OBJECTIVEGlobozoospermia is mostly associated with homozygous deletion of the DPY19L2 gene. This study aimed to investigate the DPY19L2 gene mutation in a globozoospermia patient.

METHODSWe observed the sperm histomorphology of a patient with globozoospermia using Wright-Giemsa's staining and transmission electron microscopy, detected the mutation of the DPY19L2 gene by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing, and compared the findings with the sequences issued in the Genbank.

RESULTSWright-Giemsa's staining showed that all the spermatozoa were round-headed and lacked the acrosome, with the head nucleus darkly, fully and densely stained. Transmission electron microscopy revealed larger round sperm heads, with an even layer of unit membrane surrounding the nuclei and dispersed cytoplasmic vacuoles but no acrosomal structure. No DPY19L2 gene mutation was found by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing.

CONCLUSIONNo homozygous mutation of the DPY19L2 gene was found in the globozoospermia patient, and therefore some other disease-causing genes might be involved.