1
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Cutter AD. Beyond Haldane's rule: Sex-biased hybrid dysfunction for all modes of sex determination. eLife 2024; 13:e96652. [PMID: 39158559 PMCID: PMC11333046 DOI: 10.7554/elife.96652] [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: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Haldane's rule occupies a special place in biology as one of the few 'rules' of speciation, with empirical support from hundreds of species. And yet, its classic purview is restricted taxonomically to the subset of organisms with heteromorphic sex chromosomes. I propose explicit acknowledgement of generalized hypotheses about Haldane's rule that frame sex bias in hybrid dysfunction broadly and irrespective of the sexual system. The consensus view of classic Haldane's rule holds that sex-biased hybrid dysfunction across taxa is a composite phenomenon that requires explanations from multiple causes. Testing of the multiple alternative hypotheses for Haldane's rule is, in many cases, applicable to taxa with homomorphic sex chromosomes, environmental sex determination, haplodiploidy, and hermaphroditism. Integration of a variety of biological phenomena about hybrids across diverse sexual systems, beyond classic Haldane's rule, will help to derive a more general understanding of the contributing forces and mechanisms that lead to predictable sex biases in evolutionary divergence and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asher D Cutter
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
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2
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Berube B, Ernst E, Cahn J, Roche B, de Santis Alves C, Lynn J, Scheben A, Grimanelli D, Siepel A, Ross-Ibarra J, Kermicle J, Martienssen RA. Teosinte Pollen Drive guides maize diversification and domestication by RNAi. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07788-0. [PMID: 39112710 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07788-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Selfish genetic elements contribute to hybrid incompatibility and bias or 'drive' their own transmission1,2. Chromosomal drive typically functions in asymmetric female meiosis, whereas gene drive is normally post-meiotic and typically found in males. Here, using single-molecule and single-pollen genome sequencing, we describe Teosinte Pollen Drive, an instance of gene drive in hybrids between maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) and teosinte mexicana (Z. mays ssp. mexicana) that depends on RNA interference (RNAi). 22-nucleotide small RNAs from a non-coding RNA hairpin in mexicana depend on Dicer-like 2 (Dcl2) and target Teosinte Drive Responder 1 (Tdr1), which encodes a lipase required for pollen viability. Dcl2, Tdr1 and the hairpin are in tight pseudolinkage on chromosome 5, but only when transmitted through the male. Introgression of mexicana into early cultivated maize is thought to have been critical to its geographical dispersal throughout the Americas3, and a tightly linked inversion in mexicana spans a major domestication sweep in modern maize4. A survey of maize traditional varieties and sympatric populations of teosinte mexicana reveals correlated patterns of admixture among unlinked genes required for RNAi on at least four chromosomes that are also subject to gene drive in pollen from synthetic hybrids. Teosinte Pollen Drive probably had a major role in maize domestication and diversification, and offers an explanation for the widespread abundance of 'self' small RNAs in the germ lines of plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Berube
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Evan Ernst
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Roche
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | | | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Armin Scheben
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | | | - Adam Siepel
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, Center for Population Biology and Genome Center, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jerry Kermicle
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
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3
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Oberhofer G, Johnson ML, Ivy T, Antoshechkin I, Hay BA. Cleave and Rescue gamete killers create conditions for gene drive in plants. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:936-953. [PMID: 38886522 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01701-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Gene drive elements promote the spread of linked traits and can be used to change the composition or fate of wild populations. Cleave and Rescue (ClvR) drive elements sit at a fixed chromosomal position and include a DNA sequence-modifying enzyme such as Cas9/gRNAs that disrupts endogenous versions of an essential gene and a recoded version of the essential gene resistant to cleavage. ClvR spreads by creating conditions in which those lacking ClvR die because they lack functional versions of the essential gene. Here we demonstrate the essential features of the ClvR gene drive in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana through killing of gametes that fail to inherit a ClvR that targets the essential gene YKT61. Resistant alleles, which can slow or prevent drive, were not observed. Modelling shows plant ClvRs are robust to certain failure modes and can be used to rapidly drive population modification or suppression. Possible applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Oberhofer
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Michelle L Johnson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tobin Ivy
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Bruce A Hay
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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4
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Oberhofer G, Johnson ML, Ivy T, Antoshechkin I, Hay BA. Cleave and Rescue gamete killers create conditions for gene drive in plants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.13.562303. [PMID: 37873352 PMCID: PMC10592828 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.13.562303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Gene drive elements promote the spread of linked traits, even when their presence confers a fitness cost to carriers, and can be used to change the composition or fate of wild populations. Cleave and Rescue (ClvR) drive elements sit at a fixed chromosomal position and include a DNA sequence-modifying enzyme such as Cas9/gRNAs (the Cleaver/Toxin) that disrupts endogenous versions of an essential gene, and a recoded version of the essential gene resistant to cleavage (the Rescue/Antidote). ClvR spreads by creating conditions in which those lacking ClvR die because they lack functional versions of the essential gene. We demonstrate the essential features of ClvR gene drive in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana through killing of gametes that fail to inherit a ClvR that targets the essential gene YKT61, whose expression is required in male and female gametes for their survival. Resistant (uncleavable but functional) alleles, which can slow or prevent drive, were not observed. Modeling shows plant ClvRs are likely to be robust to certain failure modes and can be used to rapidly drive population modification or suppression. Possible applications in plant breeding, weed control, and conservation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Oberhofer
- California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. 1200 East California Boulevard, MC156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Michelle L. Johnson
- California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. 1200 East California Boulevard, MC156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Tobin Ivy
- California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. 1200 East California Boulevard, MC156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. 1200 East California Boulevard, MC156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Bruce A. Hay
- California Institute of Technology. Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. 1200 East California Boulevard, MC156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
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5
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Panten J, Heinen T, Ernst C, Eling N, Wagner RE, Satorius M, Marioni JC, Stegle O, Odom DT. The dynamic genetic determinants of increased transcriptional divergence in spermatids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1272. [PMID: 38341412 PMCID: PMC10858866 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45133-1] [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: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cis-genetic effects are key determinants of transcriptional divergence in discrete tissues and cell types. However, how cis- and trans-effects act across continuous trajectories of cellular differentiation in vivo is poorly understood. Here, we quantify allele-specific expression during spermatogenic differentiation at single-cell resolution in an F1 hybrid mouse system, allowing for the comprehensive characterisation of cis- and trans-genetic effects, including their dynamics across cellular differentiation. Collectively, almost half of the genes subject to genetic regulation show evidence for dynamic cis-effects that vary during differentiation. Our system also allows us to robustly identify dynamic trans-effects, which are less pervasive than cis-effects. In aggregate, genetic effects were strongest in round spermatids, which parallels their increased transcriptional divergence we identified between species. Our approach provides a comprehensive quantification of the variability of genetic effects in vivo, and demonstrates a widely applicable strategy to dissect the impact of regulatory variants on gene regulation in dynamic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Panten
- Division of Regulatory Genomics and Cancer Evolution, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Heinen
- Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Ernst
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nils Eling
- University of Zurich, Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Molecular Health Sciences, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca E Wagner
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Mechanisms Regulating Gene Expression, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maja Satorius
- Division of Regulatory Genomics and Cancer Evolution, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - John C Marioni
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Oliver Stegle
- Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Duncan T Odom
- Division of Regulatory Genomics and Cancer Evolution, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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6
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Scott MF, Mackintosh C, Immler S. Gametic selection favours polyandry and selfing. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1010660. [PMID: 38363804 PMCID: PMC10903963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010660] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Competition among pollen or sperm (gametic selection) can cause evolution. Mating systems shape the intensity of gametic selection by determining the competitors involved, which can in turn cause the mating system itself to evolve. We model the bidirectional relationship between gametic selection and mating systems, focusing on variation in female mating frequency (monandry-polyandry) and self-fertilisation (selfing-outcrossing). First, we find that monandry and selfing both reduce the efficiency of gametic selection in removing deleterious alleles. This means that selfing can increase mutation load, in contrast to cases without gametic selection where selfing purges deleterious mutations and decreases mutation load. Second, we explore how mating systems evolve via their effect on gametic selection. By manipulating gametic selection, polyandry can evolve to increase the fitness of the offspring produced. However, this indirect advantage of post-copulatory sexual selection is weak and is likely to be overwhelmed by any direct fitness effects of mating systems. Nevertheless, gametic selection can be potentially decisive for selfing evolution because it significantly reduces inbreeding depression, which favours selfing. Thus, the presence of gametic selection could be a key factor driving selfing evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Francis Scott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Carl Mackintosh
- CNRS, UMR7144 Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris VI, Roscoff, France
| | - Simone Immler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
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7
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Berube B, Ernst E, Cahn J, Roche B, de Santis Alves C, Lynn J, Scheben A, Siepel A, Ross-Ibarra J, Kermicle J, Martienssen R. Teosinte Pollen Drive guides maize diversification and domestication by RNAi. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548689. [PMID: 37503269 PMCID: PMC10370002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic drivers subvert Mendelian expectations by manipulating reproductive development to bias their own transmission. Chromosomal drive typically functions in asymmetric female meiosis, while gene drive is normally postmeiotic and typically found in males. Using single molecule and single-pollen genome sequencing, we describe Teosinte Pollen Drive, an instance of gene drive in hybrids between maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) and teosinte mexicana (Zea mays ssp. mexicana), that depends on RNA interference (RNAi). 22nt small RNAs from a non-coding RNA hairpin in mexicana depend on Dicer-Like 2 (Dcl2) and target Teosinte Drive Responder 1 (Tdr1), which encodes a lipase required for pollen viability. Dcl2, Tdr1, and the hairpin are in tight pseudolinkage on chromosome 5, but only when transmitted through the male. Introgression of mexicana into early cultivated maize is thought to have been critical to its geographical dispersal throughout the Americas, and a tightly linked inversion in mexicana spans a major domestication sweep in modern maize. A survey of maize landraces and sympatric populations of teosinte mexicana reveals correlated patterns of admixture among unlinked genes required for RNAi on at least 4 chromosomes that are also subject to gene drive in pollen from synthetic hybrids. Teosinte Pollen Drive likely played a major role in maize domestication and diversification, and offers an explanation for the widespread abundance of "self" small RNAs in the germlines of plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Berube
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Evan Ernst
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Benjamin Roche
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | | | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Armin Scheben
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Adam Siepel
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
| | - Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
- Dept. of Evolution & Ecology, Center for Population Biology and Genome Center, University of California, Davis CA
| | - Jerry Kermicle
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison WI
| | - Rob Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY11724
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8
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Somers J, Nelms B. The sporophyte-to-gametophyte transition: The haploid generation comes of age. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102416. [PMID: 37441836 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Flowering plants alternate between two multicellular generations: the diploid sporophyte and haploid gametophyte. Despite its small size, the gametophyte has significant impacts on plant genetics, evolution, and breeding. Each male pollen grain and female embryo sac is a multicellular organism with independent gene expression, a functioning metabolism, and specialized cell types. In this review, we describe recent progress in understanding the process in which the haploid genome takes over expression from its diploid parent - the sporophyte-to-gametophyte transition. The focus is on pollen, but similar concepts may also apply to the female gametophyte. Technological advances in single-cell genomics offer the opportunity to characterize haploid gene expression in unprecedented detail, positioning the field to make rapid progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Somers
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Brad Nelms
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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9
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Tsui V, Lyu R, Novakovic S, Stringer JM, Dunleavy JE, Granger E, Semple T, Leichter A, Martelotto LG, Merriner DJ, Liu R, McNeill L, Zerafa N, Hoffmann ER, O’Bryan MK, Hutt K, Deans AJ, Heierhorst J, McCarthy DJ, Crismani W. Fancm has dual roles in the limiting of meiotic crossovers and germ cell maintenance in mammals. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100349. [PMID: 37601968 PMCID: PMC10435384 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic crossovers are required for accurate chromosome segregation and producing new allelic combinations. Meiotic crossover numbers are tightly regulated within a narrow range, despite an excess of initiating DNA double-strand breaks. Here, we reveal the tumor suppressor FANCM as a meiotic anti-crossover factor in mammals. We use unique large-scale crossover analyses with both single-gamete sequencing and pedigree-based bulk-sequencing datasets to identify a genome-wide increase in crossover frequencies in Fancm-deficient mice. Gametogenesis is heavily perturbed in Fancm loss-of-function mice, which is consistent with the reproductive defects reported in humans with biallelic FANCM mutations. A portion of the gametogenesis defects can be attributed to the cGAS-STING pathway after birth. Despite the gametogenesis phenotypes in Fancm mutants, both sexes are capable of producing offspring. We propose that the anti-crossover function and role in gametogenesis of Fancm are separable and will inform diagnostic pathways for human genomic instability disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Tsui
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruqian Lyu
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Stevan Novakovic
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Jessica M. Stringer
- Ovarian Biology Laboratory, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jessica E.M. Dunleavy
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Group, School of BioSciences and the Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elissah Granger
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Tim Semple
- Single Cell Innovation Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna Leichter
- Single Cell Innovation Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Luciano G. Martelotto
- Single Cell Innovation Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - D. Jo Merriner
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Group, School of BioSciences and the Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruijie Liu
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Lucy McNeill
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Nadeen Zerafa
- Ovarian Biology Laboratory, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eva R. Hoffmann
- DNRF Center for Chromosome Stability, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Moira K. O’Bryan
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Group, School of BioSciences and the Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Karla Hutt
- Ovarian Biology Laboratory, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Deans
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Genome Stability Unit, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Jörg Heierhorst
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Molecular Genetics Unit, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Davis J. McCarthy
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Wayne Crismani
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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10
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Pozdyshev DV, Kombarova NA, Muronetz VI. Biochemical Features of X or Y Chromosome-Bearing Spermatozoa for Sperm Sexing. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:655-666. [PMID: 37331711 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923050085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
This review presents information on biochemical features of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome, enabling production of a sperm fraction with pre-defined sex chromosome. The almost only technology currently used for such separation (called sexing) is based on the fluorescence-activated cell sorting of sperm depending on DNA content. In addition to the applied aspects, this technology made it possible to analyze properties of the isolated populations of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome. In recent years, existence of the differences between these populations at the transcriptome and proteome level have been reported in a number of studies. It is noteworthy that these differences are primarily related to the energy metabolism and flagellar structural proteins. New methods of sperm enrichment with X or Y chromosome cells are based on the differences in motility between the spermatozoa with different sex chromosomes. Sperm sexing is a part of the widespread protocol of artificial insemination of cows with cryopreserved semen, it allows to increase proportion of the offspring with the required sex. In addition, advances in the separation of X and Y spermatozoa may allow this approach to be applied in clinical practice to avoid sex-linked diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis V Pozdyshev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Nina A Kombarova
- Head Center for Reproduction of Agricultural Animals, 142143 Bykovo, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Vladimir I Muronetz
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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11
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Murat F, Mbengue N, Winge SB, Trefzer T, Leushkin E, Sepp M, Cardoso-Moreira M, Schmidt J, Schneider C, Mößinger K, Brüning T, Lamanna F, Belles MR, Conrad C, Kondova I, Bontrop R, Behr R, Khaitovich P, Pääbo S, Marques-Bonet T, Grützner F, Almstrup K, Schierup MH, Kaessmann H. The molecular evolution of spermatogenesis across mammals. Nature 2023; 613:308-316. [PMID: 36544022 PMCID: PMC9834047 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05547-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The testis produces gametes through spermatogenesis and evolves rapidly at both the morphological and molecular level in mammals1-6, probably owing to the evolutionary pressure on males to be reproductively successful7. However, the molecular evolution of individual spermatogenic cell types across mammals remains largely uncharacterized. Here we report evolutionary analyses of single-nucleus transcriptome data for testes from 11 species that cover the three main mammalian lineages (eutherians, marsupials and monotremes) and birds (the evolutionary outgroup), and include seven primates. We find that the rapid evolution of the testis was driven by accelerated fixation rates of gene expression changes, amino acid substitutions and new genes in late spermatogenic stages, probably facilitated by reduced pleiotropic constraints, haploid selection and transcriptionally permissive chromatin. We identify temporal expression changes of individual genes across species and conserved expression programs controlling ancestral spermatogenic processes. Genes predominantly expressed in spermatogonia (germ cells fuelling spermatogenesis) and Sertoli (somatic support) cells accumulated on X chromosomes during evolution, presumably owing to male-beneficial selective forces. Further work identified transcriptomal differences between X- and Y-bearing spermatids and uncovered that meiotic sex-chromosome inactivation (MSCI) also occurs in monotremes and hence is common to mammalian sex-chromosome systems. Thus, the mechanism of meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin, which underlies MSCI, is an ancestral mammalian feature. Our study illuminates the molecular evolution of spermatogenesis and associated selective forces, and provides a resource for investigating the biology of the testis across mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Murat
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany. .,INRAE, LPGP, Rennes, France.
| | - Noe Mbengue
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Sofia Boeg Winge
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Timo Trefzer
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, University of Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Evgeny Leushkin
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mari Sepp
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Julia Schmidt
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Celine Schneider
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina Mößinger
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thoomke Brüning
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Francesco Lamanna
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Christian Conrad
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, University of Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ivanela Kondova
- Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC), Rijswijk, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald Bontrop
- Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC), Rijswijk, the Netherlands
| | - Rüdiger Behr
- German Primate Center (DPZ), Platform Degenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Khaitovich
- Center for Neurobiology and Brain Restoration, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svante Pääbo
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tomas Marques-Bonet
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution of Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.,CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Frank Grützner
- The Robinson Research Institute, School of Biological Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Kristian Almstrup
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Henrik Kaessmann
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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12
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Mutagenesis alters sperm swimming velocity in Astyanax cave fish. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18709. [PMID: 36379982 PMCID: PMC9666463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22486-5] [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: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the hypothesis that intra ejaculate sperm competition screens against the transmission of deleterious alleles, including new mutants, from male parent to offspring. Recent investigations have established that sperm haploid genotypes can have major effects on sperm traits such as cellular robustness, longevity, and fertilization success. However, there is no evidence that new mutations can meaningfully affect sperm phenotypes. We tested this directly by comparing sperm from mutagenized and non-mutagenized control males in Astyanax fish. We used N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) to induce single base substitutions in spermatogonial stem cells. We looked at swimming velocity, an important factor contributing to fertilization success, and flagellar length. Variability in swimming velocity was significantly higher in sperm from mutagenized males than in control sperm, reflecting their increased allelic diversity. In contrast, flagellar length, which is fixed during diploid stages of spermatogenesis, was unaffected by ENU treatment. We briefly discuss the implications of intra-ejaculate screening for maintenance of anisogamy and for outcomes of assisted reproductive technology.
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13
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Gerhold AR, Labbé JC, Singh R. Uncoupling cell division and cytokinesis during germline development in metazoans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1001689. [PMID: 36407108 PMCID: PMC9669650 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1001689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical eukaryotic cell cycle ends with cytokinesis, which physically divides the mother cell in two and allows the cycle to resume in the newly individualized daughter cells. However, during germline development in nearly all metazoans, dividing germ cells undergo incomplete cytokinesis and germ cells stay connected by intercellular bridges which allow the exchange of cytoplasm and organelles between cells. The near ubiquity of incomplete cytokinesis in animal germ lines suggests that this is an ancient feature that is fundamental for the development and function of this tissue. While cytokinesis has been studied for several decades, the mechanisms that enable regulated incomplete cytokinesis in germ cells are only beginning to emerge. Here we review the current knowledge on the regulation of germ cell intercellular bridge formation, focusing on findings made using mouse, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans as experimental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R. Gerhold
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Abigail R. Gerhold, ; Jean-Claude Labbé,
| | - Jean-Claude Labbé
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Abigail R. Gerhold, ; Jean-Claude Labbé,
| | - Ramya Singh
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Montréal, QC, Canada
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14
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What is the importance of sperm subpopulations? Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106844. [PMID: 34538510 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The study of sperm subpopulations spans three decades. The origin, meaning, and practical significance, however, are less clear. Current technology for assessing sperm morphology (CASA-Morph) and motility (CASA-Mot) has enabled the accurate evaluation of these features, and there are many options for data classification. Subpopulations could occur as a result of the stage of development of each spermatozoon in the subpopulation. Spermatogenesis might contribute to the production of these subpopulations. Insights from evolutionary biology and recent molecular research are indicative of the diversity among male gametes that could occur from unequal sharing of transcripts and other elements through cytoplasmic bridges between spermatids. Sperm cohorts exiting the gonads would contain different RNA and protein contents, affecting the spermatozoon physiology and associations with the surrounding environmental milieu. Subsequently, these differences could affect how spermatozoa interact with the environmental milieu (maturation, mixing with seminal plasma, and interacting with the environmental milieu, or female genital tract and female gamete). The emergence of sperm subpopulations as an outcome of evolution, related to the reproductive strategies of the species, genital tract structures, and copulatory and fertilization processes. This kind of approach in determining the importance of sperm subpopulations in fertilization capacity should have a practical impact for conducting reproductive technologies, inspiring and enabling new ways for the more efficient use of spermatozoa in the medical, animal breeding, and conservation fields. This manuscript is a contribution to the Special Issue in memory of Dr. Duane Garner.
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15
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Kekäläinen J. Cryptic female choice within individual males - A neglected component of the postmating sexual selection? J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1407-1413. [PMID: 35988118 PMCID: PMC9804180 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cryptic female choice (CFC) is commonly assumed to act only in polyandrous mating systems, which allows females to bias fertilization towards the sperm of particular males. However, accumulated evidence has demonstrated that sperm show significant phenotypic and genotypic variation also within single ejaculates, which have important consequences for offspring phenotype and fitness. Here, I argue that these neglected sources of intra-male sperm variation often allow CFC to act also within individual males and facilitate fertilization bias towards genetically compatible (or otherwise preferred) sperm haplotypes. In this article, I explain prerequisites for within-male CFC, the criteria for demonstrating it and summarize accumulated evidence for this emerging selection process. Then, I evaluate prevalence of within-male CFC and review its potential evolutionary consequences. The aim of this article is to broaden the current definition of CFC by demonstrating that CFC has potential to act in all mating systems, in both internally and externally fertilizing species. Incorporation of the within-male CFC concept into the current models of sexual selection may provide novel insights into the deeper understanding of selective factors driving the evolution of mating systems and reproductive proteins. Finally, within-male CFC towards particular sperm haplotypes may increase our understanding of non-Mendelian inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Kekäläinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological SciencesUniversity of Eastern FinlandJoensuuFinland
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16
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Novakovic S, Tsui V, Semple T, Martelotto L, McCarthy DJ, Crismani W. SSNIP-seq: A simple and rapid method for isolation of single-sperm nucleic acid for high-throughput sequencing. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275168. [PMID: 36173986 PMCID: PMC9521801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a simple and reliable method for the isolation of haploid nuclei from fresh and frozen testes. The described protocol uses readily available reagents in combination with flow cytometry to separate haploid and diploid nuclei. The protocol can be completed within 1 hour and the resulting individual haploid nuclei have intact morphology. The isolated nuclei are suitable for library preparation for high-throughput DNA and RNA sequencing using bulk or single nuclei. The protocol was optimised with mouse testes and we anticipate that it can be applied for the isolation of mature sperm from other mammals including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stevan Novakovic
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vanessa Tsui
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tim Semple
- Single Cell Innovation Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luciano Martelotto
- Single Cell Innovation Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Davis J. McCarthy
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wayne Crismani
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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17
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Lyu R, Tsui V, Crismani W, Liu R, Shim H, McCarthy D. sgcocaller and comapr: personalised haplotype assembly and comparative crossover map analysis using single-gamete sequencing data. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e118. [PMID: 36107768 PMCID: PMC9723612 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Profiling gametes of an individual enables the construction of personalised haplotypes and meiotic crossover landscapes, now achievable at larger scale than ever through the availability of high-throughput single-cell sequencing technologies. However, high-throughput single-gamete data commonly have low depth of coverage per gamete, which challenges existing gamete-based haplotype phasing methods. In addition, haplotyping a large number of single gametes from high-throughput single-cell DNA sequencing data and constructing meiotic crossover profiles using existing methods requires intensive processing. Here, we introduce efficient software tools for the essential tasks of generating personalised haplotypes and calling crossovers in gametes from single-gamete DNA sequencing data (sgcocaller), and constructing, visualising, and comparing individualised crossover landscapes from single gametes (comapr). With additional data pre-possessing, the tools can also be applied to bulk-sequenced samples. We demonstrate that sgcocaller is able to generate impeccable phasing results for high-coverage datasets, on which it is more accurate and stable than existing methods, and also performs well on low-coverage single-gamete sequencing datasets for which current methods fail. Our tools achieve highly accurate results with user-friendly installation, comprehensive documentation, efficient computation times and minimal memory usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqian Lyu
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia,Melbourne Integrative Genomics/School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Building 184, Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Vanessa Tsui
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia,The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Wayne Crismani
- DNA Repair and Recombination Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia,The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ruijie Liu
- Bioinformatics and Cellular Genomics, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia
| | | | - Davis J McCarthy
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +61 3 9231 2480; Fax: +61 3 9416 2676;
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18
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Arora UP, Dumont BL. Meiotic drive in house mice: mechanisms, consequences, and insights for human biology. Chromosome Res 2022; 30:165-186. [PMID: 35829972 PMCID: PMC9509409 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-022-09697-2] [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: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic drive occurs when one allele at a heterozygous site cheats its way into a disproportionate share of functional gametes, violating Mendel's law of equal segregation. This genetic conflict typically imposes a fitness cost to individuals, often by disrupting the process of gametogenesis. The evolutionary impact of meiotic drive is substantial, and the phenomenon has been associated with infertility and reproductive isolation in a wide range of organisms. However, cases of meiotic drive in humans remain elusive, a finding that likely reflects the inherent challenges of detecting drive in our species rather than unique features of human genome biology. Here, we make the case that house mice (Mus musculus) present a powerful model system to investigate the mechanisms and consequences of meiotic drive and facilitate translational inferences about the scope and potential mechanisms of drive in humans. We first detail how different house mouse resources have been harnessed to identify cases of meiotic drive and the underlying mechanisms utilized to override Mendel's rules of inheritance. We then summarize the current state of knowledge of meiotic drive in the mouse genome. We profile known mechanisms leading to transmission bias at several established drive elements. We discuss how a detailed understanding of meiotic drive in mice can steer the search for drive elements in our own species. Lastly, we conclude with a prospective look into how new technologies and molecular tools can help resolve lingering mysteries about the prevalence and mechanisms of selfish DNA transmission in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uma P Arora
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Beth L Dumont
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA.
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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19
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Genetically-biased fertilization in APOBEC1 complementation factor (A1cf) mutant mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13599. [PMID: 35948620 PMCID: PMC9365768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17948-9] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis, recombination, and gametogenesis normally ensure that gametes combine randomly. But in exceptional cases, fertilization depends on the genetics of gametes from both females and males. A key question is whether their non-random union results from factors intrinsic to oocytes and sperm, or from their interactions with conditions in the reproductive tracts. To address this question, we used in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a mutant and wild-type allele of the A1cf (APOBEC1 complementation factor) gene in mice that are otherwise genetically identical. We observed strong distortion in favor of mutant heterozygotes showing that bias depends on the genetics of oocyte and sperm, and that any environmental input is modest. To search for the potential mechanism of the 'biased fertilization', we analyzed the existing transcriptome data and demonstrated that localization of A1cf transcripts and its candidate mRNA targets is restricted to the spermatids in which they originate, and that these transcripts are enriched for functions related to meiosis, fertilization, RNA stability, translation, and mitochondria. We propose that failure to sequester mRNA targets in A1cf mutant heterozygotes leads to functional differences among spermatids, thereby providing an opportunity for selection among haploid gametes. The study adds to the understanding of the gamete interaction at fertilization. Discovery that bias is evident with IVF provides a new venue for future explorations of preference among genetically distinct gametes at fertilization for A1cf and other genes that display significant departure of Mendelian inheritance.
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20
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Okada Y. Sperm chromatin condensation: epigenetic mechanisms to compact the genome and spatiotemporal regulation from inside and outside the nucleus. Gene 2022; 97:41-53. [PMID: 35491100 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.21-00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sperm chromatin condensation is a critical step in mammalian spermatogenesis to protect the paternal DNA from external damaging factors and to acquire fertility. During chromatin condensation, various events proceed in a chronological order, independently or in sequence, interacting with each other both inside and outside the nucleus to support the dramatic chromatin changes. Among these events, histone-protamine replacement, which is concomitant with acrosome biogenesis and cytoskeletal alteration, is the most critical step associated with nuclear elongation. Failures of not only intranuclear events but also extra-nuclear events severely affect sperm shape and chromatin state and are subsequently linked to infertility. This review focuses on nuclear and non-nuclear factors that affect sperm chromatin condensation and its effects, and further discusses the possible utility of sperm chromatin for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Okada
- Laboratory of Pathology and Development, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo
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21
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Cronk Q. Some sexual consequences of being a plant. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210213. [PMID: 35306890 PMCID: PMC8935308 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants have characteristic features that affect the expression of sexual function, notably the existence of a haploid organism in the life cycle, and in their development, which is modular, iterative and environmentally reactive. For instance, primary selection (the first filtering of the products of meiosis) is via gametes in diplontic animals, but via gametophyte organisms in plants. Intragametophytic selfing produces double haploid sporophytes which is in effect a form of clonal reproduction mediated by sexual mechanisms. In homosporous plants, the diploid sporophyte is sexless, sex being only expressed in the haploid gametophyte. However, in seed plants, the timing and location of gamete production is determined by the sporophyte, which therefore has a sexual role, and in dioecious plants has genetic sex, while the seed plant gametophyte has lost genetic sex. This evolutionary transition is one that E.J.H. Corner called 'the transference of sexuality'. The iterative development characteristic of plants can lead to a wide variety of patterns in the distribution of sexual function, and in dioecious plants poor canalization of reproductive development can lead to intrasexual mating and the production of YY supermales or WW superfemales. Finally, plant modes of asexual reproduction (agamospermy/apogamy) are also distinctive by subverting gametophytic processes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in land plants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Cronk
- Department of Botany and Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
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22
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van Oosterhout C, Marcu D, Immler S. Accounting for the genetic load in assisted reproductive technology. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e864. [PMID: 35613708 PMCID: PMC9132725 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic load in the human genome has important ramifications for assisted reproductive technology (ART), human reproduction and fertility more generally. Here, we discuss these topics in the light of evolutionary genetic theory, the technological revolution in ART and the advances in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Marcu
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Simone Immler
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
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23
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Incomplete abscission and cytoplasmic bridges in the evolution of eukaryotic multicellularity. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R385-R397. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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Abstract
Flowering plants alternate between multicellular haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (sporophyte) generations. Pollen actively transcribes its haploid genome, providing phenotypic diversity even among pollen grains from a single plant. In this study, we used allele-specific RNA sequencing of single pollen precursors to follow the shift to haploid expression in maize pollen. We observed widespread biallelic expression for 11 days after meiosis, indicating that transcripts synthesized by the diploid sporophyte persist long into the haploid phase. Subsequently, there was a rapid and global conversion to monoallelic expression at pollen mitosis I, driven by active new transcription from the haploid genome. Genes showed evidence of increased purifying selection if they were expressed after (but not before) pollen mitosis I. This work establishes the timing during which haploid selection may act in pollen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad Nelms
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30606, USA
| | - Virginia Walbot
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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25
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Lindemann CB. The flagellar germ-line hypothesis: How flagellate and ciliate gametes significantly shaped the evolution of organismal complexity. Bioessays 2021; 44:e2100143. [PMID: 34967029 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
This essay presents a hypothesis which contends that the development of organismic complexity in the eukaryotes depended extensively on propagation via flagellated and ciliated gametes. Organisms utilizing flagellate and ciliate gametes to propagate their germ line have contributed most of the organismic complexity found in the higher animals. The genes of the flagellum and the flagellar assembly system (intraflagellar transport) have played a disproportionately important role in the construction of complex tissues and organs. The hypothesis also proposes that competition between large numbers of haploid flagellated male gametes rigorously conserved the functionality of a key set of flagellar genes for more than 700 million years. This in turn has insured that a large set (>600) of highly functional cytoskeletal and signal pathway genes is always present in the lineage of organisms with flagellated or ciliated gametes to act as a dependable resource, or "toolkit," for organ elaboration.
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26
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Abstract
More than a century ago, August Weissman defined a distinction between the germline (responsible for propagating heritable information from generation to generation) and the perishable soma. A central motivation for this distinction was to argue against the inheritance of acquired characters, as the germline was partly defined by its protection from external conditions. However, recent decades have seen an explosion of studies documenting the intergenerational and transgenerational effects of environmental conditions, forcing a re-evaluation of how external signals are sensed by, or communicated to, the germline epigenome. Here, motivated by the centrality of small RNAs in paradigms of epigenetic inheritance, we review across species the myriad examples of intercellular RNA trafficking from nurse cells or somatic tissues to developing gametes.
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27
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Hong SH, Han G, Lee SJ, Cocquet J, Cho C. Testicular germ cell-specific lncRNA, Teshl, is required for complete expression of Y chromosome genes and a normal offspring sex ratio. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/24/eabg5177. [PMID: 34108217 PMCID: PMC8189594 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg5177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Heat shock factor 2 (HSF2) regulates the transcription of the male-specific region of the mouse Y chromosome long arm (MSYq) multicopy genes only in testes, but the molecular mechanism underlying this tissue specificity remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the testicular germ cell-specific long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), NR_038002, displays a characteristic spatiotemporal expression pattern in the nuclei of round and elongating spermatids. NR_038002-knockout male mice produced sperm with abnormal head morphology and exhibited reduced fertility accompanied by a female-biased sex ratio in offspring. Molecular analyses revealed that NR_038002 interacts with HSF2 and thereby activates expression of the MSYq genes. We designate NR_038002 as testicular germ cell-specific HSF2-interacting lncRNA (Teshl). Together, our study is the first to demonstrate that the testis specificity of HSF2 activity is regulated by the lncRNA Teshl and establishes a Teshl-HSF2-MSYq molecular axis for normal Y-bearing sperm qualities and consequent balanced offspring sex ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Hyeon Hong
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwidong Han
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Jae Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Julie Cocquet
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Chunghee Cho
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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