Low-hanging fruit: targeting Brdt in the testes

In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Gaucher et al (2012) demonstrate that Brdt, a testes-specific member of the BET family of double bromodomain proteins, is intricately involved in the transcriptional regulation and genome reorganization required for the production of viable, fertile sperm. These findings are complimented by a recent publication in Cell (Matzuk et al, 2012) where JQ1, a small molecule BET inhibitor, is effective as a male contraceptive in mice. Both studies establish Brdt as an integral factor in sperm development.