A SNP (g.358A > T) at intronic region of CD9 molecule of crossbred bulls may associate with spermatozoal motility

• A single nucleotide polymorphism (g.358A > T) in intron 6 was significantly associated with sperm concentration.
• The mRNA expression and seminal plasma protein concentration of CD9 was significantly higher among good quality bull semen than motility impaired ones.
• Seminal plasma protein concentration of CD9 was higher in good quality semen.

The surface expression of CD9 (cluster-of-differentiation antigen-9) in sperms of certain mammalian species has been attributed to its fusion with the egg and thereby dictating the fertility of species. In the present study, we investigated the association of CD9 with crossbred bull sperm quality and quantity trait was analyzed using a total of 96 Frieswal (HF × Sahiwal) crossbred. A single nucleotide polymorphism (g.358A > T) in intron 6 was significantly associated with sperm concentration (P < 0.05) and motility percentage (P < 0.01). mRNA was extracted from good (progressive motility > 50%) and motility impaired (progressive motility < 50%) bull semen. The mRNA expression and seminal plasma protein concentration of CD9 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher among good quality bull semen than motility impaired ones. Our results thus may indicate that, mutation in the intronic region may be responsible for the instability of RNA and the subsequent functional protein expression.