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Okuda H, Tsujimura A, Irie S, Yamamoto K, Fukuhara S, Matsuoka Y, Takao T, Miyagawa Y, Nonomura N, Wada M, Tanaka H. A single nucleotide polymorphism within the novel sex-linked testis-specific retrotransposed PGAM4 gene influences human male fertility. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35195. [PMID: 22590500 PMCID: PMC3348931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of novel fertilization treatments, including in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic injection, has made pregnancy possible regardless of the level of activity of the spermatozoa; however, the etiology of male-factor infertility is poorly understood. Multiple studies, primarily through the use of transgenic animals, have contributed to a list of candidate genes that may affect male infertility in humans. We examined single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as a cause of male infertility in an analysis of spermatogenesis-specific genes. METHODS AND FINDING We carried out the prevalence of SNPs in the coding region of phosphoglycerate mutase 4 (PGAM4) on the X chromosome by the direct sequencing of PCR-amplified DNA from male patients. Using RT-PCR and western blot analyses, we identified that PGAM4 is a functional retrogene that is expressed predominantly in the testes and is associated with male infertility. PGAM4 is expressed in post-meiotic stages, including spermatids and spermatozoa in the testes, and the principal piece of the flagellum and acrosome in ejaculated spermatozoa. A case-control study revealed that 4.5% of infertile patients carry the G75C polymorphism, which causes an amino acid substitution in the encoded protein. Furthermore, an assay for enzymatic activity demonstrated that this polymorphism decreases the enzyme's activity both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION These results suggest that PGAM4, an X-linked retrogene, is a fundamental gene in human male reproduction and may escape meiotic sex chromosome inactivation. These findings provide fresh insight into elucidating the mechanisms of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenobu Okuda
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Akira Tsujimura
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinji Irie
- Life Science Research Laboratory, Toppan Technical Research Institute, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., Kanda Izumi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Yamamoto
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Fukuhara
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Matsuoka
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Takao
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasushi Miyagawa
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Norio Nonomura
- Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Morimasa Wada
- Molecular Biology Division, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Tanaka
- Molecular Biology Division, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
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Montoto LG, Arregui L, Sánchez NM, Gomendio M, Roldan ERS. Postnatal testicular development in mouse species with different levels of sperm competition. Reproduction 2011; 143:333-46. [PMID: 22187670 DOI: 10.1530/rep-11-0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Postcopulatory sexual selection leads to an increase in sperm numbers which is partly the result of an increase in relative testes mass and could also be the consequence of changes in testis architecture or function. Very little is known regarding developmental changes during the first spermatogenic wave that may lead to enhanced spermatogenic efficiency and increased sperm production. We examined testicular development after birth in four mouse species with different sperm competition levels to assess changes in testicular architecture and function. Differences in relative testes mass between species appeared soon after birth and were exacerbated thereafter. The volume of testes occupied by seminiferous tubules differed between species postnatally and were associated with sperm competition levels. Finally, changes over time in the proportions of tubules with different germ cell types were also associated with sperm competition levels, with the time taken for the transition between various cell stages being negatively associated with levels of sperm competition. We conclude that postnatal testis development differs between closely related species with different sperm competition levels influencing testis architecture and the rate of progression of spermatogenesis, leading to differences in testis function at reproductive maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gómez Montoto
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), c/Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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Ueda T, Manabe H, Tokuhiro K, Hirose M, Matsuoka Y, Miyagawa Y, Tsujimura A, Fujita K, Wada M, Okuyama A, Nishimune Y, Tanaka H. Unique alternative translation from two open reading frames onAcpin1mRNA yields an acrosomal protein and a salivary-gland-specific protein. Int J Urol 2009; 16:639-46. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2009.02325.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Matsuoka Y, Miyagawa Y, Tokuhiro K, Kitamura K, Iguchi N, Maekawa M, Takahashi T, Tsujimura A, Matsumiya K, Okuyama A, Nishimune Y, Tanaka H. Isolation and characterization of the spermatid-specific Smrp1 gene encoding a novel manchette protein. Mol Reprod Dev 2008; 75:967-75. [PMID: 18163442 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.20835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The manchette, which is the structure that appears around the nuclei of elongated spermatids, is assumed to be involved in nuclear shaping during spermiogenesis and the transport of various proteins between the nucleus and sperm tail. In this report, we describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a mouse spermatid-specific manchette-related protein 1 (Smrp1) from a spermatid-specific subtracted mouse testis cDNA library. The isolated Smrp1 cDNA clones could be divided into three variants based on sequence analysis. Computer-assisted analysis showed that these variants were splice variants from a single locus of the mouse genome. The three putative proteins consisted of 296, 260, and 175 amino acids, respectively. Although 155 amino acids of the N terminus were common to the three proteins, they were distinguished by their C-terminal regions. Western blot analyses using specific antisera showed that SMRP1 expression was specific to the testes and that only the 261-amino-acid form was translated into protein. Immunohistochemistry revealed that SMRP1 was localized to the cytoplasm of step 9-12 elongated spermatids. The protein appeared in a cap formation that covered the caudal sides of the elongated nuclei. This localization pattern coincided with that of the manchette. SMRP1 may play an important role as a functional protein that co-operates with manchette proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Matsuoka
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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