Comparative proteomics analysis of spermary and ovary in Hyriopsis schlegelii

The Sperm Proteome of the Oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis

Sperm proteins play vital roles in fertilization, but little is known about their identities in free-spawning marine invertebrates. Here, 286 sperm proteins are reported from the Hong Kong oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis using label-free and semi-quantitative proteomics. Proteins extracted from three sperm samples are separated by SDS-PAGE, analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and identified using Mascot. Functional classification of the sperm proteome reveals energy metabolism (33%), signaling and binding (23%), and protein synthesis and degradation (12%) as the top functional categories. Comparison of orthologous sperm proteins between C. hongkongensis, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus edulis, and M. galloprovincialis suggests that energy metabolism (48%) is the most conserved functional group. Sequence alignment of the C. hongkongensis bindin, an acrosomal protein that binds the sperm and the egg, with those of three other Crassostrea species, reveals several conserved motifs. The study has enriched the data of invertebrate sperm proteins and may contribute to studies of mechanisms of fertilization in free-spawning invertebrates. The proteomic data are available in ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD018255.

Compared proteomic analysis of 8- and 32-week-old postnatal porcine ovaries

Pigs share many anatomical and physiological features with humans, offering a unique and viable model for biomedical research. Tandem mass tag method followed by mass spectrometry analysis was utilized to identify peptides (47,405), proteins (14,701), and protein groups (7634) in ovaries of 8- and 32-week-old postnatal Banna miniature pigs. After annotation and analysis by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology, the proteins were identified as being involved in hormone metabolic pathways and maintenance, proliferation, and regulation of stem cells. In addition, we found 638 differentially expressed proteins between ovaries of 8- and 32-week-old postnatal Banna miniature pigs. We used Interactive Pathway Explorer to produce an overview of pig ovarian proteomics. Compared with those of the 8-week-old group, the proteins enriched in metabolism of steroid hormones, metabolism of lipids, and energy metabolism pathway were upregulated in the 32-week-old group, indicating physiological characteristics of sexual maturity. These findings have implications in applications of biomedicine.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Pigs share many anatomical and physiological features with humans, offering a unique and viable model for biomedical research. In this study, we used tandem mass tag quantitative proteomics to describe, for the first time, protein expression patterns of postnatal pig ovaries. Proteins involved in hormone metabolic pathways and maintenance, proliferation, and regulation of stem cells were identified. With further analysis by Interactive Pathway Explorer, proteins enriched in metabolism of steroid hormones, metabolism of lipids, and energy metabolism pathway were upregulated in the 32-week-old group, indicating physiological characteristics of sexual maturity. These findings have implications in applications of biomedicine.