Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi have identified a gene that has a role in male fertility and developed a kit to diagnose infertility in men.

The kit is the result of an earlier discovery by the same team of a gene called HABP1, which produces 'hyaluronan binding protein'.

The gene plays a role in regulating cell cycle and cell motility, Dr Kasuri Datta from the School of Environmental Sciences said on Thursday while delivering a lecture at the ongoing Indian Science Congress in Ahmedabad.

Stating that motility of sperms is critical in fertility, Dr Datta said low level of the abovementioned protein in sperms is associated with infertility. Thus, measuring the levels of this protein in sperms can help diagnose infertility.

"We have patented the infertility kit, which will be commercialized," she said. The kit has antibodies against the protein and uses the 'Elisa' test to detect its levels.

"Our data suggest that the protein produced by this gene is multifunctional," Dr Datta added.

Her team found that over-expression of this protein in animal cells leads to 'vacuolation' causing apoptosis (cell death). Though vacuolation is a normal process in plant cells, in animal cells it implies toxicity and stress leading to cell death.

This may be significant for cancer treatment because cancer is a condition in which cells stop dying and continue uncontrolled proliferation.