Mael is a 434 amino acid protein that localizes to both the nucleus and the cytoplasm and contains one HMG box DNA-binding domain. Expressed specifically in testicular tissue, Mael interacts with Ini1, mSin3B and VASA and plays an essential role in spermatogenesis, specifically by repressing and, ultimately, preventing the mobilization of transposable elements (a process that is crucial for germline integrity). Multiple isoforms of Mael exist due to alternative splicing events. The gene encoding Mael maps to human chromosome 1, which spans 260 million base pairs, contains over 3,000 genes and comprises nearly 8% of the human genome. Chromosome 1 houses a large number of disease-associated genes, including those that are involved in familial adenomatous polyposis, Stickler syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Gaucher disease, schizophrenia and Usher syndrome. Aberrations in chromosome 1 are found in a variety of cancers, including head and neck cancer, malignant melanoma and multiple myeloma.