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Colley SM, Wintle L, Searles R, Russell V, Firman RC, Smith S, DeBoer K, Merriner DJ, Genevieve B, Bentel JM, Stuckey BGA, Phillips MR, Simmons LW, de Kretser DM, O'Bryan MK, Leedman PJ. Loss of the nuclear receptor corepressor SLIRP compromises male fertility. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70700. [PMID: 23976951 PMCID: PMC3744554 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) and their coregulators play fundamental roles in initiating and directing gene expression influencing mammalian reproduction, development and metabolism. SRA stem Loop Interacting RNA-binding Protein (SLIRP) is a Steroid receptor RNA Activator (SRA) RNA-binding protein that is a potent repressor of NR activity. SLIRP is present in complexes associated with NR target genes in the nucleus; however, it is also abundant in mitochondria where it affects mitochondrial mRNA transcription and energy turnover. In further characterisation studies, we observed SLIRP protein in the testis where its localization pattern changes from mitochondrial in diploid cells to peri-acrosomal and the tail in mature sperm. To investigate the in vivo effects of SLIRP, we generated a SLIRP knockout (KO) mouse. This animal is viable, but sub-fertile. Specifically, when homozygous KO males are crossed with wild type (WT) females the resultant average litter size is reduced by approximately one third compared with those produced by WT males and females. Further, SLIRP KO mice produced significantly fewer progressively motile sperm than WT animals. Electron microscopy identified disruption of the mid-piece/annulus junction in homozygous KO sperm and altered mitochondrial morphology. In sum, our data implicates SLIRP in regulating male fertility, wherein its loss results in asthenozoospermia associated with compromised sperm structure and mitochondrial morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane M. Colley
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Australia
| | - Larissa Wintle
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Victoria Russell
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Australia
| | - Renee C. Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Stephanie Smith
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Kathleen DeBoer
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - D. Jo Merriner
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ben Genevieve
- Keogh Institute for Medical Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Jacqueline M. Bentel
- Anatomical Pathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Bronwyn G. A. Stuckey
- Keogh Institute for Medical Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Michael R. Phillips
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Australia
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - David M. de Kretser
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Moira K. O'Bryan
- Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Peter J. Leedman
- Laboratory for Cancer Medicine, The University of Western Australia Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Australia
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- * E-mail:
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