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Gopalakrishnan J, Feistel K, Friedrich BM, Grapin‐Botton A, Jurisch‐Yaksi N, Mass E, Mick DU, Müller R, May‐Simera H, Schermer B, Schmidts M, Walentek P, Wachten D. Emerging principles of primary cilia dynamics in controlling tissue organization and function. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113891. [PMID: 37743763 PMCID: PMC10620770 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023113891] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia project from the surface of most vertebrate cells and are key in sensing extracellular signals and locally transducing this information into a cellular response. Recent findings show that primary cilia are not merely static organelles with a distinct lipid and protein composition. Instead, the function of primary cilia relies on the dynamic composition of molecules within the cilium, the context-dependent sensing and processing of extracellular stimuli, and cycles of assembly and disassembly in a cell- and tissue-specific manner. Thereby, primary cilia dynamically integrate different cellular inputs and control cell fate and function during tissue development. Here, we review the recently emerging concept of primary cilia dynamics in tissue development, organization, remodeling, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Gopalakrishnan
- Institute for Human Genetics, Heinrich‐Heine‐UniversitätUniversitätsklinikum DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Kerstin Feistel
- Department of Zoology, Institute of BiologyUniversity of HohenheimStuttgartGermany
| | | | - Anne Grapin‐Botton
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU DresdenDresdenGermany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsDresdenGermany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Center Munich at The University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Faculty of Medicine of the TU DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Nathalie Jurisch‐Yaksi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Elvira Mass
- Life and Medical Sciences Institute, Developmental Biology of the Immune SystemUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
| | - David U Mick
- Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB)Saarland School of MedicineHomburgGermany
| | - Roman‐Ulrich Müller
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging‐Associated Diseases (CECAD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Helen May‐Simera
- Institute of Molecular PhysiologyJohannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Bernhard Schermer
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging‐Associated Diseases (CECAD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Pediatric Genetics Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent MedicineUniversity Hospital FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- CIBSS‐Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling StudiesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Peter Walentek
- CIBSS‐Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling StudiesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- Renal Division, Internal Medicine IV, Medical CenterUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical FacultyUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
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2
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Gardner CC, James PF. Na +/H + Exchangers (NHEs) in Mammalian Sperm: Essential Contributors to Male Fertility. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14981. [PMID: 37834431 PMCID: PMC10573352 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914981] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) are known to be important regulators of pH in multiple intracellular compartments of eukaryotic cells. Sperm function is especially dependent on changes in pH and thus it has been postulated that NHEs play important roles in regulating the intracellular pH of these cells. For example, in order to achieve fertilization, mature sperm must maintain a basal pH in the male reproductive tract and then alkalize in response to specific signals in the female reproductive tract during the capacitation process. Eight NHE isoforms are expressed in mammalian testis/sperm: NHE1, NHE3, NHE5, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, NHE10, and NHE11. These NHE isoforms are expressed at varying times during spermatogenesis and localize to different subcellular structures in developing and mature sperm where they contribute to multiple aspects of sperm physiology and male fertility including proper sperm development/morphogenesis, motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. Previous work has provided evidence for NHE3, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, and NHE10 being critical for male fertility in mice and NHE10 has recently been shown to be essential for male fertility in humans. In this article we review what is known about each NHE isoform expressed in mammalian sperm and discuss the physiological significance of each NHE isoform with respect to male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul F. James
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA;
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3
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Grahn E, Kaufmann SV, Askarova M, Ninov M, Welp LM, Berger TK, Urlaub H, Kaupp UB. Control of intracellular pH and bicarbonate by CO 2 diffusion into human sperm. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5395. [PMID: 37669933 PMCID: PMC10480191 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The reaction of CO2 with H2O to form bicarbonate (HCO3-) and H+ controls sperm motility and fertilization via HCO3--stimulated cAMP synthesis. A complex network of signaling proteins participates in this reaction. Here, we identify key players that regulate intracellular pH (pHi) and HCO3- in human sperm by quantitative mass spectrometry (MS) and kinetic patch-clamp fluorometry. The resting pHi is set by amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange. The sperm-specific putative Na+/H+ exchanger SLC9C1, unlike its sea urchin homologue, is not gated by voltage or cAMP. Transporters and channels implied in HCO3- transport are not detected, and may be present at copy numbers < 10 molecules/sperm cell. Instead, HCO3- is produced by diffusion of CO2 into cells and readjustment of the CO2/HCO3-/H+ equilibrium. The proton channel Hv1 may serve as a unidirectional valve that blunts the acidification ensuing from HCO3- synthesis. This work provides a new framework for the study of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Grahn
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175, Bonn, Germany
| | - Svenja V Kaufmann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Malika Askarova
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175, Bonn, Germany
| | - Momchil Ninov
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalytics, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Luisa M Welp
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalytics, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas K Berger
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175, Bonn, Germany.
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Deutschhausstrasse 1-2, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalytics, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence, Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior-caesar, Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175, Bonn, Germany.
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University Bonn, Carl-Troll-Strasse 31, 53115, Bonn, Germany.
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4
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Derderian C, Canales GI, Reiter JF. Seriously cilia: A tiny organelle illuminates evolution, disease, and intercellular communication. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1333-1349. [PMID: 37490910 PMCID: PMC10880727 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The borders between cell and developmental biology, which have always been permeable, have largely dissolved. One manifestation is the blossoming of cilia biology, with cell and developmental approaches (increasingly complemented by human genetics, structural insights, and computational analysis) fruitfully advancing understanding of this fascinating, multifunctional organelle. The last eukaryotic common ancestor probably possessed a motile cilium, providing evolution with ample opportunity to adapt cilia to many jobs. Over the last decades, we have learned how non-motile, primary cilia play important roles in intercellular communication. Reflecting their diverse motility and signaling functions, compromised cilia cause a diverse range of diseases collectively called "ciliopathies." In this review, we highlight how cilia signal, focusing on how second messengers generated in cilia convey distinct information; how cilia are a potential source of signals to other cells; how evolution may have shaped ciliary function; and how cilia research may address thorny outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Derderian
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela I Canales
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeremy F Reiter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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5
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Hwang JY, Chung JJ. CatSper Calcium Channels: 20 Years On. Physiology (Bethesda) 2023; 38:0. [PMID: 36512352 PMCID: PMC10085559 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00028.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The flagellar-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper is the predominant Ca2+ entry site in mammalian sperm. CatSper-mediated Ca2+ signaling affects nearly every event that regulates sperm to acquire fertilizing capability. In this review, we summarize some of the main findings from 20 years of CatSper research and highlight recent progress and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Yeon Hwang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jean-Ju Chung
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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6
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Zhao Y, Wang H, Wiesehoefer C, Shah NB, Reetz E, Hwang JY, Huang X, Wang TE, Lishko PV, Davies KM, Wennemuth G, Nicastro D, Chung JJ. 3D structure and in situ arrangements of CatSper channel in the sperm flagellum. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3439. [PMID: 35715406 PMCID: PMC9205950 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31050-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The sperm calcium channel CatSper plays a central role in successful fertilization as a primary Ca2+ gateway. Here, we applied cryo-electron tomography to visualize the higher-order organization of the native CatSper complex in intact mammalian sperm. The repeating CatSper units form long zigzag-rows along mouse and human sperm flagella. Above each tetrameric channel pore, most of the extracellular domains form a canopy that interconnects to a zigzag-shaped roof. Murine CatSper contains an additional wing-structure connected to the tetrameric channel. The intracellular domains link two neighboring channels to a diagonal array, suggesting a dimer formation. Fitting of an atomic model of isolated monomeric CatSper to the in situ map reveals supramolecular interactions and assembly of the CatSper complex. Loss of EFCAB9-CATSPERζ alters the architecture and interactions of the channels, resulting in fragmentation and misalignment of the zigzag-rows and disruption of flagellar movement in Efcab9-/- sperm. This work offers unique insights into the structural basis for understanding CatSper regulation of sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhe Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Huafeng Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Caroline Wiesehoefer
- Department of Anatomy, University of Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Naman B Shah
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging division, Bioscience Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Evan Reetz
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jae Yeon Hwang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Xiaofang Huang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Tse-En Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Polina V Lishko
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- The Center for Reproductive Longevity and Equality, Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, 94945, USA
| | - Karen M Davies
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging division, Bioscience Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Gunther Wennemuth
- Department of Anatomy, University of Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniela Nicastro
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Jean-Ju Chung
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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7
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Hwang JY, Wang H, Lu Y, Ikawa M, Chung JJ. C2cd6-encoded CatSperτ targets sperm calcium channel to Ca 2+ signaling domains in the flagellar membrane. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110226. [PMID: 34998468 PMCID: PMC8857959 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian sperm cells, regulation of spatiotemporal Ca2+ signaling relies on the quadrilinear Ca2+ signaling nanodomains in the flagellar membrane. The sperm-specific, multi-subunit CatSper Ca2+ channel, which is crucial for sperm hyperactivated motility and male fertility, organizes the nanodomains. Here, we report CatSperτ, the C2cd6-encoded membrane-associating C2 domain protein, can independently migrate to the flagella and serve as a major targeting component of the CatSper channel complex. CatSperτ loss of function in mice demonstrates that it is essential for sperm hyperactivated motility and male fertility. CatSpertτ targets the CatSper channel into the quadrilinear nanodomains in the flagella of developing spermatids, whereas it is dispensable for functional channel assembly. CatSperτ interacts with ciliary trafficking machinery in a C2-dependent manner. These findings provide insights into the CatSper channel trafficking to the Ca2+ signaling nanodomains and the shared molecular mechanisms of ciliary and flagellar membrane targeting. Hwang et al. report that the C2 domain protein CatSperτ targets the sperm CatSper Ca2+ channel to linear domains of the sperm flagellum during development. The findings provide fundamental insights into CatSper trafficking and the shared molecular mechanisms among ciliary and flagellar membrane targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Yeon Hwang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Huafeng Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yonggang Lu
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan
| | - Jean-Ju Chung
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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8
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Abstract
Fertilization, a crucial event for species preservation, in sea urchins, as in many other organisms, requires sperm motility regulation. In Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sea urchins, speract, a sperm chemoattractant component released to seawater from the outer egg layer, attracts sperm after binding to its receptor in the sperm flagellum. Previous experiments performed in demembranated sperm indicated that motility regulation in these cells involved protein phosphorylation mainly due to the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). However, little information is known about the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in this process. In this work, using intact S. purpuratus sea urchin sperm, we show that: (i) the levels of both phosphorylated PKA (PKA substrates) and PKC (PKC substrates) substrates change between immotile, motile and speract-stimulated sperm, and (ii) the non-competitive PKA (H89) and PKC (chelerythrine) inhibitors diminish the circular velocity of sperm and alter the phosphorylation levels of PKA substrates and PKC substrates, while the competitive inhibitors Rp-cAMP and bisindolylmaleimide (BIM) do not. Altogether, our results show that both PKA and PKC participate in sperm motility regulation through a crosstalk in the signalling pathway. These results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that govern motility in sea urchin sperm.
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9
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Mata-Martínez E, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Chávez JC, Guerrero A, Treviño CL, Corkidi G, Montoya F, Hernandez-Herrera P, Buffone MG, Balestrini PA, Darszon A. Role of calcium oscillations in sperm physiology. Biosystems 2021; 209:104524. [PMID: 34453988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104524] [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: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular Ca2+ is a key regulator of cell signaling and sperm are not the exception. Cells often use cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) oscillations as a means to decodify external and internal information. [Ca2+]i oscillations faster than those usually found in other cells and correlated with flagellar beat were the first to be described in sperm in 1993 by Susan Suarez, in the boar. More than 20 years passed before similar [Ca2+]i oscillations were documented in human sperm, simultaneously examining their flagellar beat in three dimensions by Corkidi et al. 2017. On the other hand, 10 years after the discovery of the fast boar [Ca2+]i oscillations, slower ones triggered by compounds from the egg external envelope were found to regulate cell motility and chemotaxis in sperm from marine organisms. Today it is known that sperm display fast and slow spontaneous and agonist triggered [Ca2+]i oscillations. In mammalian sperm these Ca2+ transients may act like a multifaceted tool that regulates fundamental functions such as motility and acrosome reaction. This review covers the main sperm species and experimental conditions where [Ca2+]i oscillations have been described and discusses what is known about the transporters involved, their regulation and the physiological purpose of these oscillations. There is a lot to be learned regarding the origin, regulation and physiological relevance of these Ca2+ oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Mata-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Fusión de Membranas y Exocitosis Acrosomal, Instituto de Histología y Embriología Dr. Mario H. Burgos (IHEM) Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Julio C Chávez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Adán Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Paul Hernandez-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
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10
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In Silico Reconstruction of Sperm Chemotaxis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179104. [PMID: 34502014 PMCID: PMC8431315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179104] [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: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In echinoderms, sperm swims in random circles and turns in response to a chemoattractant. The chemoattractant evokes transient Ca2+ influx in the sperm flagellum and induces turning behavior. Recently, the molecular mechanisms and biophysical properties of this sperm response have been clarified. Based on these experimental findings, in this study, we reconstructed a sperm model in silico to demonstrate an algorithm for sperm chemotaxis. We also focused on the importance of desensitizing the chemoattractant receptor in long-range chemotaxis because sperm approach distantly located eggs, and they must sense the chemoattractant concentration over a broad range. Using parameters of the sea urchin, simulations showed that a number of sperm could reach the egg from millimeter-order distances with desensitization, indicating that we could organize a functional sperm model, and that desensitization of the receptor is essential for sperm chemotaxis. Then, we compared the model with starfish sperm, which has a different desensitization scheme and analyzed the properties of the model against various disturbances. Our approach can be applied as a novel tool in chemotaxis research.
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11
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Adenylate control in cAMP signaling: implications for adaptation in signalosomes. Biochem J 2021; 477:2981-2998. [PMID: 32722762 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In cAMP-Protein Kinase A (PKA) signaling, A-kinase anchoring protein scaffolds assemble PKA in close proximity to phosphodiesterases (PDE), kinase-substrates to form signaling islands or 'signalosomes'. In its basal state, inactive PKA holoenzyme (R2:C2) is activated by binding of cAMP to regulatory (R)-subunits leading to dissociation of active catalytic (C)-subunits. PDEs hydrolyze cAMP-bound to the R-subunits to generate 5'-AMP for termination and resetting the cAMP signaling. Mechanistic basis for cAMP signaling has been derived primarily by focusing on the proteins in isolation. Here, we set out to simulate cAMP signaling activation-termination cycles in a signalosome-like environment with PDEs and PKA subunits in close proximity to each other. Using a combination of fluorescence polarization and amide hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry with regulatory (RIα), C-subunit (Cα) and PDE8 catalytic domain, we have tracked movement of cAMP through activation-termination cycles. cAMP signaling operates as a continuum of four phases: (1) Activation and dissociation of PKA into R- and C-subunits by cAMP and facilitated by substrate (2) PDE recruitment to R-subunits (3) Hydrolysis of cAMP to 5'-AMP (4) Reassociation of C-subunit to 5'-AMP-bound-RIα in the presence of excess ATP to reset cAMP signaling to form the inactive PKA holoenzyme. Our results demonstrate that 5'-AMP is not merely a passive hydrolysis end-product of PDE action. A 'ligand-free' state R subunit does not exist in signalosomes as previously assumed. Instead the R-subunit toggles between cAMP- or 5'-AMP bound forms. This highlights, for the first time, the importance of 5'-AMP in promoting adaptation and uncovers adenylate control in cAMP signaling.
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12
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Selection of Boar Sperm by Reproductive Biofluids as Chemoattractants. Animals (Basel) 2020; 11:ani11010053. [PMID: 33396764 PMCID: PMC7824399 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Both in natural breeding and some assisted reproduction technologies, spermatozoa are deposited into the uterus. The journey the spermatozoa must take from the place of semen deposition to the fertilization site is long, hostile, and selective of the best spermatozoa. For the fertilization to succeed, spermatozoa are guided by chemical stimuli (chemoattractants) to the fertilization site, mainly secreted by the oocyte, cumulus cells, and other substances poured into the oviduct in the periovulatory period. This work studied some sources of chemotactic factors and their action on spermatozoa functionality in vitro, including the fertility. A special chemotactic chamber for spermatozoa selection was designed which consists of two wells communicated by a tube. The spermatozoa are deposited in well A, and the chemoattractants in well B. This study focuses on the use of follicular fluid (FF), periovulatory oviductal fluid (pOF), conditioned medium from the in vitro maturation of oocytes (CM), and progesterone (P4) as chemoattractants to sperm. The chemotactic potential of these substances is also investigated as related to their action on CatSper which is a calcium channel in the spermatozoa known to be sensitive to chemoattractants and essential for motility. Abstract Chemotaxis is a spermatozoa guidance mechanism demonstrated in vitro in several mammalian species including porcine. This work focused on follicular fluid (FF), periovulatory oviductal fluid (pOF), the medium surrounding oocytes during in vitro maturation (conditioned medium; CM), progesterone (P4), and the combination of those biofluids (Σ) as chemotactic agents and modulators of spermatozoa fertility in vitro. A chemotaxis chamber was designed consisting of two independent wells, A and B, connected by a tube. The spermatozoa are deposited in well A, and the chemoattractants in well B. The concentrations of biofluids that attracted a higher proportion of spermatozoa to well B were 0.25% FF, 0.25% OF, 0.06% CM, 10 pM P4 and 0.25% of a combination of biofluids (Σ2), which attracted between 3.3 and 12.3% of spermatozoa (p < 0.05). The motility of spermatozoa recovered in well B was determined and the chemotactic potential when the sperm calcium channel CatSper was inhibited, which significantly reduced the % of spermatozoa attracted (p < 0.05). Regarding the in vitro fertility, the spermatozoa attracted by FF produced higher rates of penetration of oocytes and development of expanded blastocysts. In conclusion, porcine reproductive biofluids show an in vitro chemotactic effect on spermatozoa and modulate their fertilizing potential.
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Abstract
Understanding the evolution of sex determination mechanisms and sex chromosomes is of fundamental importance in biology. Here we have reconstructed the evolution of the sex-determining region in the Atlantic herring. The region is small and contains only three intact genes. The candidate sex-determining factor BMPR1BBY is an evolutionary innovation in the herring lineage. It encodes a truncated form of a BMP type I receptor, which originated by gene duplication and underwent rapid protein evolution. The receptor has maintained its kinase activity and has the potential to induce development of testis. The other two genes in the sex-determining region, CATSPERG and CATSPER3Y, are male beneficial genes because they encode proteins predicted to be essential for sperm to fertilize the egg. The mechanisms underlying sex determination are astonishingly plastic. Particularly the triggers for the molecular machinery, which recalls either the male or female developmental program, are highly variable and have evolved independently and repeatedly. Fish show a huge variety of sex determination systems, including both genetic and environmental triggers. The advent of sex chromosomes is assumed to stabilize genetic sex determination. However, because sex chromosomes are notoriously cluttered with repetitive DNA and pseudogenes, the study of their evolution is hampered. Here we reconstruct the birth of a Y chromosome present in the Atlantic herring. The region is tiny (230 kb) and contains only three intact genes. The candidate male-determining gene BMPR1BBY encodes a truncated form of a BMP1B receptor, which originated by gene duplication and translocation and underwent rapid protein evolution. BMPR1BBY phosphorylates SMADs in the absence of ligand and thus has the potential to induce testis formation. The Y region also contains two genes encoding subunits of the sperm-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper required for male fertility. The herring Y chromosome conforms with a characteristic feature of many sex chromosomes, namely, suppressed recombination between a sex-determining factor and genes that are beneficial for the given sex. However, the herring Y differs from other sex chromosomes in that suppression of recombination is restricted to an ∼500-kb region harboring the male-specific and sex-associated regions. As a consequence, any degeneration on the herring Y chromosome is restricted to those genes located in the small region affected by suppressed recombination.
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Wang T, Young S, Krenz H, Tüttelmann F, Röpke A, Krallmann C, Kliesch S, Zeng XH, Brenker C, Strünker T. The Ca 2+ channel CatSper is not activated by cAMP/PKA signaling but directly affected by chemicals used to probe the action of cAMP and PKA. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13181-13193. [PMID: 32703901 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The sperm-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper (cation channel of sperm) controls the influx of Ca2+ into the flagellum and, thereby, the swimming behavior of sperm. A hallmark of human CatSper is its polymodal activation by membrane voltage, intracellular pH, and oviductal hormones. Whether CatSper is also activated by signaling pathways involving an increase of cAMP and ensuing activation of PKA is, however, a matter of controversy. To shed light on this question, we used kinetic ion-sensitive fluorometry, patch-clamp recordings, and optochemistry to study transmembrane Ca2+ flux and membrane currents in human sperm from healthy donors and from patients that lack functional CatSper channels. We found that human CatSper is neither activated by intracellular cAMP directly nor indirectly by the cAMP/PKA-signaling pathway. Instead, we show that nonphysiological concentrations of cAMP and membrane-permeable cAMP analogs used to mimic the action of intracellular cAMP activate human CatSper from the outside via a hitherto-unknown extracellular binding site. Finally, we demonstrate that the effects of common PKA inhibitors on human CatSper rest predominantly, if not exclusively, on off-target drug actions on CatSper itself rather than on inhibition of PKA. We conclude that the concept of an intracellular cAMP/PKA-activation of CatSper is primarily based on unspecific effects of chemical probes used to interfere with cAMP signaling. Altogether, our findings solve several controversial issues and reveal a novel ligand-binding site controlling the activity of CatSper, which has important bearings on future studies of cAMP and Ca2+ signaling in sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China; Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Samuel Young
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Henrike Krenz
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Albrecht Röpke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claudia Krallmann
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Xu-Hui Zeng
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Christoph Brenker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Timo Strünker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Wobig L, Wolfenstetter T, Fechner S, Bönigk W, Körschen HG, Jikeli JF, Trötschel C, Feederle R, Kaupp UB, Seifert R, Berger TK. A family of hyperpolarization-activated channels selective for protons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13783-13791. [PMID: 32467169 PMCID: PMC7306766 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001214117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Proton (H+) channels are special: They select protons against other ions that are up to a millionfold more abundant. Only a few proton channels have been identified so far. Here, we identify a family of voltage-gated "pacemaker" channels, HCNL1, that are exquisitely selective for protons. HCNL1 activates during hyperpolarization and conducts protons into the cytosol. Surprisingly, protons permeate through the channel's voltage-sensing domain, whereas the pore domain is nonfunctional. Key to proton permeation is a methionine residue that interrupts the series of regularly spaced arginine residues in the S4 voltage sensor. HCNL1 forms a tetramer and thus contains four proton pores. Unlike classic HCN channels, HCNL1 is not gated by cyclic nucleotides. The channel is present in zebrafish sperm and carries a proton inward current that acidifies the cytosol. Our results suggest that protons rather than cyclic nucleotides serve as cellular messengers in zebrafish sperm. Through small modifications in two key functional domains, HCNL1 evolutionarily adapted to a low-Na+ freshwater environment to conserve sperm's ability to depolarize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Wobig
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Thérèse Wolfenstetter
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sylvia Fechner
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Bönigk
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Heinz G Körschen
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan F Jikeli
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Trötschel
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Regina Feederle
- Monoclonal Antibody Core Facility and Research Group, Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany;
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Reinhard Seifert
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Thomas K Berger
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany;
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
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