia-Associated Protein 1 (DAZAP1) due to a translocation have been found in an acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, suggesting a role in leukemogenesis. The encoded protein may also be involved in Parkinson disease and myotonic dystrophy. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2012]