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Fujihara Y, Miyata H, Abbasi F, Larasati T, Nozawa K, Yu Z, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. Tex46 knockout male mice are sterile secondary to sperm head malformations and failure to penetrate through the zona pellucida. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae108. [PMID: 38516277 PMCID: PMC10957234 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Each year, infertility affects 15% of couples worldwide, with 50% of cases attributed to men. It is assumed that sperm head shape is important for sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) penetration but research has yet to elucidate why. We generated testis expressed 46 (Tex46) knockout mice to investigate the essential roles of TEX46 in mammalian reproduction. We used RT-PCR to demonstrate that Tex46 was expressed exclusively in the male reproductive tract in mice and humans. We created Tex46-/- mice using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system and analyzed their fertility. Tex46 null spermatozoa underwent further evaluation using computer-assisted sperm analysis, light microscopy, and ultrastructural microscopy. We used immunoblot analysis to elucidate relationships between TEX46 and other acrosome biogenesis-related proteins. Mouse and human TEX46 are testis-enriched and encode a transmembrane protein which is conserved from amphibians to mammals. Loss of the mouse TEX46 protein causes male sterility primarily due to abnormal sperm head formation and secondary effects on sperm motility. Tex46 null spermatozoa morphologically lack the typical hooked sperm head appearance and fail to penetrate through the ZP. Electron microscopy of the testicular germ cells reveals malformation of the acrosomal cap, with misshapen sperm head tips and the appearance of a gap between the acrosome head and the nucleus. TEX46 is essential for sperm head formation, sperm penetration through the ZP, and male fertility in mice, and is a putative contraceptive target in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Fujihara
- Department of Advanced Medical Technologies, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka 564-8565, Japan
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Haruhiko Miyata
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ferheen Abbasi
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Tamara Larasati
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kaori Nozawa
- Department of Advanced Medical Technologies, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka 564-8565, Japan
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Martin M Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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2
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Gacem S, Castello-Ruiz M, Hidalgo CO, Tamargo C, Santolaria P, Soler C, Yániz JL, Silvestre MA. Bull Sperm SWATH-MS-Based Proteomics Reveals Link between High Fertility and Energy Production, Motility Structures, and Sperm-Oocyte Interaction. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3607-3624. [PMID: 37782577 PMCID: PMC10629479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The prediction of male or semen fertility potential remains a persistent challenge that has yet to be fully resolved. This work analyzed several in vitro parameters and proteome of spermatozoa in bulls cataloged as high- (HF; n = 5) and low-field (LF; n = 5) fertility after more than a thousand artificial inseminations. Sperm motility was evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (mROS) of spermatozoa were assessed by flow cytometry. Proteome was evaluated by the SWATH-MS procedure. Spermatozoa of HF bulls showed significantly higher total motility than the LF group (41.4% vs 29.7%). Rates of healthy sperm (live, high MMP, and low mROS) for HF and LF bull groups were 49% and 43%, respectively (p > 0.05). Spermatozoa of HF bulls showed a higher presence of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) related to both energy production (COX7C), mainly the OXPHOS pathway, and the development of structures linked with the motility process (TPPP2, SSMEM1, and SPAG16). Furthermore, we observed that equatorin (EQTN), together with other DAPs related to the interaction with the oocyte, was overrepresented in HF bull spermatozoa. The biological processes related to protein processing, catabolism, and protein folding were found to be overrepresented in LF bull sperm in which the HSP90AA1 chaperone was identified as the most DAP. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD042286.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Gacem
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Departamento
de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Castello-Ruiz
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Unidad
Mixta de Investigación Cerebrovascular, Instituto de Investigación
Sanitaria La Fe, Hospital Universitario
y Politécnico La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos O. Hidalgo
- Animal
Selection and Reproduction Area, Regional
Agrifood Research and Development Service (SERIDA), 33394 Deva, Gijón, Spain
| | - Carolina Tamargo
- Animal
Selection and Reproduction Area, Regional
Agrifood Research and Development Service (SERIDA), 33394 Deva, Gijón, Spain
| | - Pilar Santolaria
- BIOFITER
Research Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, Spain
| | - Carles Soler
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jesús L. Yániz
- BIOFITER
Research Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, 22071 Huesca, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Silvestre
- Departamento
de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología
Física, Universitat de València, 46100 Valencia, Spain
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3
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Xu W, Yao Z, Li Y, Wang K, Kong S, Wang Y, Xiang M, Zhu F, Wang F, Zhang H. Loss of PMFBP1 Disturbs Mouse Spermatogenesis by Downregulating HDAC3 Expression. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023:10.1007/s10815-023-02874-0. [PMID: 37423931 PMCID: PMC10371971 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02874-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Polyamine modulating factor 1 binding protein (PMFBP1) acts as a scaffold protein for the maintenance of sperm structure. The aim of this study was further to identify the new role and molecular mechanism of PMFBP1 during mouse spermatogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS We identified a profile of proteins interacting with PMFBP1 by immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry and demonstrated that class I histone deacetylases, particularly HDAC3 and chaperonin-containing TCP1 subunit 3 (CCT3), were potential interaction partners of PMFBP1 based on network analysis of protein-protein interactions and co-immunoprecipitation. Immunoblotting and immunochemistry assays showed that loss of Pmfbp1 would result in a decline in HDACs and change the proteomic profile of mouse testis, in which differently expressed proteins are associated with spermatogenesis and assembly of flagella, which was proved by proteomic analysis of testis tissue obtained from Pmfbp1-/- mice. After integrating with transcriptome data for Hdac3-/- and Sox30-/- round sperm obtained from a public database, RT-qPCR confirmed ring finger protein 151 (Rnf151) and ring finger protein 133 (Rnf133) were key downstream response factors of the Pmfbp1-Hdac axis affecting mouse spermatogenesis. CONCLUSION Taken together, this study indicates a previously unidentified molecular mechanism of PMFBP1 in spermatogenesis whereby PMFBP1 interacts with CCT3, affecting the expression of HDAC3, followed by the downregulation of RNF151 and RNF133, resulting in an abnormal phenotype of sperm beyond the headless sperm tails. These findings not only advance our understanding of the function of Pmfbp1 in mouse spermatogenesis but also provide a typical case for multi-omics analysis used in the functional annotation of specific genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilong Xu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Zhoujuan Yao
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yunzhi Li
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Ke Wang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Anhui No. 2 Provincial People's Hospital, Hefei, 230041, Anhui, China
| | - Shuai Kong
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Mingfei Xiang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Fuxi Zhu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
| | - Fengsong Wang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
| | - Hui Zhang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
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Fujihara Y, Kobayashi K, Abbasi F, Endo T, Yu Z, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. PDCL2 is essential for sperm acrosome formation and male fertility in mice. Andrology 2023; 11:789-798. [PMID: 36278277 PMCID: PMC10123174 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Each year, infertility affects 15% of couples worldwide, with 50% of cases attributed to men. Globozoospermia is an uncommon cause of male factor infertility, characterized by defects in sperm acrosome formation, leading to round-headed spermatozoa. OBJECTIVE We generated Pdcl2 knockout mice to investigate the essential roles of PDCL2 in mammalian reproduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate that PDCL2 was expressed exclusively in the male reproductive tract in mice and humans. We created Pdcl2 knockout mice using the CRISPR-Cas9 system and analyzed their fertility. Pdcl2 null spermatozoa underwent further evaluation using computer-assisted sperm analysis, light microscopy, and ultrastructural microscopy. We used immunoblot analysis and immunofluorescence to elucidate relationships between PDCL2 and other acrosomal proteins. RESULTS The PDC family is highly conserved in eukaryotes. Mouse and human PDCL2 are testis enriched and localized to the testicular endoplasmic reticulum. Loss of the protein causes sterility because of abnormal acrosome biogenesis during spermiogenesis and immotility. Furthermore, Pdcl2 null spermatozoa have rounded heads, similar to globozoospermia in humans. Observation of the knockout testis shows a lack of acrosomal cap formation, aberrant localization of mitochondria in the sperm head, and misshapen nuclei. CONCLUSION PDCL2 is essential for sperm acrosome development and male fertility in mice and is a putative contraceptive target in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Fujihara
- Department of Bioscience and Genetics, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka 564-8565, Japan
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Kiyonori Kobayashi
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ferheen Abbasi
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817
| | - Tsutomu Endo
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Experimental Animals, Research Facility Cluster, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Martin M. Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
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5
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Nozawa K, Garcia TX, Kent K, Leng M, Jain A, Malovannaya A, Yuan F, Yu Z, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. Testis-specific serine kinase 3 is required for sperm morphogenesis and male fertility. Andrology 2023; 11:826-839. [PMID: 36306217 PMCID: PMC10267670 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of phosphorylation in sperm during spermatogenesis has not been pursued extensively. Testis-specific serine kinase 3 (Tssk3) is a conserved gene, but TSSK3 kinase functions and phosphorylation substrates of TSSK3 are not known. OBJECTIVE The goals of our studies were to understand the mechanism of action of TSSK3. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed the localization of TSSK3 in sperm, used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate Tssk3 knockout (KO) mice in which nearly all of the Tssk3 open reading frame was deleted (ensuring it is a null mutation), analyzed the fertility of Tssk3 KO mice by breeding mice for 4 months, and conducted phosphoproteomics analysis of male testicular germ cells. RESULTS TSSK3 is expressed in elongating sperm and localizes to the sperm tail. To define the essential roles of TSSK3 in vivo, heterozygous (HET) or homozygous KO male mice were mated with wild-type females, and fertility was assessed over 4 months; Tssk3 KO males are sterile, whereas HET males produced normal litter sizes. The absence of TSSK3 results in disorganization of all stages of testicular seminiferous epithelium and significantly increased vacuolization of germ cells, leading to dramatically reduced sperm counts and abnormal sperm morphology; despite these histologic changes, Tssk3 null mice have normal testis size. To elucidate the mechanisms causing the KO phenotype, we conducted phosphoproteomics using purified germ cells from Tssk3 HET and KO testes. We found that proteins implicated in male infertility, such as GAPDHS, ACTL7A, ACTL9, and REEP6, showed significantly reduced phosphorylation in KO testes compared to HET testes, despite unaltered total protein levels. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that TSSK3 is essential for male fertility and crucial for phosphorylation of multiple infertility-related proteins. These studies and the pathways in which TSSK3 functions have implications for human male infertility and nonhormonal contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Nozawa
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Thomas X. Garcia
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Katarzyna Kent
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Mei Leng
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Antrix Jain
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Anna Malovannaya
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Fei Yuan
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Martin M. Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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Clement TM, Geyer CB, Willis WD, Goulding EH, Upadhyay S, Eddy EM. Actin-related protein ACTL7B ablation leads to OAT with multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagellum and male infertility in mice†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:447-464. [PMID: 36617158 PMCID: PMC10014417 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation of fertilisation-competent sperm requires spermatid morphogenesis (spermiogenesis), a poorly understood program that involves complex coordinated restructuring and specialised cytoskeletal structures. A major class of cytoskeletal regulators are the actin-related proteins (ARPs), which include conventional actin variants, and related proteins that play essential roles in complexes regulating actin dynamics, intracellular transport, and chromatin remodeling. Multiple testis-specific ARPs are well conserved among mammals, but their functional roles are unknown. One of these is actin-like 7b (Actl7b) that encodes an orphan ARP highly similar to the ubiquitously expressed beta actin (ACTB). Here we report ACTL7B is expressed in human and mouse spermatids through the elongation phase of spermatid development. In mice, ACTL7B specifically localises to the developing acrosome, within the nucleus of early spermatids, and to the flagellum connecting region. Based on this localisation pattern and high level of sequence conservation in mice, humans, and other mammals, we examined the requirement for ACTL7B in spermiogenesis by generating and characterising the reproductive phenotype of male Actl7b KO mice. KO mice were infertile, with severe and variable oligoteratozoospermia (OAT) and multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagellum (MMAF) and sperm head. These defects phenocopy human OAT and MMAF, which are leading causes of idiopathic male infertility. In conclusion, this work identifies ACTL7B as a key regulator of spermiogenesis that is required for male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy M Clement
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Christopher B Geyer
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, and East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute East Carolina University, Greenville, USA
- East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute East Carolina University, Greenville, USA
| | - William D Willis
- Gamete Biology Group, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Durham, USA
| | - Eugenia H Goulding
- Gamete Biology Group, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Durham, USA
| | - Srijana Upadhyay
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Edward M Eddy
- Gamete Biology Group, Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Durham, USA
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7
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Jiménez JM, Morales RM, Menéndez-Buxadera A, Demyda-Peyrás S, Laseca N, Molina A. Estimation of the Genetic Components of (Co)variance and Preliminary Genome-Wide Association Study for Reproductive Efficiency in Retinta Beef Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030501. [PMID: 36766391 PMCID: PMC9913610 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the variation of reproductive efficiency, estimated as the deviation between the optimal and real parity number of females at each stage of the cow's life, in 12,554 cows belonging to the Retinta Spanish cattle breed, using classical repeatability and random regression models. The results of the analyses using repeatability model and the random regression model suggest that reproductive efficiency is not homogeneous throughout the cow's life. The h2 estimate for this model was 0.30, while for the random regression model it increased across the parities, from 0.24 at the first calving to 0.51 at calving number 9. Additionally, we performed a preliminary genome-wide association study for this trait in a population of 252 Retinta cows genotyped using the Axiom Bovine Genotyping v3 Array. The results showed 5 SNPs significantly associated with reproductive efficiency, located in two genomic regions (BTA4 and BTA28). The functional analysis revealed the presence of 5 candidate genes located within these regions, which were previously involved in different aspects related to fertility in cattle and mice models. This new information could give us a better understanding of the genetic architecture of reproductive traits in this species, as well as allow us to accurately select more fertile cows.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa María Morales
- Department of Genetics, Veterinary School, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-957-21-10-70
| | - Alberto Menéndez-Buxadera
- Department of Genetics, Veterinary School, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Sebastián Demyda-Peyrás
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata 1900, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Nora Laseca
- Department of Genetics, Veterinary School, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Antonio Molina
- Department of Genetics, Veterinary School, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, Edificio Gregor Mendel, Ctra. Madrid-Cádiz, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
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8
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Nozawa K, Fujihara Y, Devlin DJ, Deras RE, Kent K, Larina IV, Umezu K, Yu Z, Sutton CM, Ye Q, Dean LK, Emori C, Ikawa M, Garcia TX, Matzuk MM. The testis-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF133 is required for fecundity in mice. BMC Biol 2022; 20:161. [PMID: 35831855 PMCID: PMC9277888 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01368-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification required for a number of physiological functions regulating protein homeostasis, such as protein degradation. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control system recognizes and degrades proteins no longer needed in the ER through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. E2 and E3 enzymes containing a transmembrane domain have been shown to function in ER quality control. The ER transmembrane protein UBE2J1 is a E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme reported to be essential for spermiogenesis at the elongating spermatid stage. Spermatids from Ube2j1 KO male mice are believed to have defects in the dislocation step of ER quality control. However, associated E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases that function during spermatogenesis remain unknown. RESULTS We identified four evolutionarily conserved testis-specific E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases [RING finger protein 133 (Rnf133); RING finger protein 148 (Rnf148); RING finger protein 151 (Rnf151); and Zinc finger SWIM-type containing 2 (Zswim2)]. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we generated and analyzed the fertility of mutant mice with null alleles for each of these E3-encoding genes, as well as double and triple knockout (KO) mice. Male fertility, male reproductive organ, and sperm-associated parameters were analyzed in detail. Fecundity remained largely unaffected in Rnf148, Rnf151, and Zswim2 KO males; however, Rnf133 KO males displayed severe subfertility. Additionally, Rnf133 KO sperm exhibited abnormal morphology and reduced motility. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated that cytoplasmic droplets were retained in Rnf133 KO spermatozoa. Although Rnf133 and Rnf148 encode paralogous genes that are chromosomally linked and encode putative ER transmembrane E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases based on their protein structures, there was limited functional redundancy of these proteins. In addition, we identified UBE2J1 as an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating protein that interacts with RNF133. CONCLUSIONS Our studies reveal that RNF133 is a testis-expressed E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase that plays a critical role for sperm function during spermiogenesis. Based on the presence of a transmembrane domain in RNF133 and its interaction with the ER containing E2 protein UBE2J1, we hypothesize that these ubiquitin-regulatory proteins function together in ER quality control during spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Nozawa
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yoshitaka Fujihara
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Bioscience and Genetics, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, 564-8565, Japan
| | - Darius J Devlin
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ricardo E Deras
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kent
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Irina V Larina
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kohei Umezu
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Courtney M Sutton
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Qiuji Ye
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Laura K Dean
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Chihiro Emori
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Thomas X Garcia
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Martin M Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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9
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Wang HQ, Wang T, Gao F, Ren WZ. Application of CRISPR/Cas Technology in Spermatogenesis Research and Male Infertility Treatment. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061000. [PMID: 35741761 PMCID: PMC9223233 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
As the basis of animal reproductive activity, normal spermatogenesis directly determines the efficiency of livestock production. An in-depth understanding of spermatogenesis will greatly facilitate animal breeding efforts and male infertility treatment. With the continuous development and application of gene editing technologies, they have become valuable tools to study the mechanism of spermatogenesis. Gene editing technologies have provided us with a better understanding of the functions and potential mechanisms of action of factors that regulate spermatogenesis. This review summarizes the applications of gene editing technologies, especially CRISPR/Cas9, in deepening our understanding of the function of spermatogenesis-related genes and disease treatment. The problems of gene editing technologies in the field of spermatogenesis research are also discussed.
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10
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Castaneda JM, Shimada K, Satouh Y, Yu Z, Devlin DJ, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. FAM209 associates with DPY19L2, and is required for sperm acrosome biogenesis and fertility in mice. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:272021. [PMID: 34471926 PMCID: PMC8627553 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Infertility afflicts up to 15% of couples globally each year with men a contributing factor in 50% of these cases. Globozoospermia is a rare condition found in infertile men, which is characterized by defective acrosome biogenesis leading to the production of round-headed sperm. Here, we report that family with sequence similarity 209 (Fam209) is required for acrosome biogenesis in mouse sperm. FAM209 is a small transmembrane protein conserved among mammals. Loss of Fam209 results in fertility defects that are secondary to abnormalities in acrosome biogenesis during spermiogenesis, reminiscent of globozoospermia. Analysis of the FAM209 proteome identified DPY19L2, whose human orthologue is involved in the majority of globozoospermia cases. Although mutations in human and mouse Dpy19l2 have been shown to cause globozoospermia, no in vivo interacting partners of DPY19L2 have been identified until now. FAM209 colocalizes with DPY19L2 at the inner nuclear membrane to maintain the developing acrosome. Here, we identified FAM209 as the first interacting partner of DPY19L2, and the second protein that is essential for acrosome biogenesis that localizes to the inner nuclear membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio M Castaneda
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Department of Experimental Genome Research, Osaka University, Osaka 5620031, Japan
| | - Keisuke Shimada
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Department of Experimental Genome Research, Osaka University, Osaka 5620031, Japan
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Gunma University, Gunma 3718512, Japan
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Department of Pathology & Immunology and Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Darius J Devlin
- Department of Pathology & Immunology and Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Department of Experimental Genome Research, Osaka University, Osaka 5620031, Japan
| | - Martin M Matzuk
- Department of Pathology & Immunology and Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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11
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Xia M, Xia J, Niu C, Zhong Y, Ge T, Ding Y, Zheng Y. Testis-expressed protein 33 is not essential for spermiogenesis and fertility in mice. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:317. [PMID: 33760102 PMCID: PMC7974414 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11956] [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: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression analyses have revealed that there are >2,300 testis-enriched genes in mice, and gene knockout models have shown that a number of them are responsible for male fertility. However, the functions of numerous genes have yet to be clarified. The aim of the present study was to identify the expression pattern of testis-expressed protein 33 (TEX33) in mice and explore the role of TEX33 in male reproduction. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays were used to investigate the mRNA and protein levels of TEX33 in mouse testes during the first wave of spermatogenesis. Immunofluorescence analysis was also performed to identify the cellular and structural localization of TEX33 protein in the testes. Tex33 knockout mice were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing. Histological analysis with hematoxylin and eosin or periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and fertility testing, were also carried out to evaluate the effect of TEX33 on mouse spermiogenesis and male reproduction. The results showed that Tex33 mRNA and protein were exclusively expressed in mouse testes and were first detected on postnatal days 21–28 (spermiogenesis phase); their expression then remained into adulthood. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that TEX33 protein was located in the spermatids and sperm within the seminiferous tubules of the mouse testes, and exhibited specific localization to the acrosome, flagellum and manchette during spermiogenesis. These results suggested that TEX33 may play a role in mouse spermiogenesis. However, Tex33 knockout mice presented no detectable difference in testis-to-body weight ratios when compared with wild-type mice. PAS staining and CASA revealed that spermatogenesis and sperm quality were normal in mice lacking Tex33. In addition, fertility testing suggested that the Tex33 knockout mice had normal reproductive functions. In summary, the findings of the present study indicate that TEX33 is associated with spermiogenesis but is not essential for sperm development and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Xia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Jing Xia
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Changmin Niu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Yanan Zhong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Tingting Ge
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Yue Ding
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China
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