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Leyden MR, Michalik P, Baruffaldi L, Mahmood S, Kalani L, Hunt DF, Eirin-Lopez JM, Andrade MC, Shabanowitz J, Ausió J. The protamines of the noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis provide an example of liquid-liquid phase separation chromatin transitions during spermiogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597381. [PMID: 38895387 PMCID: PMC11185589 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
While there is extensive information about sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBP) in vertebrates, there is very little information about Arthropoda by comparison. This paper aims to contribute to filling this gap by analyzing these proteins in the sperm of the noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis (Order Araneae, Family Theridiidae). To this end, we have developed a protein extraction method that allows the extraction of cysteine-containing protamines suitable for the preparation and analysis of SNBPs from samples where the amount of starting tissue material is limited. We carried out top-down mass spectrometry sequencing and molecular phylogenetic analyses to characterize the protamines of S. nobilis and other spiders. We also used electron microscopy to analyze the chromatin organization of the sperm, and we found it to exhibit liquid-liquid phase spinodal decomposition during the late stages of spermiogenesis. These studies further our knowledge of the distribution of SNBPs within the animal kingdom and provide additional support for a proposed evolutionary origin of many protamines from a histone H1 (H5) replication-independent precursor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R. Leyden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Peter Michalik
- Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Luciana Baruffaldi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Susheen Mahmood
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Ladan Kalani
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Donald F. Hunt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Jose Maria Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Maydianne C.B. Andrade
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Shabanowitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Juan Ausió
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
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2
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Khanal S, Jaiswal A, Chowdanayaka R, Puente N, Turner K, Assefa KY, Nawras M, Back ED, Royfman A, Burkett JP, Cheong SH, Fisher HS, Sindhwani P, Gray J, Ramachandra NB, Avidor-Reiss T. The evolution of centriole degradation in mouse sperm. Nat Commun 2024; 15:117. [PMID: 38168044 PMCID: PMC10761967 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44411-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Centrioles are subcellular organelles found at the cilia base with an evolutionarily conserved structure and a shock absorber-like function. In sperm, centrioles are found at the flagellum base and are essential for embryo development in basal animals. Yet, sperm centrioles have evolved diverse forms, sometimes acting like a transmission system, as in cattle, and sometimes becoming dispensable, as in house mice. How the essential sperm centriole evolved to become dispensable in some organisms is unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that this transition occurred through a cascade of evolutionary changes to the proteins, structure, and function of sperm centrioles and was possibly driven by sperm competition. We found that the final steps in this cascade are associated with a change in the primary structure of the centriolar inner scaffold protein FAM161A in rodents. This information provides the first insight into the molecular mechanisms and adaptive evolution underlying a major evolutionary transition within the internal structure of the mammalian sperm neck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushil Khanal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Ankit Jaiswal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Rajanikanth Chowdanayaka
- Department of Studies in Genetics and Genomics, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru, India
| | - Nahshon Puente
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Katerina Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | | | - Mohamad Nawras
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Ezekiel David Back
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abigail Royfman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - James P Burkett
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Soon Hon Cheong
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Heidi S Fisher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Puneet Sindhwani
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - John Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | | | - Tomer Avidor-Reiss
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
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3
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Schneider S, Kovacevic A, Mayer M, Dicke AK, Arévalo L, Koser SA, Hansen JN, Young S, Brenker C, Kliesch S, Wachten D, Kirfel G, Struenker T, Tüttelmann F, Schorle H. Cylicins are a structural component of the sperm calyx being indispensable for male fertility in mice and human. eLife 2023; 12:RP86100. [PMID: 38013430 PMCID: PMC10684152 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86100] [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] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cylicins are testis-specific proteins, which are exclusively expressed during spermiogenesis. In mice and humans, two Cylicins, the gonosomal X-linked Cylicin 1 (Cylc1/CYLC1) and the autosomal Cylicin 2 (Cylc2/CYLC2) genes, have been identified. Cylicins are cytoskeletal proteins with an overall positive charge due to lysine-rich repeats. While Cylicins have been localized in the acrosomal region of round spermatids, they resemble a major component of the calyx within the perinuclear theca at the posterior part of mature sperm nuclei. However, the role of Cylicins during spermiogenesis has not yet been investigated. Here, we applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in zygotes to establish Cylc1- and Cylc2-deficient mouse lines as a model to study the function of these proteins. Cylc1 deficiency resulted in male subfertility, whereas Cylc2-/-, Cylc1-/yCylc2+/-, and Cylc1-/yCylc2-/- males were infertile. Phenotypical characterization revealed that loss of Cylicins prevents proper calyx assembly during spermiogenesis. This results in decreased epididymal sperm counts, impaired shedding of excess cytoplasm, and severe structural malformations, ultimately resulting in impaired sperm motility. Furthermore, exome sequencing identified an infertile man with a hemizygous variant in CYLC1 and a heterozygous variant in CYLC2, displaying morphological abnormalities of the sperm including the absence of the acrosome. Thus, our study highlights the relevance and importance of Cylicins for spermiogenic remodeling and male fertility in human and mouse, and provides the basis for further studies on unraveling the complex molecular interactions between perinuclear theca proteins required during spermiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schneider
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
- Bonn Technology Campus, Core Facility 'Gene-Editing', Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Andjela Kovacevic
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Michelle Mayer
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Ann-Kristin Dicke
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Lena Arévalo
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Sophie A Koser
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Jan N Hansen
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Samuel Young
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Christoph Brenker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Gregor Kirfel
- Institute for Cell Biology, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Timo Struenker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Hubert Schorle
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of BonnBonnGermany
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Wu Y, Zhang L, Li H, Zhao X, Ding Y, Yao Y, Wang L. Association between Yili goose sperm motility and expression profiles of mRNA and miRNA in testis. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:640. [PMID: 37875805 PMCID: PMC10599010 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09727-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study was conducted to find out the candidate microRNA (miRNA) and genes that associated with sperm motility of Yili goose through small RNA sequencing of testicular tissue of Yili goose, and provide a theoretical basis for the study of the regulation mechanism of sperm motility of Yili goose gander. RESULTS In this study, five male geese with high sperm motility and five male geese with low sperm motility were slaughtered to obtain their testis tissues for small RNA sequencing, and biological information methods were used for data analysis. The results showed that a total of 1575 known miRNAs and 68 novel miRNAs were identified in the testis tissue of Yili goose, and 71 differentially expressed miRNAs and 660 differentially expressed genes were screened. GO functional analysis showed that miRNAs target genes were mainly involved in the binding, kinase activity, structural constituent of cytoskeleton and intermediate filament cytoskeleton. KEGG functional analysis showed that miRNAs target genes were significantly enriched in arginine and proline metabolism, glycolysis / gluconeogenesis, fructose and mannose metabolism and beta-Alanine metabolism and other pathways. miRNAs-mRNAs interaction network suggests miR-140/miR-140-3p/miR-140-3p-NKAIN3, let-7d-BTG1 and miR-145-5p/miR -145a-5p-CLEC2E may play an important role in testis development and spermatogenesis. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that the sperm motility of Yili goose may be regulated by different miRNAs, and the target genes are significantly enriched in pathways related to sperm metabolism, indicating that miRNAs affect the sperm motility of Yili goose by regulating the metabolic process of sperm and the expression of related genes. This study can provide a reference for revealing the regulation mechanism of Yili goose sperm motility at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingping Wu
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Haiying Li
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Yawen Ding
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Yingying Yao
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Ling Wang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830000, China
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5
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Chang CH, Mejia Natividad I, Malik HS. Expansion and loss of sperm nuclear basic protein genes in Drosophila correspond with genetic conflicts between sex chromosomes. eLife 2023; 12:85249. [PMID: 36763410 PMCID: PMC9917458 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85249] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animal species employ sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) or protamines to package sperm genomes tightly. SNBPs vary across animal lineages and evolve rapidly in mammals. We used a phylogenomic approach to investigate SNBP diversification in Drosophila species. We found that most SNBP genes in Drosophila melanogaster evolve under positive selection except for genes essential for male fertility. Unexpectedly, evolutionarily young SNBP genes are more likely to be critical for fertility than ancient, conserved SNBP genes. For example, CG30056 is dispensable for male fertility despite being one of three SNBP genes universally retained in Drosophila species. We found 19 independent SNBP gene amplification events that occurred preferentially on sex chromosomes. Conversely, the montium group of Drosophila species lost otherwise-conserved SNBP genes, coincident with an X-Y chromosomal fusion. Furthermore, SNBP genes that became linked to sex chromosomes via chromosomal fusions were more likely to degenerate or relocate back to autosomes. We hypothesize that autosomal SNBP genes suppress meiotic drive, whereas sex-chromosomal SNBP expansions lead to meiotic drive. X-Y fusions in the montium group render autosomal SNBPs dispensable by making X-versus-Y meiotic drive obsolete or costly. Thus, genetic conflicts between sex chromosomes may drive SNBP rapid evolution during spermatogenesis in Drosophila species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Ho Chang
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Isabel Mejia Natividad
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Harmit S Malik
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, United States
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6
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Arévalo L, Esther Merges G, Schneider S, Schorle H. Protamines: lessons learned from mouse models. Reproduction 2022; 164:R57-R74. [PMID: 35900356 DOI: 10.1530/rep-22-0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In brief Protamines package and shield the paternal DNA in the sperm nucleus and have been studied in many mouse models over decades. This review recapitulates and updates our knowledge about protamines and reveals a surprising complexity in protamine function and their interactions with other sperm nuclear proteins. Abstract The packaging and safeguarding of paternal DNA in the sperm cell nucleus is a critical feature of proper sperm function. Histones cannot mediate the necessary hypercondensation and shielding of chromatin required for motility and transit through the reproductive tracts. Paternal chromatin is therefore reorganized and ultimately packaged by protamines. In most mammalian species, one protamine is present in mature sperm (PRM1). In rodents and primates among others, however, mature sperm contain a second protamine (PRM2). Unlike PRM1, PRM2 is cleaved at its N-terminal end. Although protamines have been studied for decades due to their role in chromatin hypercondensation and involvement in male infertility, key aspects of their function are still unclear. This review updates and integrates our knowledge of protamines and their function based on lessons learned from mouse models and starts to answer open questions. The combined insights from recent work reveal that indeed both protamines are crucial for the production of functional sperm and indicate that the two protamines perform distinct functions beyond simple DNA compaction. Loss of one allele of PRM1 leads to subfertility whereas heterozygous loss of PRM2 does not. Unprocessed PRM2 seems to play a distinct role related to the eviction of intermediate DNA-bound proteins and the incorporation of both protamines into chromatin. For PRM1, on the other hand, heterozygous loss leads to strongly reduced sperm motility as the main phenotype, indicating that PRM1 might be important for processes ensuring correct motility, apart from DNA compaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Arévalo
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gina Esther Merges
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Schneider
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Bonn Technology Campus, Core Facility 'Gene-Editing', University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hubert Schorle
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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7
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Merges GE, Meier J, Schneider S, Kruse A, Fröbius AC, Kirfel G, Steger K, Arévalo L, Schorle H. Loss of Prm1 leads to defective chromatin protamination, impaired PRM2 processing, reduced sperm motility and subfertility in male mice. Development 2022; 149:275502. [PMID: 35608054 PMCID: PMC9270976 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
One of the key events during spermiogenesis is the hypercondensation of chromatin by substitution of the majority of histones by protamines. In humans and mice, protamine 1 (PRM1/Prm1) and protamine 2 (PRM2/Prm2) are expressed in a species-specific ratio. Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing, we generated Prm1-deficient mice and demonstrated that Prm1+/- mice were subfertile, whereas Prm1-/- mice were infertile. Prm1-/- and Prm2-/- sperm showed high levels of reactive oxygen species-mediated DNA damage and increased histone retention. In contrast, Prm1+/- sperm displayed only moderate DNA damage. The majority of Prm1+/- sperm were CMA3 positive, indicating protamine-deficient chromatin, although this was not the result of increased histone retention in Prm1+/- sperm. However, sperm from Prm1+/- and Prm1-/- mice contained high levels of incompletely processed PRM2. Furthermore, the PRM1:PRM2 ratio was skewed from 1:2 in wild type to 1:5 in Prm1+/- animals. Our results reveal that PRM1 is required for proper PRM2 processing to produce mature PRM2, which, together with PRM1, is able to hypercondense DNA. Thus, the species-specific PRM1:PRM2 ratio has to be precisely controlled in order to retain full fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Esther Merges
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia Meier
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Schneider
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexander Kruse
- Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Section Molecular Andrology, Biomedical Research Center of the Justus-Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Christian Fröbius
- Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Section Molecular Andrology, Biomedical Research Center of the Justus-Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gregor Kirfel
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Klaus Steger
- Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Section Molecular Andrology, Biomedical Research Center of the Justus-Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Lena Arévalo
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Hubert Schorle
- Department of Developmental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
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8
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Teves ME, Roldan ERS. Sperm bauplan and function and underlying processes of sperm formation and selection. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:7-60. [PMID: 33880962 PMCID: PMC8812575 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00009.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated and polarized cell, with two main structures: the head, containing a haploid nucleus and the acrosomal exocytotic granule, and the flagellum, which generates energy and propels the cell; both structures are connected by the neck. The sperm's main aim is to participate in fertilization, thus activating development. Despite this common bauplan and function, there is an enormous diversity in structure and performance of sperm cells. For example, mammalian spermatozoa may exhibit several head patterns and overall sperm lengths ranging from ∼30 to 350 µm. Mechanisms of transport in the female tract, preparation for fertilization, and recognition of and interaction with the oocyte also show considerable variation. There has been much interest in understanding the origin of this diversity, both in evolutionary terms and in relation to mechanisms underlying sperm differentiation in the testis. Here, relationships between sperm bauplan and function are examined at two levels: first, by analyzing the selective forces that drive changes in sperm structure and physiology to understand the adaptive values of this variation and impact on male reproductive success and second, by examining cellular and molecular mechanisms of sperm formation in the testis that may explain how differentiation can give rise to such a wide array of sperm forms and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Arévalo L, Tourmente M, Varea-Sánchez M, Ortiz-García D, Roldan ERS. Sexual selection towards a protamine expression ratio optimum in two rodent groups? Evolution 2021; 75:2124-2131. [PMID: 34224143 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Post-copulatory sexual selection is thought to influence the evolution of genes involved in reproduction. However, the detection of straightforward effects has been proven difficult due to the complexity and diversity of reproductive landscapes found in different taxa. Here, we compare the possible effect of relative testes mass as a sperm competition proxy on protamine genotype (protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio) and the link to sperm head phenotype in two rodent groups, mice, and voles. In mice, protamine expression ratios were found to increase from low values toward a 1:1 ratio in a positive association with testes mass, and relative sperm head area. In contrast, in voles, decreasing protamine expression ratios were found in species with larger testes but, surprisingly, they range from high values, again toward a 1:1 ratio, and showing a negative correlation with relative sperm head area. Altogether, we found differences in the way protamines seem to be selected and involved in adaptations of the sperm head in voles and mice. However, sexual selection driven by sperm competition seems to exhibit a common evolutionary pattern in both groups toward an equilibrium in the expression of the two protamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Arévalo
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain.,Developmental Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, 53127, Germany
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain.,Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology. Faculty of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5016GCA, Argentina.,Institute for Biological and Technological Research (IIByT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - María Varea-Sánchez
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - Daniel Ortiz-García
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
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10
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Protamine Characterization by Top-Down Proteomics: Boosting Proteoform Identification with DBSCAN. Proteomes 2021; 9:proteomes9020021. [PMID: 33946530 PMCID: PMC8162566 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes9020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protamines replace histones as the main nuclear protein in the sperm cells of many species and play a crucial role in compacting the paternal genome. Human spermatozoa contain protamine 1 (P1) and the family of protamine 2 (P2) proteins. Alterations in protamine PTMs or the P1/P2 ratio may be associated with male infertility. Top-down proteomics enables large-scale analysis of intact proteoforms derived from alternative splicing, missense or nonsense genetic variants or PTMs. In contrast to current gold standard techniques, top-down proteomics permits a more in-depth analysis of protamine PTMs and proteoforms, thereby opening up new perspectives to unravel their impact on male fertility. We report on the analysis of two normozoospermic semen samples by top-down proteomics. We discuss the difficulties encountered with the data analysis and propose solutions as this step is one of the current bottlenecks in top-down proteomics with the bioinformatics tools currently available. Our strategy for the data analysis combines two software packages, ProSight PD (PS) and TopPIC suite (TP), with a clustering algorithm to decipher protamine proteoforms. We identified up to 32 protamine proteoforms at different levels of characterization. This in-depth analysis of the protamine proteoform landscape of normozoospermic individuals represents the first step towards the future study of sperm pathological conditions opening up the potential personalized diagnosis of male infertility.
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11
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Arévalo L, Brukman NG, Cuasnicú PS, Roldan ERS. Evolutionary analysis of genes coding for Cysteine-RIch Secretory Proteins (CRISPs) in mammals. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:67. [PMID: 32513118 PMCID: PMC7278046 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01632-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cysteine-RIch Secretory Proteins (CRISP) are expressed in the reproductive tract of mammalian males and are involved in fertilization and related processes. Due to their important role in sperm performance and sperm-egg interaction, these genes are likely to be exposed to strong selective pressures, including postcopulatory sexual selection and/or male-female coevolution. We here perform a comparative evolutionary analysis of Crisp genes in mammals. Currently, the nomenclature of CRISP genes is confusing, as a consequence of discrepancies between assignments of orthologs, particularly due to numbering of CRISP genes. This may generate problems when performing comparative evolutionary analyses of mammalian clades and species. To avoid such problems, we first carried out a study of possible orthologous relationships and putative origins of the known CRISP gene sequences. Furthermore, and with the aim to facilitate analyses, we here propose a different nomenclature for CRISP genes (EVAC1-4, "EVolutionarily-analyzed CRISP") to be used in an evolutionary context. RESULTS We found differing selective pressures among Crisp genes. CRISP1/4 (EVAC1) and CRISP2 (EVAC2) orthologs are found across eutherian mammals and seem to be conserved in general, but show signs of positive selection in primate CRISP1/4 (EVAC1). Rodent Crisp1 (Evac3a) seems to evolve under a comparatively more relaxed constraint with positive selection on codon sites. Finally, murine Crisp3 (Evac4), which appears to be specific to the genus Mus, shows signs of possible positive selection. We further provide evidence for sexual selection on the sequence of one of these genes (Crisp1/4) that, unlike others, is thought to be exclusively expressed in male reproductive tissues. CONCLUSIONS We found differing selective pressures among CRISP genes and sexual selection as a contributing factor in CRISP1/4 gene sequence evolution. Our evolutionary analysis of this unique set of genes contributes to a better understanding of Crisp function in particular and the influence of sexual selection on reproductive mechanisms in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Arévalo
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Developmental Pathology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, 53127 Germany
| | - Nicolás G. Brukman
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia S. Cuasnicú
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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12
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Powell CD, Kirchoff DC, DeRouchey JE, Moseley HNB. Entropy based analysis of vertebrate sperm protamines sequences: evidence of potential dityrosine and cysteine-tyrosine cross-linking in sperm protamines. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:277. [PMID: 32245406 PMCID: PMC7126135 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermatogenesis is the process by which germ cells develop into spermatozoa in the testis. Sperm protamines are small, arginine-rich nuclear proteins which replace somatic histones during spermatogenesis, allowing a hypercondensed DNA state that leads to a smaller nucleus and facilitating sperm head formation. In eutherian mammals, the protamine-DNA complex is achieved through a combination of intra- and intermolecular cysteine cross-linking and possibly histidine-cysteine zinc ion binding. Most metatherian sperm protamines lack cysteine but perform the same function. This lack of dicysteine cross-linking has made the mechanism behind metatherian protamines folding unclear. RESULTS Protamine sequences from UniProt's databases were pulled down and sorted into homologous groups. Multiple sequence alignments were then generated and a gap weighted relative entropy score calculated for each position. For the eutherian alignments, the cysteine containing positions were the most highly conserved. For the metatherian alignment, the tyrosine containing positions were the most highly conserved and corresponded to the cysteine positions in the eutherian alignment. CONCLUSIONS High conservation indicates likely functionally/structurally important residues at these positions in the metatherian protamines and the correspondence with cysteine positions within the eutherian alignment implies a similarity in function. One possible explanation is that the metatherian protamine structure relies upon dityrosine cross-linking between these highly conserved tyrosines. Also, the human protamine P1 sequence has a tyrosine substitution in a position expecting eutherian dicysteine cross-linking. Similarly, some members of the metatherian Planigales genus contain cysteine substitutions in positions expecting plausible metatherian dityrosine cross-linking. Rare cysteine-tyrosine cross-linking could explain both observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian D. Powell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, 161 Jacobs Science Building, Lexington, 40506 USA
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, 800 Rose Street, Pavilion CC, Lexington, 40536 USA
| | - Daniel C. Kirchoff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, 161 Jacobs Science Building, Lexington, 40506 USA
| | - Jason E. DeRouchey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, 161 Jacobs Science Building, Lexington, 40506 USA
| | - Hunter N. B. Moseley
- Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, 800 Rose Street, Pavilion CC, Lexington, 40536 USA
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 40508 USA
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 40536 USA
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13
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Drinnenberg IA, Berger F, Elsässer SJ, Andersen PR, Ausió J, Bickmore WA, Blackwell AR, Erwin DH, Gahan JM, Gaut BS, Harvey ZH, Henikoff S, Kao JY, Kurdistani SK, Lemos B, Levine MT, Luger K, Malik HS, Martín-Durán JM, Peichel CL, Renfree MB, Rutowicz K, Sarkies P, Schmitz RJ, Technau U, Thornton JW, Warnecke T, Wolfe KH. EvoChromo: towards a synthesis of chromatin biology and evolution. Development 2019; 146:146/19/dev178962. [PMID: 31558570 DOI: 10.1242/dev.178962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few years, interest in chromatin and its evolution has grown. To further advance these interests, we organized a workshop with the support of The Company of Biologists to debate the current state of knowledge regarding the origin and evolution of chromatin. This workshop led to prospective views on the development of a new field of research that we term 'EvoChromo'. In this short Spotlight article, we define the breadth and expected impact of this new area of scientific inquiry on our understanding of both chromatin and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines A Drinnenberg
- Institut Curie, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 3664, Paris 75005, France
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon J Elsässer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Translational Medicine and Chemical Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden
| | - Peter R Andersen
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohrgasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Juan Ausió
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Wendy A Bickmore
- Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | | | - Douglas H Erwin
- Department of Paleobiology, MRC-121, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
| | - James M Gahan
- Sars Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Brandon S Gaut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Zachary H Harvey
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven Henikoff
- Division of Basic Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Joyce Y Kao
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, 12 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.,Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Siavash K Kurdistani
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Bernardo Lemos
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mia T Levine
- Department of Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karolin Luger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry, CU Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Harmit S Malik
- Division of Basic Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - José M Martín-Durán
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Catherine L Peichel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marilyn B Renfree
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010 VIC, Australia
| | - Kinga Rutowicz
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Sarkies
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Institute of Clinical Sciences, IMperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ulrich Technau
- Department for Molecular Evolution and Development, Centre of Organismal Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna A-1090, Austria
| | - Joseph W Thornton
- Department of Human Genetics, and Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
| | - Tobias Warnecke
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Institute of Clinical Sciences, IMperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Kenneth H Wolfe
- Conway Institute and School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
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14
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D'Ippolito RA, Minamino N, Rivera-Casas C, Cheema MS, Bai DL, Kasinsky HE, Shabanowitz J, Eirin-Lopez JM, Ueda T, Hunt DF, Ausió J. Protamines from liverwort are produced by post-translational cleavage and C-terminal di-aminopropanelation of several male germ-specific H1 histones. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:16364-16373. [PMID: 31527083 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protamines are small, highly-specialized, arginine-rich, and intrinsically-disordered chromosomal proteins that replace histones during spermiogenesis in many organisms. Previous evidence supports the notion that, in the animal kingdom, these proteins have evolved from a primitive replication-independent histone H1 involved in terminal cell differentiation. Nevertheless, a direct connection between the two families of chromatin proteins is missing. Here, we primarily used electron transfer dissociation MS-based analyses, revealing that the protamines in the sperm of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha result from post-translational cleavage of three precursor H1 histones. Moreover, we show that the mature protamines are further post-translationally modified by di-aminopropanelation, and previous studies have reported that they condense spermatid chromatin through a process consisting of liquid-phase assembly likely involving spinodal decomposition. Taken together, our results reveal that the interesting evolutionary ancestry of protamines begins with histone H1 in both the animal and plant kingdoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naoki Minamino
- Division of Cellular Dynamics, National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigonaka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Ciro Rivera-Casas
- Environmental Epigenetics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida 33181
| | - Manjinder S Cheema
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Dina L Bai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Harold E Kasinsky
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Shabanowitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
| | - Jose M Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida 33181
| | - Takashi Ueda
- Division of Cellular Dynamics, National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigonaka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Donald F Hunt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904.,Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Juan Ausió
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P6, Canada
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15
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Civetta A, Ranz JM. Genetic Factors Influencing Sperm Competition. Front Genet 2019; 10:820. [PMID: 31572439 PMCID: PMC6753916 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Females of many different species often mate with multiple males, creating opportunities for competition among their sperm. Although originally unappreciated, sperm competition is now considered a central form of post-copulatory male–male competition that biases fertilization. Assays of differences in sperm competitive ability between males, and interactions between females and males, have made it possible to infer some of the main mechanisms of sperm competition. Nevertheless, classical genetic approaches have encountered difficulties in identifying loci influencing sperm competitiveness while functional and comparative genomic methodologies, as well as genetic variant association studies, have uncovered some interesting candidate genes. We highlight how the systematic implementation of approaches that incorporate gene perturbation assays in experimental competitive settings, together with the monitoring of progeny output or sperm features and behavior, has allowed the identification of genes unambiguously linked to sperm competitiveness. The emerging portrait from 45 genes (33 from fruit flies, 8 from rodents, 2 from nematodes, and 2 from ants) is their remarkable breadth of biological roles exerted through males and females, the non-preponderance of sperm genes, and their overall pleiotropic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Civetta
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - José M Ranz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
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16
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Balhorn R, Steger K, Bergmann M, Schuppe HC, Neuhauser S, Balhorn MC. New monoclonal antibodies specific for mammalian protamines P1 and P2. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2018; 64:424-447. [DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2018.1510063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rod Balhorn
- Briar Patch Biosciences LLC, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Klaus Steger
- Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Section Molecular Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Martin Bergmann
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Neuhauser
- Pferdezentrum Bad Saarow, Veterinary Faculty of the University, Berlin, Germany
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17
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Kleene KC. Gordon Dixon, protamines, and the atypical patterns of gene expression in spermatogenic cells. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2018; 64:417-423. [PMID: 30129372 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2018.1505973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Gordon Dixon's pioneering work on the replacement of histones by protamines during spermatogenesis inspired research as recombinant DNA became widely used to analyze gene expression in mammalian spermatogenic cells. The impact of recombinant DNA began immediately with the identification of mouse protamine 1 as a haploid-expressed mRNA, resolving a decades-long controversy whether gene expression in haploid spermatogenic cells distorts transmission of alleles to progeny. Numerous insights into the biology of spermatogenesis followed as the sequences of many mRNAs revealed that the patterns of gene expression in spermatogenic cells are astonishingly different from those in other cells in the mammalian body. Studies of these phenomena have generated fundamental insights across reproductive, molecular and evolutionary biology. Abbreviations: PRM1: protamine 1; PRM2: protamine 2; TCE: translation control element.
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18
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Barrachina F, Anastasiadi D, Jodar M, Castillo J, Estanyol JM, Piferrer F, Oliva R. Identification of a complex population of chromatin-associated proteins in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) sperm. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2018; 64:502-517. [PMID: 29939100 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2018.1482383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A very common conception about the function of the spermatozoon is that its unique role is to transmit the paternal genome to the next generation. Most of the sperm genome is known to be condensed in many species by protamines, which are small and extremely positively charged proteins (50-70% arginine) with the functions of streamlining the sperm cell and protecting its DNA. However, more recently, it has been shown in mammals that 2-10% of its mature sperm chromatin is also associated to a complex population of histones and chromatin-associated proteins differentially distributed in the genome. These proteins are transferred to the oocyte upon fertilization and may be involved in the epigenetic marking of the paternal genome. However, little information is so far available on the additional potential sperm chromatin proteins present in other protamine-containing non-mammalian vertebrates detected through high-throughput mass spectrometry. Thus, we started the present work with the goal of characterizing the mature sperm proteome of the European sea bass, with a particular focus on the sperm chromatin, chosen as a representative of non-mammalian vertebrate protamine-containing species. Proteins were isolated by acidic extraction from purified sperm cells and from purified sperm nuclei, digested with trypsin, and subsequently the peptides were separated using liquid chromatography and identified through tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 296 proteins were identified. Of interest, the presence of 94 histones and other chromatin-associated proteins was detected, in addition to the protamines. These results provide phylogenetically strategic information, indicating that the coexistence of histones, additional chromatin proteins, and protamines in sperm is not exclusive of mammals, but is also present in other protamine-containing vertebrates. Thus, it indicates that the epigenetic marking of the sperm chromatin, first demonstrated in mammals, could be more fundamental and conserved than previously thought. Abbreviations: AU-PAGE: acetic acid-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; CPC: chromosomal passenger complex; DTT: dithiothreitol; EGA: embryonic genome activation; FDR: false discovery rate; GO: Gene Ontology; IAA: iodoacetamide; LC: liquid chromatography; LC-MS/MS: liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry; MS: mass spectrometry; MS/MS: tandem mass spectrometry; MW: molecular weight; PAGE: polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; PBS: phosphate buffered saline; SDS: sodium dodecyl sulfate; SDS-PAGE: sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; TCA: trichloroacetic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Barrachina
- a Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.,b Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service , Hospital Clínic , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Dafni Anastasiadi
- c Institut de Ciències del Mar , Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Meritxell Jodar
- a Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.,b Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service , Hospital Clínic , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Judit Castillo
- a Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.,b Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service , Hospital Clínic , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Josep Maria Estanyol
- d Proteomics Unit, Scientific and Technological Centers from the University of Barcelona , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- c Institut de Ciències del Mar , Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Rafael Oliva
- a Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences , University of Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.,b Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service , Hospital Clínic , Barcelona , Spain
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19
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Steger K, Balhorn R. Sperm nuclear protamines: A checkpoint to control sperm chromatin quality. Anat Histol Embryol 2018; 47:273-279. [PMID: 29797354 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Protamines are nuclear proteins which are specifically expressed in haploid male germ cells. Their replacement of histones and binding to DNA is followed by chromatin hypercondensation that protects DNA from negative influences by environmental factors. Mammalian sperm contain two types of protamines: PRM1 and PRM2. While the proportion of the two protamines is highly variable between different species, abnormal ratios within a species are known to be associated with male subfertility. Therefore, it is more than likely that correct protamine expression represents a kind of chromatin checkpoint during sperm development rendering protamines as suitable biomarkers for the estimation of sperm quality. This review presents an overview of our current knowledge on protamines comparing gene and protein structures between different mammalian species with particular consideration given to man, mouse and stallion. At last, recent insights into the possible role of inherited sperm histones for early embryo development are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Steger
- Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Molecular Andrology, Biomedical Research Center of the Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rod Balhorn
- Briar Patch Biosciences LLC, Livermore, CA, USA
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20
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Brohi RD, Wang L, Hassine NB, Cao J, Talpur HS, Wu D, Huang CJ, Rehman ZU, Bhattarai D, Huo LJ. Expression, Localization of SUMO-1, and Analyses of Potential SUMOylated Proteins in Bubalus bubalis Spermatozoa. Front Physiol 2017; 8:354. [PMID: 28659810 PMCID: PMC5468435 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature spermatozoa have highly condensed DNA that is essentially silent both transcriptionally and translationally. Therefore, post translational modifications are very important for regulating sperm motility, morphology, and for male fertility in general. Protein sumoylation was recently demonstrated in human and rodent spermatozoa, with potential consequences for sperm motility and DNA integrity. We examined the expression and localization of small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1) in the sperm of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) using immunofluorescence analysis. We confirmed the expression of SUMO-1 in the acrosome. We further found that SUMO-1 was lost if the acrosome reaction was induced by calcium ionophore A23187. Proteins modified or conjugated by SUMO-1 in water buffalo sperm were pulled down and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Sixty proteins were identified, including proteins important for sperm morphology and motility, such as relaxin receptors and cytoskeletal proteins, including tubulin chains, actins, and dyneins. Forty-six proteins were predicted as potential sumoylation targets. The expression of SUMO-1 in the acrosome region of water buffalo sperm and the identification of potentially SUMOylated proteins important for sperm function implicates sumoylation as a crucial PTM related to sperm function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Dad Brohi
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Li Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | | | - Jing Cao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Hira Sajjad Talpur
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Di Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Chun-Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Zia-Ur Rehman
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Dinesh Bhattarai
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
| | - Li-Jun Huo
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Education Ministry of China, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhan, China.,Department of Hubei Province's Engineering Research Center in Buffalo Breeding and ProductsWuhan, China
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21
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Lüke L, Tourmente M, Dopazo H, Serra F, Roldan ERS. Selective constraints on protamine 2 in primates and rodents. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:21. [PMID: 26801756 PMCID: PMC4724148 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0588-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protamines are sperm nuclear proteins with a crucial role in chromatin condensation. Their function is strongly linked to sperm head morphology and male fertility. Protamines appear to be affected by a complex pattern of selective constraints. Previous studies showed that sexual selection affects protamine coding sequence and expression in rodents. Here we analyze selective constraints and post-copulatory sexual selection acting on protamine 2 (Prm2) gene sequences of 53 species of primates and rodents. We focused on possible differences in selective constraints between these two clades and on the two functional domains of PRM2 (cleaved- and mature-PRM2). We also assessed if and how changes in Prm2 coding sequence may affect sperm head dimensions. RESULTS The domain of Prm2 that is cleaved off during binding to DNA (cleaved-Prm2) was found to be under purifying selection in both clades, whereas the domain that remains bound to DNA (mature-Prm2) was found to be positively selected in primates and under relaxed constraint in rodents. Changes in cleaved-Prm2 coding sequence are significantly correlated to sperm head width and elongation in rodents. Contrary to expectations, a significant effect of sexual selection was not found on either domain or clade. CONCLUSIONS Mature-PRM2 may be free to evolve under less constraint due to the existence of PRM1 as a more conserved and functionally redundant copy. The cleaved-PRM2 domain seems to play an important role in sperm head shaping. However, sexual selection on its sequence may be difficult to detect until it is identified which sperm head phenotype (shape and size) confers advantages for sperm performance in different mammalian clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Lüke
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Hernan Dopazo
- Department of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - François Serra
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG), Center for Genomic Regulation, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
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