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Kubo S, Black CS, Joachimiak E, Yang SK, Legal T, Peri K, Khalifa AAZ, Ghanaeian A, McCafferty CL, Valente-Paterno M, De Bellis C, Huynh PM, Fan Z, Marcotte EM, Wloga D, Bui KH. Native doublet microtubules from Tetrahymena thermophila reveal the importance of outer junction proteins. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2168. [PMID: 37061538 PMCID: PMC10105768 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37868-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cilia are ubiquitous eukaryotic organelles responsible for cellular motility and sensory functions. The ciliary axoneme is a microtubule-based cytoskeleton consisting of two central singlets and nine outer doublet microtubules. Cryo-electron microscopy-based studies have revealed a complex network inside the lumen of both tubules composed of microtubule-inner proteins (MIPs). However, the functions of most MIPs remain unknown. Here, we present single-particle cryo-EM-based analyses of the Tetrahymena thermophila native doublet microtubule and identify 42 MIPs. These data shed light on the evolutionarily conserved and diversified roles of MIPs. In addition, we identified MIPs potentially responsible for the assembly and stability of the doublet outer junction. Knockout of the evolutionarily conserved outer junction component CFAP77 moderately diminishes Tetrahymena swimming speed and beat frequency, indicating the important role of CFAP77 and outer junction stability in cilia beating generation and/or regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaroh Kubo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Corbin S Black
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ewa Joachimiak
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shun Kai Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thibault Legal
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katya Peri
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ahmad Abdelzaher Zaki Khalifa
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Avrin Ghanaeian
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Caitlyn L McCafferty
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Melissa Valente-Paterno
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Chelsea De Bellis
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Phuong M Huynh
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zhe Fan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Edward M Marcotte
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Dorota Wloga
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Khanh Huy Bui
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie Structurale, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Comparative Proteomic Analyses of Poorly Motile Swamp Buffalo Spermatozoa Reveal Low Energy Metabolism and Deficiencies in Motility-Related Proteins. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131706. [PMID: 35804605 PMCID: PMC9264820 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The acquisition of mammalian sperm motility is a main indicator of epididymal sperm maturation and helps ensure fertilization. Poor sperm motility will prevent sperm cells from reaching the fertilization site, resulting in fertilization failure. To investigate the proteomic profiling of normal and poorly motile buffalo spermatozoa, a strategy applying liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry combined with tandem mass targeting was used. As a result, 145 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in poorly motile spermatozoa (fold change > 1.5), including 52 upregulated and 93 downregulated proteins. The upregulated DEPs were mainly involved in morphogenesis and regulation of cell differentiation. The downregulated DEPs were involved with transport, oxidation-reduction, sperm motility, regulation of cAMP metabolism and regulation of DNA methylation. The mRNA and protein levels of PRM1 and AKAP3 were lower in poorly motile spermatozoa, while the expressions of SDC2, TEKT3 and IDH1 were not correlated with motility, indicating that their protein changes were affected by transcription or translation. Such changes in the expression of these proteins suggest that the formation of poorly motile buffalo spermatozoa reflects a low efficiency of energy metabolism, decreases in sperm protamine proteins, deficiencies in motility-related proteins, and variations in tail structural proteins. Such proteins could be biomarkers of poorly motile spermatozoa. These results illustrate some of the molecular mechanisms associated with poorly motile spermatozoa and provide clues for finding molecular markers of these pathways.
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Rosyada ZNA, Ulum MF, Tumbelaka LITA, Solihin DD, Purwantara B, Memili E. Implications of sperm heat shock protein 70-2 in bull fertility. Vet World 2022; 15:1456-1466. [PMID: 35993069 PMCID: PMC9375219 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.1456-1466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is one of the most abundant chaperone proteins. Their function is well documented in facilitating the protein synthesis, translocation, de novo folding, and ordering of multiprotein complexes. HSP70 in bovine consists of four genes: HSP70-1, HSP70-2, HSP70-3, and HSP70-4. HSP70-2 was found to be involved in fertility. Current knowledge implicates HSP70-2 in sperm quality, sperm capacitation, sperm–egg recognition, and fertilization essential for bull reproduction. HSP70-2 is also involved in the biological processes of spermatogenesis, as it protects cells from the effects of apoptosis and oxidative stress. Fertilization success is not only determined by the amount of sperm found in the female reproductive tract but also by the functional ability of the sperm. However, subfertility is more likely to be associated with changes in sperm molecular dynamics not detectable using conventional methods. As such, molecular analyses and omics methods have been developed to monitor crucial aspects of sperm molecular morphology that are important for sperm functions, which are the objectives of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulfi Nur Amrina Rosyada
- Reproductive Biology Study Program, Postgraduate School, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Mokhamad Fakhrul Ulum
- Reproductive Biology Study Program, Postgraduate School, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia; Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Ligaya I. T. A. Tumbelaka
- Reproductive Biology Study Program, Postgraduate School, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia; Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Dedy Duryadi Solihin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Purwantara
- Reproductive Biology Study Program, Postgraduate School, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia; Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction and Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Erdogan Memili
- Agricultural Research Center, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, USA
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Mo Y, Jiang B, Huo J, Lu J, Zeng X, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Yang M, Wei Y, Liu K. Quantitative Ubiquitylomic Analysis of the Dynamic Changes and Extensive Modulation of Ubiquitylation in Papaya During the Fruit Ripening Process. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:890581. [PMID: 35548272 PMCID: PMC9082147 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.890581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lysine ubiquitination is a highly conserved post-translational modification with diverse biological functions. However, there is little available information on lysine ubiquitination of non-histone proteins in papaya (Carica papaya L.). In total, 3,090 ubiquitination sites on 1,249 proteins with diverse localizations and functions were identified. Five conserved ubiquitinated K motifs were identified. Enrichment analysis showed that many Hsps were differentially ubiquitinated proteins (DUPs), suggesting an essential role of ubiquitination in degradation of molecular chaperone. Furthermore, 12 sugar metabolism-related enzymes were identified as DUPs, including an involvement of ubiquitination in nutrimental changes during the papaya ripening process. The ubiquitination levels of five fruit ripening-related DUPs, including one ethylene-inducible protein, two 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidases, one endochitinase, and one cell wall invertase, were significantly changed during the ripening process. Our study extends the understanding of diverse functions for lysine ubiquitination in regulation of the papaya fruit ripening process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Mo
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Bian Jiang
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jingxin Huo
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jiayi Lu
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyue Zeng
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization (MOA), Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuerong Wei
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization (MOA), Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaidong Liu
- Life Science and Technology School, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
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5
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Sperm Phosphoproteome: Unraveling Male Infertility. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11050659. [PMID: 35625387 PMCID: PMC9137924 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples worldwide of childbearing age, and in many cases the etiology of male infertility is unknown. The current standard evaluation of semen is insufficient to establish an accurate diagnosis. Proteomics techniques, such as phosphoproteomics, applied in this field are a powerful tool to understand the mechanisms that regulate sperm functions such as motility, which is essential for successful fertilization. Among the post-translational modifications of sperm proteins, this review summarizes, from a proteomic perspective, the updated knowledge of protein phosphorylation, in human spermatozoa, as a relevant molecular mechanism involved in the regulation of sperm physiology. Specifically, the role of sperm protein phosphorylation in motility and, consequently, in sperm quality is highlighted. Additionally, through the analysis of published comparative phosphoproteomic studies, some candidate human sperm phosphoproteins associated with low sperm motility are proposed. Despite the remarkable advances in phosphoproteomics technologies, the relatively low number of studies performed in human spermatozoa suggests that phosphoproteomics has not been applied to its full potential in studying male infertility yet. Therefore, further studies will improve the application of this procedure and overcome the limitations, increasing the understanding of regulatory mechanisms underlying protein phosphorylation in sperm motility and, consequently, in male fertility.
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Liu SH, Ma XY, Yue TT, Wang ZC, Qi KL, Li JC, Lin F, Rushdi HE, Gao YY, Fu T, Li M, Gao TY, Yang LG, Han XL, Deng TX. Transcriptome-Wide m6A Analysis Provides Novel Insights Into Testicular Development and Spermatogenesis in Xia-Nan Cattle. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:791221. [PMID: 35004687 PMCID: PMC8728086 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.791221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Testis is the primary organ of the male reproductive tract in mammals that plays a substantial role in spermatogenesis. Improvement of our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms in testicular development and spermatogenesis will be reflected in producing spermatozoa of superior fertility. Evidence showed that N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) plays a dynamic role in post-transcription gene expression regulation and is strongly associated with production traits. However, the role of m6A in bovine testis has not been investigated yet. In this study, we conducted MeRIP-Seq analysis to explore the expression profiles of the m6A and its potential mechanism underlying spermatogenesis in nine bovine testes at three developmental stages (prepuberty, puberty and postpuberty). The experimental animals with triplicate in each stage were chosen based on their semen volume and sperm motility except for the prepuberty bulls and used for testes collection. By applying MeRIP-Seq analysis, a total of 8,774 m6A peaks and 6,206 m6A genes among the studied groups were identified. All the detected peaks were found to be mainly enriched in the coding region and 3'- untranslated regions. The cross-analysis of m6A and mRNA expression exhibited 502 genes with concomitant changes in the mRNA expression and m6A modification. Notably, 30 candidate genes were located in the largest network of protein-protein interactions. Interestingly, four key node genes (PLK4, PTEN, EGR1, and PSME4) were associated with the regulation of mammal testis development and spermatogenesis. This study is the first to present a map of RNA m6A modification in bovine testes at distinct ages, and provides new insights into m6A topology and related molecular mechanisms underlying bovine spermatogenesis, and establishes a basis for further studies on spermatogenesis in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-He Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ya Ma
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Ting-Ting Yue
- Henan Dairy Herd Improvement Co., Ltd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zi-Chen Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Kun-Long Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ji-Chao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Feng Lin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hossam E Rushdi
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Yu-Yang Gao
- Henan Dingyuan Cattle Breeding Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Tong Fu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Teng-Yun Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Li-Guo Yang
- China Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xue-Lei Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ting-Xian Deng
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
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Zhang P, He W, Huang Y, Xiao K, Tang Y, Huang L, Huang X, Zhang J, Yang W, Liu R, Fu Q, Lu Y, Zhang M. Proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiles of Sertoli cells in buffalo. Theriogenology 2021; 170:1-14. [PMID: 33945957 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sertoli cells provide nutrients and support for germ cell differentiation and maintain a stable microenvironment for spermatogenesis. Comprehensive identification of Sertoli cellular proteins is important in understanding spermatogenesis. In this study, we performed an integrative analysis of the proteome and phosphoproteome to explore the role of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis. A total of 2912 and 753 proteins were identified from the proteome and phosphoproteome in Sertoli cells, respectively; 438 proteins were common to the proteome and phosphoproteome. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD024984. In the proteome, ACTG1, ACTB, ACTA2, MYH9 were the most abundant proteins. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that most of the proteins were involved in the processes of localization, biosynthesis, gene expression, and transport. In addition, some of the proteins related to Sertoli cell functions were also enriched. In the phosphoproteome, most of the proteins were involved in gene expression and the RNA metabolic process; the pathways mainly involved the spliceosome, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, focal adhesion, and tight junctions. The pleckstrin homology-like domain is the most highly enriched protein domain in phosphoproteins. Cyclin-dependent kinases and protein kinases C were found to be highly active kinases in the kinase-substrate network analysis. Ten proteins most closely related to network stability were found in the analysis of the network interactions of proteins identified jointly in the phosphoproteome and proteome. Through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence verification of vimentin, it was found that there were localization differences between phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated vimentin in testicular tissue. This study is the first in-depth proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of buffalo testicular Sertoli cells. The results provide insight into the role of Sertoli cells in spermatogenesis and provide clues for further study of male reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wengtan He
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yulin Huang
- Department of Cell and Genetics, College of Basic Medicine, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Kai Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yuyan Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Liangfeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xingchen Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Junjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Weihan Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Runfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiang Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Yangqing Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
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Zhang P, Huang Y, Fu Q, He W, Xiao K, Zhang M. Integrated analysis of phosphoproteome and ubiquitylome in epididymal sperm of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 88:15-33. [PMID: 33140506 PMCID: PMC7894524 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, sperm need to mature in the epididymis to gain fertilization competency. However, the molecular mechanism underlying buffalo sperm maturation remains elusive. Exploring sperm physiology at the posttranslational modification (PTM) level could help to develop our understanding of these mechanisms. Protein phosphorylation and ubiquitination are major PTMs in the regulation of many biological processes. In the present study, to our knowledge, we report the first phosphoproteome and ubiquitylome of sperm collected from the caput, corpus, and cauda segments of the epididymis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with affinity purification. In total, 647 phosphorylation sites in 294 proteins and 1063 ubiquitination sites in 446 proteins were characterized. Some of these proteins were associated with cellular developmental processes and energy metabolic pathways. Interestingly, 84 proteins were both phosphorylated and ubiquitinated, simultaneously. Some of these proteins were involved in, for example, spermatogenesis, reproduction, and spermatid development. Taken together, these data provide a theoretical basis for further functional analysis of phosphorylation and ubiquitination in epididymal sperm of buffalo and other mammals, and serve as an important resource for exploring the physiological mechanism underlying sperm maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng‐fei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Animal Reproduction InstituteGuangxi UniversityNanningGuangxiChina
| | - Yu‐lin Huang
- Department of Cell and Genetics, College of Basic MedicineGuangxi University of Chinese MedicineNanningGuangxiChina
| | - Qiang Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Animal Reproduction InstituteGuangxi UniversityNanningGuangxiChina
| | - Weng‐tan He
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Animal Reproduction InstituteGuangxi UniversityNanningGuangxiChina
| | - Kai Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Animal Reproduction InstituteGuangxi UniversityNanningGuangxiChina
| | - Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources, Animal Reproduction InstituteGuangxi UniversityNanningGuangxiChina
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