Reconstitution in vitro of the motile apparatus from the amoeboid sperm of Ascaris shows that filament assembly and bundling move membranes

Oogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

BACKGROUND

The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans has proven itself as a valuable model for investigating metazoan biology. C. elegans have a transparent body, an invariant cell lineage, and a high level of genetic conservation which makes it a desirable model organism. Although used to elucidate many aspects of somatic biology, a distinct advantage of C. elegans is its well annotated germline which allows all aspects of oogenesis to be observed in real time within a single animal. C. elegans hermaphrodites have two U-shaped gonad arms which produce their own sperm that is later stored to fertilise their own oocytes. These two germlines take up much of the internal space of each animal and germ cells are therefore the most abundant cell present within each animal. This feature and the genetic phenotypes observed for mutant worm gonads have allowed many novel findings that established our early understanding of germ cell dynamics. The mutant phenotypes also allowed key features of meiosis and germ cell maturation to be unveiled.

SUMMARY

This review will focus on the key aspects that make C. elegans an outstanding model for exploring each feature of oogenesis. This will include the fundamental steps associated with germline function and germ cell maturation and will be of use for those interested in exploring reproductive metazoan biology.

KEY MESSAGES

Since germ cell biology is highly conserved in animals, much can be gained from study of a simple metazoan like C. elegans. Past findings have enhanced understanding on topics that would be more laborious or challenging in more complex animal models.

Programmed DNA elimination in the parasitic nematode Ascaris

In most organisms, the whole genome is maintained throughout the life span. However, exceptions occur in some species where the genome is reduced during development through a process known as programmed DNA elimination (PDE). In the human and pig parasite Ascaris, PDE occurs during the 4 to 16 cell stages of embryogenesis, when germline chromosomes are fragmented and specific DNA sequences are reproducibly lost in all somatic cells. PDE was identified in Ascaris over 120 years ago, but little was known about its molecular details until recently. Genome sequencing revealed that approximately 1,000 germline-expressed genes are eliminated in Ascaris, suggesting PDE is a gene silencing mechanism. All germline chromosome ends are removed and remodeled during PDE. In addition, PDE increases the number of chromosomes in the somatic genome by splitting many germline chromosomes. Comparative genomics indicates that these germline chromosomes arose from fusion events. PDE separates these chromosomes at the fusion sites. These observations indicate that PDE plays a role in chromosome karyotype and evolution. Furthermore, comparative analysis of PDE in other parasitic and free-living nematodes illustrates conserved features of PDE, suggesting it has important biological significance. We summarize what is known about PDE in Ascaris and its relatives. We also discuss other potential functions, mechanisms, and the evolution of PDE in these parasites of humans and animals of veterinary importance.

Effects of 10 T static magnetic field on the function of sperms and their offspring in Caenorhabditis elegans

With the wide application of static magnetic fields (SMFs), the risk of living organisms exposed to man-made magnetic fields that the intensity is much higher than geomagnetic field has gradually increased. Reproductive system is highly sensitive to environmental stress; however, the influence of high SMFs on reproduction system is still largely unknown. Here we explored the biological responses of SMFs exposure at an intensity of 10 T on the sperms and their offspring in him-5 male mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The size of unactivated sperms was deceased by 10 T SMF exposure, instead of the morphology. Exposure to 10 T SMF significantly altered the function of sperms in him-5 worms including the activation of sperms and the non-transferred ratio of sperms. In addition, the brood size assay revealed that 10 T SMF exposure eventually diminished the reproductive capacity of him-5 male worms. The lifespan of outcrossed offspring from exposed him-5 male mutants and unexposed fog-2 female mutants was decreased by 10 T SMF in a time dependent manner. Together, our findings provide novel information regarding the adverse effects of high SMFs on the sperms of C. elegans and their offspring, which can improve our understanding of the fundamental aspects of high SMFs on biological system.

Membrane contact site-dependent cholesterol transport regulates Na+/K+-ATPase polarization and spermiogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Spermiogenesis in nematodes is a process whereby round and quiescent spermatids differentiate into asymmetric and crawling spermatozoa. The molecular mechanism underlying this symmetry breaking remains uncharacterized. In this study, we revealed that sperm-specific Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKA) is evenly distributed on the plasma membrane (PM) of Caenorhabditis elegans spermatids but is translocated to and subsequently enters the invaginated membrane of the spermatozoa cell body during sperm activation. The polarization of NKA depends on the transport of cholesterol from the PM to membranous organelles (MOs) via membrane contact sites (MCSs). The inositol 5-phosphatase CIL-1 and the MO-localized PI4P phosphatase SAC-1 may mediate PI4P metabolism to drive cholesterol countertransport via sterol/lipid transport proteins through MCSs. Furthermore, the NKA function is required for C. elegans sperm motility and reproductive success. Our data imply that the lipid dynamics mediated by MCSs might play crucial roles in the establishment of cell polarity. eGraphical abstract.

Genomics of the Parasitic Nematode Ascaris and Its Relatives

Nematodes of the genus Ascaris are important parasites of humans and swine, and the phylogenetically related genera (Parascaris, Toxocara, and Baylisascaris) infect mammals of veterinary interest. Over the last decade, considerable genomic resources have been established for Ascaris, including complete germline and somatic genomes, comprehensive mRNA and small RNA transcriptomes, as well as genome-wide histone and chromatin data. These datasets provide a major resource for studies on the basic biology of these parasites and the host-parasite relationship. Ascaris and its relatives undergo programmed DNA elimination, a highly regulated process where chromosomes are fragmented and portions of the genome are lost in embryonic cells destined to adopt a somatic fate, whereas the genome remains intact in germ cells. Unlike many model organisms, Ascaris transcription drives early development beginning prior to pronuclear fusion. Studies on Ascaris demonstrated a complex small RNA network even in the absence of a piRNA pathway. Comparative genomics of these ascarids has provided perspectives on nematode sex chromosome evolution, programmed DNA elimination, and host-parasite coevolution. The genomic resources enable comparison of proteins across diverse species, revealing many new potential drug targets that could be used to control these parasitic nematodes.

The intrinsically disordered protein SPE-18 promotes localized assembly of MSP in Caenorhabditis elegans spermatocytes

Many specialized cells use unconventional strategies of cytoskeletal control. Nematode spermatocytes discard their actin and tubulin following meiosis, and instead employ the regulated assembly/disassembly of the Major Sperm Protein (MSP) to drive sperm motility. However, prior to the meiotic divisions, MSP is sequestered through its assembly into paracrystalline structures called fibrous bodies (FBs). The accessory proteins that direct this sequestration process have remained mysterious. This study reveals SPE-18 as an intrinsically disordered protein that is essential for MSP assembly within FBs. In spe-18 mutant spermatocytes, MSP forms disorganized cortical fibers, and the cells arrest in meiosis without forming haploid sperm. In wild-type spermatocytes, SPE-18 localizes to pre-FB complexes and functions with the kinase SPE-6 to localize MSP assembly. Changing patterns of SPE-18 localization uncover previously unappreciated complexities in FB maturation. Later, within newly individualized spermatids, SPE-18 is rapidly lost, yet SPE-18 loss alone is insufficient for MSP disassembly. Our findings reveal an alternative strategy for sequestering cytoskeletal elements, not as monomers but in localized, bundled polymers. Additionally, these studies provide an important example of disordered proteins promoting ordered cellular structures.

MicroRNA-15a Inhibits Glucose Transporter 4 Translocation and Impairs Glucose Metabolism in L6 Skeletal Muscle Via Targeting of Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein-Associated Protein A

OBJECTIVES

MicroRNAs have been reported to participate in various important cell biological processes, such as glucose metabolism. The aim of this study was to explore the roles of microRNA-15a (miR-15a) in regulating insulin sensitivity.

METHODS

In L6 rat skeletal muscle cells, we observed the effect of miR-15a on glucose metabolism and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation by targeting vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein A (VAP-A) after insulin treatment. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to demonstrate a direct interaction between miR-15a and the 3'-untranslated region of VAP-A microRNA.

RESULTS

We identified miR-15a as an extremely important regulator of GLUT4 translocation via targeting of VAP-A. Additionally, knockdown of endogenous miR-15a or overexpression of VAP-A could increase extracellular glucose by inhibiting the translocation of GLUT4 to the cell membrane after insulin treatment. However, overexpression of miR-15a or knockdown of VAP-A had no significant effect on glucose metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings reveal the following: 1) VAP-A is a marker of skeletal muscle glucose disposal and 2) a novel mechanism for GLUT4 translocation by miR-15a.

Assembling actin filaments for protrusion

Cell migration entails a plethora of activities combining the productive exertion of protrusive and contractile forces to allow cells to push and squeeze themselves through cell clumps, interstitial tissues or tissue borders. All these activities require the generation and turnover of actin filaments that arrange into specific, subcellular structures. The most prominent structures mediating the protrusion at the leading edges of cells include lamellipodia and filopodia as well as plasma membrane blebs. Moreover, in cells migrating on planar substratum, mechanical support is being provided by an additional, more proximally located structure termed the lamella. Here, we systematically dissect the literature concerning the mechanisms driving actin filament nucleation and elongation in the best-studied protrusive structure, the lamellipodium. Recent work has shed light on open questions in lamellipodium protrusion, including the relative contributions of nucleation versus elongation to the assembly of both individual filaments and the lamellipodial network as a whole. However, much remains to be learned concerning the specificity and relevance of individual factors, their cooperation and their site-specific functions relative to the importance of global actin monomer and filament homeostasis.

Control of oocyte meiotic maturation in C. elegans

In virtually all sexually reproducing animals, oocytes arrest in meiotic prophase and resume meiosis in a conserved biological process called meiotic maturation. Meiotic arrest enables oocytes, which are amongst the largest cells in an organism, to grow and accumulate the necessary cellular constituents required to support embryonic development. Oocyte arrest can be maintained for a prolonged period, up to 50 years in humans, and defects in the meiotic maturation process interfere with the faithful segregation of meiotic chromosomes, representing the leading cause of human birth defects and female infertility. Hormonal signaling and interactions with somatic cells of the gonad control the timing of oocyte meiotic maturation. Signaling activates the CDK1/cyclin B kinase, which plays a central role in regulating the nuclear and cytoplasmic events of meiotic maturation. Nuclear maturation encompasses nuclear envelope breakdown, meiotic spindle assembly, and chromosome segregation whereas cytoplasmic maturation involves major changes in oocyte protein translation and cytoplasmic organelles and is less well understood. Classically, meiotic maturation has been studied in organisms with large oocytes to facilitate biochemical analysis. Recently, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is emerging as a genetic paradigm for studying the regulation of oocyte meiotic maturation. Studies in this system have revealed conceptual, anatomical, and molecular links to oocytes in all animals including humans. This review focuses on the signaling mechanisms required to control oocyte growth and meiotic maturation in C. elegans and discusses how the downstream regulation of protein translation coordinates the completion of meiosis and the oocyte-to-embryo transition.

Sperm Affects Head Sensory Neuron in Temperature Tolerance of Caenorhabditis elegans

Tolerance to environmental temperature change is essential for the survival and proliferation of animals. The process is controlled by various body tissues, but the orchestration of activity within the tissue network has not been elucidated in detail. Here, we show that sperm affects the activity of temperature-sensing neurons (ASJ) that control cold tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetic impairment of sperm caused abnormal cold tolerance, which was unexpectedly restored by impairment of temperature signaling in ASJ neurons. Calcium imaging revealed that ASJ neuronal activity in response to temperature was decreased in sperm mutant gsp-4 with impaired protein phosphatase 1 and rescued by expressing gsp-4 in sperm. Genetic analysis revealed a feedback network in which ASJ neuronal activity regulates the intestine through insulin and a steroid hormone, which then affects sperm and, in turn, controls ASJ neuronal activity. Thus, we propose that feedback between sperm and a sensory neuron mediating temperature tolerance.

Ultrastructure of sperm development in the genus Ditylenchus (Nematoda: Anguinidae)

Spermatogenesis in Ditylenchus arachis and D. dipsaci was studied using transmission electron microscopy. Spermatogenesis includes the formation of complexes of fibrous bodies (FB) and membranous organelles (MO) in the spermatocytes, which dissociate in separated MO and FB in the spermatids. Immature spermatozoa are unpolarised cells with separate FB and MO. Mature spermatozoa are arranged in chains. Ditylenchus dipsaci is unique in having MO that have already fused with the outer membrane in immature spermatozoa and have mature spermatozoa in the male testis, proving that not only insemination plays a role in spermiogenesis. Contrary to what has been described before, spermatogenesis in Ditylenchus, and other early diverging Tylenchomorpha, follow the typical ‘rhabditid’ pattern, while the absence of MO within Tylenchomorpha appears to be an apomorphic trait for the molecular defined clade of tylenchids that exclusively parasitise higher plants. This confirms the value of traits related to spermatogenesis in nematode phylogeny.

The TRIM-NHL protein LIN-41 and the OMA RNA-binding proteins antagonistically control the prophase-to-metaphase transition and growth of Caenorhabditis elegans oocytes

In many animals, oocytes enter meiosis early in their development but arrest in meiotic prophase I. Oocyte growth, which occurs during this arrest period, enables the acquisition of meiotic competence and the capacity to produce healthy progeny. Meiotic resumption, or meiotic maturation, involves the transition to metaphase I (M phase) and is regulated by intercellular signaling and cyclin-dependent kinase activation. Premature meiotic maturation would be predicted to diminish fertility as the timing of this event, which normally occurs after oocyte growth is complete, is crucial. In the accompanying article in this issue, we identify the highly conserved TRIM-NHL protein LIN-41 as a translational repressor that copurifies with OMA-1 and OMA-2, RNA-binding proteins redundantly required for normal oocyte growth and meiotic maturation. In this article, we show that LIN-41 enables the production of high-quality oocytes and plays an essential role in controlling and coordinating oocyte growth and meiotic maturation. lin-41 null mutants display a striking defect that is specific to oogenesis: pachytene-stage cells cellularize prematurely and fail to progress to diplotene. Instead, these cells activate CDK-1, enter M phase, assemble spindles, and attempt to segregate chromosomes. Translational derepression of the CDK-1 activator CDC-25.3 appears to contribute to premature M-phase entry in lin-41 mutant oocytes. Genetic and phenotypic analyses indicate that LIN-41 and OMA-1/2 exhibit an antagonistic relationship, and we suggest that translational regulation by these proteins could be important for controlling and coordinating oocyte growth and meiotic maturation.

Role of posttranslational modifications in C. elegans and ascaris spermatogenesis and sperm function

Generally, spermatogenesis and sperm function involve widespread posttranslational modification of regulatory proteins in many different species. Nematode spermatogenesis has been studied in detail, mostly by genetic/molecular genetic techniques in the free-living Caenorhabditis elegans and by biochemistry/cell biology in the pig parasite Ascaris suum. Like other nematodes, both of these species produce sperm that use a form of amoeboid motility termed crawling, and many aspects of spermatogenesis are likely to be similar in both species. Consequently, work in these two nematode species has been largely complementary. Work in C. elegans has identified a number of spermatogenesis-defective genes and, so far, 12 encode enzymes that are implicated as catalysts of posttranslational protein modification. Crawling motility involves extension of a single pseudopod and this process is powered by a unique cytoskeleton composed of Major Sperm Protein (MSP) and accessory proteins, instead of the more widely observed actin. In Ascaris, pseudopod extension and crawling motility can be reconstituted in vitro, and biochemical studies have begun to reveal how posttranslational protein modifications, including phosphorylation, dephosphorylation and proteolysis, participate in these processes.

Cytosolic Ca(2+) as a multifunctional modulator is required for spermiogenesis in Ascaris suum

The dynamic polar polymers actin filaments and microtubules are usually employed to provide the structural basis for establishing cell polarity in most eukaryotic cells. Radially round and immotile spermatids from nematodes contain almost no actin or tubulin, but still have the ability to break symmetry to extend a pseudopod and initiate the acquisition of motility powered by the dynamics of cytoskeleton composed of major sperm protein (MSP) during spermiogenesis (sperm activation). However, the signal transduction mechanism of nematode sperm activation and motility acquisition remains poorly understood. Here we show that Ca(2+) oscillations induced by the Ca(2+) release from intracellular Ca(2+) store through inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptor are required for Ascaris suum sperm activation. The chelation of cytosolic Ca(2+) suppresses the generation of a functional pseudopod, and this suppression can be relieved by introducing exogenous Ca(2+) into sperm cells. Ca(2+) promotes MSP-based sperm motility by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and thus the energy supply required for MSP cytoskeleton assembly. On the other hand, Ca(2+) promotes MSP disassembly by activating Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine protein phosphatase calcineurin. In addition, Ca(2+)/camodulin activity is required for the fusion of sperm-specifi c membranous organelle with the plasma membrane, a regulated exocytosis required for sperm motility. Thus, Ca(2+) plays multifunctional roles during sperm activation in Ascaris suum.

Stick-slip motion and elastic coupling in crawling cells

Crawling cells exhibit a variety of cell shape dynamics, ranging from complex ruffling and bubbling to oscillatory protrusion and retraction. Periodic shape changes during cell migration are recorded in fast-moving fish epithelial keratocytes where sticking and slipping at opposite sides of the cell's broad trailing edge generate bipedal locomotion. Barnhart et al. [Biophys. J. 98, 933 (2010)] recently proposed a mechanical spring model specifically designed to capture bipedal locomotion in these cells. We extend their model by benchmarking the dynamics of four mechanical configurations against those of crawling keratocytes. Our analysis shows that elastic coupling to the cell nucleus is necessary to generate its lateral motion. We select one configuration to study the effects of cell elasticity, size, and aspect ratio on crawling dynamics. This configuration predicts that shape dynamics are highly dependent on the lamellipodial elasticity but less sensitive to elasticity at the trailing edge. The model predicts a wide range of dynamics seen in actual crawling keratocytes, including coherent bipedal, coherent nonbipedal, and decoherent motions. This work highlights how the dynamical behavior of crawling cells can be derived from mechanical properties through which biochemical factors may operate to regulate cellular locomotion.

Transformation: how do nematode sperm become activated and crawl?

Nematode sperm undergo a drastic physiological change during spermiogenesis (sperm activation). Unlike mammalian flagellated sperm, nematode sperm are amoeboid cells and their motility is driven by the dynamics of a cytoskeleton composed of major sperm protein (MSP) rather than actin found in other crawling cells. This review focuses on sperm from Caenorhabditis elegans and Ascaris suum to address the roles of external and internal factors that trigger sperm activation and power sperm motility. Nematode sperm can be activated in vitro by several factors, including Pronase and ionophores, and in vivo through the TRY-5 and SPE-8 pathways. Moreover, protease and protease inhibitors are crucial regulators of sperm maturation. MSP-based sperm motility involves a coupled process of protrusion and retraction, both of which have been reconstituted in vitro. Sperm motility is mediated by phosphorylation signals, as illustrated by identification of several key components (MPOP, MFPs and MPAK) in Ascaris and the characterization of GSP-3/4 in C. elegans.

SACY-1 DEAD-Box helicase links the somatic control of oocyte meiotic maturation to the sperm-to-oocyte switch and gamete maintenance in Caenorhabditis elegans

In sexually reproducing animals, oocytes arrest at diplotene or diakinesis and resume meiosis (meiotic maturation) in response to hormones. In Caenorhabditis elegans, major sperm protein triggers meiotic resumption through a mechanism involving somatic Gα_s–adenylate cyclase signaling and soma-to-germline gap-junctional communication. Using genetic mosaic analysis, we show that the major effector of Gα_s–adenylate cyclase signaling, protein kinase A (PKA), is required in gonadal sheath cells for oocyte meiotic maturation and dispensable in the germ line. This result rules out a model in which cyclic nucleotides must transit through sheath-oocyte gap junctions to activate PKA in the germ line, as proposed in vertebrate systems. We conducted a genetic screen to identify regulators of oocyte meiotic maturation functioning downstream of Gα_s–adenylate cyclase–PKA signaling. We molecularly identified 10 regulatory loci, which include essential and nonessential factors. sacy-1, which encodes a highly conserved DEAD-box helicase, is an essential germline factor that negatively regulates meiotic maturation. SACY-1 is a multifunctional protein that establishes a mechanistic link connecting the somatic control of meiotic maturation to germline sex determination and gamete maintenance. Modulatory factors include multiple subunits of a CoREST-like complex and the TWK-1 two-pore potassium channel. These factors are not absolutely required for meiotic maturation or its negative regulation in the absence of sperm, but function cumulatively to enable somatic control of meiotic maturation. This work provides insights into the genetic control of meiotic maturation signaling in C. elegans, and the conserved factors identified here might inform analysis in other systems through either homology or analogy.

Nematode sperm maturation triggered by protease involves sperm-secreted serine protease inhibitor (Serpin)

Spermiogenesis is a series of poorly understood morphological, physiological and biochemical processes that occur during the transition of immotile spermatids into motile, fertilization-competent spermatozoa. Here, we identified a Serpin (serine protease inhibitor) family protein (As_SRP-1) that is secreted from spermatids during nematode Ascaris suum spermiogenesis (also called sperm activation) and we showed that As_SRP-1 has two major functions. First, As_SRP-1 functions in cis to support major sperm protein (MSP)-based cytoskeletal assembly in the spermatid that releases it, thereby facilitating sperm motility acquisition. Second, As_SRP-1 released from an activated sperm inhibits, in trans, the activation of surrounding spermatids by inhibiting vas deferens-derived As_TRY-5, a trypsin-like serine protease necessary for sperm activation. Because vesicular exocytosis is necessary to create fertilization-competent sperm in many animal species, components released during this process might be more important modulators of the physiology and behavior of surrounding sperm than was previously appreciated.

Reconstitution of amoeboid motility in vitro identifies a motor-independent mechanism for cell body retraction

Crawling movement in eukaryotic cells requires coordination of leading-edge protrusion with cell body retraction [1-3]. Protrusion is driven by actin polymerization along the leading edge [4]. The mechanism of retraction is less clear; myosin contractility may be involved in some cells [5] but is not essential in others [6-9]. In Ascaris sperm, protrusion and retraction are powered by the major sperm protein (MSP) motility system instead of the conventional actin apparatus [10, 11]. These cells lack motor proteins [12] and so are well suited to explore motor-independent mechanisms of retraction. We reconstituted protrusion and retraction simultaneously in MSP filament meshworks, called fibers, that assemble behind plasma membrane-derived vesicles. Retraction is triggered by depolymerization of complete filaments in the rear of the fiber [13]. The surviving filaments reorganize to maintain their packing density. By packing fewer filaments into a smaller volume, the depolymerizing network shrinks and thereby generates sufficient force to move an attached load. Our work provides direct evidence for motor-independent retraction in the reconstituted MSP motility system of nematode sperm. This mechanism could also apply to actin-based cells and may explain reports of cells that crawl even when their myosin activity is compromised.

Comparative transcriptome sequencing of germline and somatic tissues of the Ascaris suum gonad

Background

Ascaris suum (large roundworm of pigs) is a parasitic nematode that causes substantial losses to the meat industry. This nematode is suitable for biochemical studies because, unlike C. elegans, homogeneous tissue samples can be obtained by dissection. It has large sperm, produced in great numbers that permit biochemical studies of sperm motility. Widespread study of A. suum would be facilitated by more comprehensive genome resources and, to this end, we have produced a gonad transcriptome of A. suum.

Results

Two 454 pyrosequencing runs generated 572,982 and 588,651 reads for germline (TES) and somatic (VAS) tissues of the A. suum gonad, respectively. 86% of the high-quality (HQ) reads were assembled into 9,955 contigs and 69,791 HQ reads remained as singletons. 2.4 million bp of unique sequences were obtained with a coverage that reached 16.1-fold. 4,877 contigs and 14,339 singletons were annotated according to the C. elegans protein and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) protein databases. Comparison of TES and VAS transcriptomes demonstrated that genes participating in DNA replication, RNA transcription and ubiquitin-proteasome pathways are expressed at significantly higher levels in TES tissues than in VAS tissues. Comparison of the A. suum TES transcriptome with the C. elegans microarray dataset identified 165 A. suum germline-enriched genes (83% are spermatogenesis-enriched). Many of these genes encode serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases (KPs) as well as tyrosine KPs. Immunoblot analysis further suggested a critical role of phosphorylation in both testis development and spermatogenesis. A total of 2,681 A. suum genes were identified to have associated RNAi phenotypes in C. elegans, the majority of which display embryonic lethality, slow growth, larval arrest or sterility.

Conclusions

Using deep sequencing technology, this study has produced a gonad transcriptome of A. suum. By comparison with C. elegans datasets, we identified sets of genes associated with spermatogenesis and gonad development in A. suum. The newly identified genes encoding KPs may help determine signaling pathways that operate during spermatogenesis. A large portion of A. suum gonadal genes have related RNAi phenotypes in C. elegans and, thus, might be RNAi targets for parasite control.

A novel sperm-delivered toxin causes late-stage embryo lethality and transmission ratio distortion in C. elegans

The evolutionary fate of an allele ordinarily depends on its contribution to host fitness. Occasionally, however, genetic elements arise that are able to gain a transmission advantage while simultaneously imposing a fitness cost on their hosts. We previously discovered one such element in C. elegans that gains a transmission advantage through a combination of paternal-effect killing and zygotic self-rescue. Here we demonstrate that this element is composed of a sperm-delivered toxin, peel-1, and an embryo-expressed antidote, zeel-1. peel-1 and zeel-1 are located adjacent to one another in the genome and co-occur in an insertion/deletion polymorphism. peel-1 encodes a novel four-pass transmembrane protein that is expressed in sperm and delivered to the embryo via specialized, sperm-specific vesicles. In the absence of zeel-1, sperm-delivered PEEL-1 causes lethal defects in muscle and epidermal tissue at the 2-fold stage of embryogenesis. zeel-1 is expressed transiently in the embryo and encodes a novel six-pass transmembrane domain fused to a domain with sequence similarity to zyg-11, a substrate-recognition subunit of an E3 ubiquitin ligase. zeel-1 appears to have arisen recently, during an expansion of the zyg-11 family, and the transmembrane domain of zeel-1 is required and partially sufficient for antidote activity. Although PEEL-1 and ZEEL-1 normally function in embryos, these proteins can act at other stages as well. When expressed ectopically in adults, PEEL-1 kills a variety of cell types, and ectopic expression of ZEEL-1 rescues these effects. Our results demonstrate that the tight physical linkage between two novel transmembrane proteins has facilitated their co-evolution into an element capable of promoting its own transmission to the detriment of organisms carrying it.

Extending the aerolysin family: from bacteria to vertebrates

A number of bacterial virulence factors have been observed to adopt structures similar to that of aerolysin, the principal toxin of Aeromonas species. However, a comprehensive description of architecture and structure of the aerolysin-like superfamily has not been determined. In this study, we define a more compact aerolysin-like domain--or aerolysin fold--and show that this domain is far more widely spread than anticipated since it can be found throughout kingdoms. The aerolysin-fold could be found in very diverse domain and functional contexts, although a toxic function could often be assigned. Due to this diversity, the borders of the superfamily could not be set on a sequence level. As a border-defining member, we therefore chose pXO2-60--a protein from the pathogenic pXO2 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis. This fascinating protein, which harbors a unique ubiquitin-like fold domain at the C-terminus of the aerolysin-domain, nicely illustrates the diversity of the superfamily. Its putative role in the virulence of B. anthracis and its three dimensional model are discussed.

Conserved residues in the ankyrin domain of VAPYRIN indicate potential protein-protein interaction surfaces

Plant VAPYRINS are required for the establishment of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) and root nodule symbiosis (RNS). In vapyrin mutants, the intracellular accommodation of AM fungi and rhizobia is blocked, and in the case of AM, the fungal endosymbiont cannot develop arbuscules which serve for nutrient exchange. VAPYRINs are plant-specific proteins that consists of a major sperm protein (MSP) domain and an ankyrin domain. Comparison of VAPYRINS of dicots, monocots, and the moss Physcomitrella patens reveals a highly conserved domain structure. We focused our attention on the ankyrin domain, which closely resembles the D34 domain of human ankyrin R. Conserved residues within the petunia VAPYRIN cluster to a surface patch on the concave side of the crescent-shaped ankyrin domain, suggesting that this region may represent a conserved binding site involved in the formation of a protein complex with an essential function in intracellular accommodation of microbial endosymbionts. 

Regulation of sperm-specific proteins by IFE-1, a germline-specific homolog of eIF4E, in C. elegans

ABSTEACT: IFE-1 is one of the five C. elegans homologs of eIF4E, which is the mRNA 5' cap-binding component of the translation initiation complex eIF4F. Depletion of IFE-1 causes defects in sperm, suggesting that IFE-1 regulates a subset of genes required for sperm functions. To further understand the molecular function of IFE-1, proteomic analysis was performed to search for sperm proteins that are downregulated in ife-1(ok1978); fem-3(q20) mutants relative to the fem-3(q20) control. The fem-3(q20) mutant background was used because it only produces sperm at restrictive temperature. Total worm proteins were subjected to 2D-DIGE, and differentially expressed protein spots were further identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Among the identified proteins, GSP-3 and Major Sperm Proteins (MSPs) were found to be significantly down-regulated in the ife-1(ok1978) mutant. Moreover, RNAi of gsp-3 caused an ife-1-like phenotype. These results suggest that IFE-1 is required for efficient expression of some sperm-specific proteins, and the fertilization defect of ife-1 mutant is caused mainly by a reduced level of GSP-3.

New insights into the mechanism of fertilization in nematodes

Fertilization results from the fusion of male and female gametes in all sexually reproducing organisms. Much of nematode fertility work was focused on Caenorhabditis elegans and Ascaris suum. The C. elegans hermaphrodite produces a limited number of sperm initially and then commits to the exclusive production of oocytes. The postmeiotic differentiation called spermiogenesis converts sessile spermatids into motile spermatozoa. The motility of spermatozoa depends on dynamic assembly and disassembly of a major sperm protein-based cytoskeleton uniquely found in nematodes. Both self-derived and male-derived spermatozoa are stored in spermatheca, the site of fertilization in hermaphrodites. The oocyte is arrested in meiotic prophase I until a sperm-derived signal relieves the inhibition allowing the meiotic maturation to occur. Oocyte undergoes meiotic maturation, enters into spermatheca, gets fertilized, completes meiosis, and exits into uterus as a zygote. This review focuses on our current understanding of the events around fertilization in nematodes.

The physiological acquisition of amoeboid motility in nematode sperm: is the tail the only thing the sperm lost?

Nematode spermatozoa are highly specialized amoeboid cells that must acquire motility through the extension of a single pseudopod. Despite morphological and molecular differences with flagellated spermatozoa (including a non-actin-based cytoskeleton), nematode sperm must also respond to cues present in the female reproductive tract that render them motile, thereby allowing them to locate and fertilize the egg. The factors that trigger pseudopod extension in vivo are unknown, although current models suggest the activation through proteases acting on the sperm surface resulting in a myriad of biochemical, physiological, and morphological changes. Compelling evidence shows that pseudopod extension is under the regulation of physiological events also observed in other eukaryotic cells (including flagellated sperm) that involve membrane rearrangements in response to extracellular cues that initiate various signal transduction pathways. An integrative approach to the study of nonflagellated spermatozoa will shed light on the identification of unique and conserved processes during fertilization among different taxa.

Biochemical mechanisms for regulating protrusion by nematode major sperm protein

Crawling motion is ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and contributes to important processes such as immune response and tumor growth. To crawl, a cell must adhere to the substrate, while protruding at the front and retracting at the rear. In most crawling cells protrusion is driven by highly regulated polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton, and much of the biochemical network for this process is known. Nematode sperm utilize a cytoskeleton composed of Major Sperm Protein (MSP), which is considered to form a simpler, yet similar, crawling motility apparatus. Key components involved in the polymerization of MSP have been identified; however, little is known about the chemical kinetics for this system. Here we develop a model for MSP polymerization that takes into account the effects of several of the experimentally identified cytosolic and membrane-bound proteins. To account for some of the data, the model requires force-dependent polymerization, as is predicted by Brownian ratchet mechanisms. Using the tethered polymerization ratchet model with our biochemical kinetic model for MSP polymerization, we find good agreement with experimental data on MSP-driven protrusion. In addition, our model predicts the force-velocity relation that is expected for in vitro protrusion assays.

In silico reconstitution of actin-based symmetry breaking and motility

Computational modeling and experimentation in a model system for actin-based force generation explain how actin networks initiate and maintain directional movement.

Eukaryotic cells assemble viscoelastic networks of crosslinked actin filaments to control their shape, mechanical properties, and motility. One important class of actin network is nucleated by the Arp2/3 complex and drives both membrane protrusion at the leading edge of motile cells and intracellular motility of pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. These networks can be reconstituted in vitro from purified components to drive the motility of spherical micron-sized beads. An Elastic Gel model has been successful in explaining how these networks break symmetry, but how they produce directed motile force has been less clear. We have combined numerical simulations with in vitro experiments to reconstitute the behavior of these motile actin networks in silico using an Accumulative Particle-Spring (APS) model that builds on the Elastic Gel model, and demonstrates simple intuitive mechanisms for both symmetry breaking and sustained motility. The APS model explains observed transitions between smooth and pulsatile motion as well as subtle variations in network architecture caused by differences in geometry and conditions. Our findings also explain sideways symmetry breaking and motility of elongated beads, and show that elastic recoil, though important for symmetry breaking and pulsatile motion, is not necessary for smooth directional motility. The APS model demonstrates how a small number of viscoelastic network parameters and construction rules suffice to recapture the complex behavior of motile actin networks. The fact that the model not only mirrors our in vitro observations, but also makes novel predictions that we confirm by experiment, suggests that the model captures much of the essence of actin-based motility in this system.

Networks of actin filaments provide the force that drives eukaryotic cell movement. In a model system for this kind of force generation, a spherical bead coated with an actin nucleating protein builds and rockets around on an actin “comet tail,” much like the tails observed in some cellular systems. How does a spherically symmetric bead break the symmetry of the actin coat and begin to polymerize actin in a directional manner? A previous theoretical model successfully explained how symmetry breaks, but suggested that the subsequent motion was driven by actin squeezing the bead forwards—a prediction refuted by experiment. To understand how motility occurs, we created a parsimonious computer model that predicted novel experimental behaviors, then performed new experiments inspired by the model and confirmed these predictions. Our model demonstrates how the elastic properties of the actin network explain not only symmetry breaking, but also the details of subsequent motion and how the bead maintains direction.

Dephosphorylation of major sperm protein (MSP) fiber protein 3 by protein phosphatase 2A during cell body retraction in the MSP-based amoeboid motility of Ascaris sperm

The crawling movement of nematode sperm requires coordination of leading edge protrusion with cell body retraction, both of which are powered by modulation of a cytoskeleton based on major sperm protein (MSP) filaments. We used a cell-free in vitro motility system in which both protrusion and retraction can be reconstituted, to identify two proteins involved in cell body retraction. Pharmacological and depletion-add back assays showed that retraction was triggered by a putative protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A, a Ser/Thr phosphatase activated by tyrosine dephosphorylation). Immunofluorescence showed that PP2A was present in the cell body and was concentrated at the base of the lamellipod where the force for retraction is generated. PP2A targeted MSP fiber protein 3 (MFP3), a protein unique to nematode sperm that binds to the MSP filaments in the motility apparatus. Dephosphorylation of MFP3 caused its release from the cytoskeleton and generated filament disassembly. Our results suggest that interaction between PP2A and MFP3 leads to local disassembly of the MSP cytoskeleton at the base of the lamellipod in sperm that in turn pulls the trailing cell body forward.

The geometry and motion of nematode sperm cells

The nematode sperm cell crawls by recycling major sperm protein (MSP) from dimers into subfilaments, filaments, and filament complexes, as a result of thermal writhing in the presence of hydrophobic patches. Polymerization near leading edges of the cell intercolates MSP dimers onto the tips of growing filament complexes, forcing them against the cell boundary, and extending the cytoskeleton in the direction of motion. Strong adhesive forces attach the cell to the substrate in the forward part of the lamellipod, while depolymerization in the rearward part of the cell breaks down the cytoskeleton, contracting the lamellipod and pulling the cell body forward. The movement of these cells, then, is caused by coordinated protrusive, adhesive and contractile forces, spatially separated across the lamellipod. This paper considers a phenomenological model that tracks discrete elements of the cytoskeleton in curvilinear coordinates. The pseudo-two dimensional model primarily considers protrusion and rotation of the cell, along with the evolution of the cell boundary. General assumptions are that pH levels within the lamellipod regulate protrusion, contraction and adhesion, and that growth of the cytoskeleton, over time, is perpendicular to the evolving cell boundary. The model follows the growth and contraction of a discrete number of MSP fiber complexes, since they appear to be the principle contributors for force generation in cell boundary protrusion and contraction, and the backbone for the dynamic geometry and motion.

Critical contact residues that mediate polymerization of nematode major sperm protein

The polymerization of protein filaments provides the motive force in a variety of cellular processes involving cell motility and intracellular transport. Regulated assembly and disassembly of the major sperm protein (MSP) underlies amoeboid movement in nematode sperm, and offers an attractive model system for characterizing the biomechanical properties of filament formation and force generation. To that end, structure-function studies of MSP from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been performed. Recombinant MSP was purified from Escherichia coli using a novel affinity chromatography technique, and filament assembly was assessed by in vitro polymerization in the presence of polyethylene glycol. Prior molecular studies and structure from X-ray crystallography have implicated specific residues in protein-protein interactions necessary for filament assembly. Purified MSP containing substitutions in these residues fails to form filaments in vitro. Short peptides based on predicted sites of interaction also effectively disrupt MSP polymerization. These results confirm the structural determination of intermolecular contacts and demonstrate the importance of these residues in MSP assembly.

[Recent advances in the study of spermatogenesis and fertilization in Caenorhabditis elegans]

Spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans, mainly consisting of meiosis and spermiogenesis (or sperm activation), is a complicated cell differentiation process. The germ cells develop into matured motile spermatozoa after the expression of specific genes during meiosis and protein posttranslational modification during spermiogenesis. The spermatozoa compete with each other, communicate with and finally fertilize the oocytes such that new individuals are generated. A group of mutants related to spermatogenesis, sperm motility and fertilization are obtained through the sterile screen. Some specific genes in spermatogenesis and fertilization have been cloned and their functions have been studied. C. elegans is an attractive model to dissect the complexities of spermatogenesis and fertilization. The advances in the study of C. elegans may give insights to important targets for the study of male infertility and contraceptives in humans.

The role of filament-packing dynamics in powering amoeboid cell motility

Although several models have been proposed to account for how cytoskeleton polymerization drives protrusion in cell motility, the precise mechanism remains controversial. Here, we show that, in addition to force exerted directly against the membrane by growing filaments, the way elongating filaments pack also contributes to protrusion by generating an expansion of the cytoskeleton gel. Tomography shows that filament packing in the major sperm protein (MSP) -based nematode sperm-motility machinery resembles that observed with rigid rods. Maximum rod-packing density decreases dramatically as the rods lengthen. Therefore, as filaments elongate, the cytoskeleton gel expands to accommodate their packing less densely. This volume expansion combines with polymerization to drive protrusion. Consistent with this hypothesis, an engineered MSP mutant that generates shorter filaments shows higher filament-packing density and slower movement.

Depolymerization-driven flow in nematode spermatozoa relates crawling speed to size and shape

Cell crawling is an inherently physical process that includes protrusion of the leading edge, adhesion to the substrate, and advance of the trailing cell body. Research into advance of the cell body has focused on actomyosin contraction, with cytoskeletal disassembly regarded as incidental, rather than causative; however, extracts from nematode spermatozoa, which use Major Sperm Protein rather than actin, provide at least one example where cytoskeletal disassembly apparently generates force in the absence of molecular motors. To test whether depolymerization can explain force production during nematode sperm crawling, we constructed a mathematical model that simultaneously describes the dynamics of both the cytoskeleton and the cytosol. We also performed corresponding experiments using motile Caenorhabditis elegans spermatozoa. Our experiments reveal that crawling speed is an increasing function of both cell size and anterior-posterior elongation. The quantitative, depolymerization-driven model robustly predicts that cell speed should increase with cell size and yields a cytoskeletal disassembly rate that is consistent with previous measurements. Notably, the model requires anisotropic elasticity, with the cell being stiffer along the direction of motion, to accurately reproduce the dependence of speed on elongation. Our simulations also predict that speed should increase with cytoskeletal anisotropy and disassembly rate.

A Ser/Thr kinase required for membrane-associated assembly of the major sperm protein motility apparatus in the amoeboid sperm of Ascaris

Leading edge protrusion in the amoeboid sperm of Ascaris suum is driven by the localized assembly of the major sperm protein (MSP) cytoskeleton in the same way that actin assembly powers protrusion in other types of crawling cell. Reconstitution of this process in vitro led to the identification of two accessory proteins required for MSP polymerization: an integral membrane phosphoprotein, MSP polymerization-organizing protein (MPOP), and a cytosolic component, MSP fiber protein 2 (MFP2). Here, we identify and characterize a 34-kDa cytosolic protein, MSP polymerization-activating kinase (MPAK) that links the activities of MPOP and MFP2. Depletion/add-back assays of sperm extracts showed that MPAK, which is a member of the casein kinase 1 family of Ser/Thr protein kinases, is required for motility. MPOP and MPAK comigrated by native gel electrophoresis, coimmunoprecipitated, and colocalized by immunofluorescence, indicating that MPOP binds to and recruits MPAK to the membrane surface. MPAK, in turn, phosphorylated MFP2 on threonine residues, resulting in incorporation of MFP2 into the cytoskeleton. Beads coated with MPAK assembled a surrounding cloud of MSP filaments when incubated in MPAK-depleted sperm extract, but only when supplemented with detergent-solubilized MPOP. Our results suggest that interactions involving MPOP, MPAK, and MFP2 focus MSP polymerization to the plasma membrane at the leading edge of the cell thereby generating protrusion and minimizing nonproductive filament formation elsewhere.

Reconstitution in vitro of MSP-based filopodium extension in nematode sperm

The major sperm protein (MSP) motility system in nematode sperm is best known for propelling the movement of mature sperm, where it has taken over the role usually played by actin in amoeboid cell motility. However, MSP filaments also drive the extension of filopodia, transient organelles composed of a core bundle of MSP filaments, that form in the late in sperm development but are not found on crawling cells. We have reconstituted filopodial extension in vitro whereby thin bundles of MSP filaments, each enveloped by a membrane sheath at their growing end, elongated at rates up to 17 microm/min. These bundles often exceeded 500 microm in length but were comprised of filaments only 1 microm long. The reconstituted filopodia assembled in the same cell-free sperm extracts that produced MSP fibers, robust meshworks of filaments that exhibit the same organization and dynamics as the lamellipodial filament system that propels sperm movement. The filopodia and fibers that assembled in vitro both had a membranous structure at their growing end, shared four MSP accessory proteins, and responded identically to agents that alter MSP-based motility by modulating protein phosphorylation. However, filopodia grew three- to four-fold faster than fibers. The reconstitution of filopodial extension shows that, like the actin cytoskeleton, MSP filaments can adopt two architectures, bundles and meshworks, each capable of pushing against membranes to generate protrusion. The reconstitution of both forms of motility in the same in vitro system provides a promising avenue for understanding how the forces for membrane protrusion are produced.

Nematode sperm motility: nonpolar filament polymerization mediated by end-tracking motors

In nematode sperm cell motility, major sperm protein (MSP) filament assembly results in dynamic membrane protrusions in a manner that closely resembles actin-based motility in other eukaryotic cells. Paradoxically, whereas actin-based motility is driven by addition of ATP-bound actin subunits onto actin filament plus-ends located at the cell membrane, MSP dimers assemble from solution into nonpolar filaments that lack a nucleotide binding site. Thus, filament polarity and on-filament ATP hydrolysis, although essential for actin-based motility, appear to be unnecessary for membrane protrusions by MSP. As a potential resolution to this paradox, we propose a model for MSP filament assembly and force generation by MSP filament end-tracking proteins. In this model, ATP hydrolysis drives affinity-modulated, processive interactions between membrane-associated proteins and elongating filament ends. However, in contrast to the "actoclampin" model for actin filament end-tracking motors, ATP activates the tracking protein (or a soluble cofactor) rather than the MSP subunits themselves (in contrast to activation of actin subunits by ATP binding). The MSP end-tracking model predicts properties that are consistent with several key observations of MSP-based motility, including persistent membrane attachment, polymerization of filament ends at the membrane with depolymerization of free-filament ends away from the membrane, as well as a saturating dependence of polymerization rate on the concentration of non-MSP soluble cytoplasmic components.

Major sperm protein signaling promotes oocyte microtubule reorganization prior to fertilization in Caenorhabditis elegans

In most animals, female meiotic spindles assemble in the absence of centrosomes; instead, microtubule nucleation by chromatin, motor activity, and microtubule dynamics drive the self-organization of a bipolar meiotic spindle. Meiotic spindle assembly commences when microtubules gain access to chromatin after nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) during meiotic maturation. Although many studies have addressed the chromatin-based mechanism of female meiotic spindle assembly, it is less clear how signaling influences microtubule localization and dynamics prior to NEBD. Here we analyze microtubule behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans oocytes at early stages of the meiotic maturation process using confocal microscopy and live-cell imaging. In C. elegans, sperm trigger oocyte meiotic maturation and ovulation using the major sperm protein (MSP) as an extracellular signaling molecule. We show that MSP signaling reorganizes oocyte microtubules prior to NEBD and fertilization by affecting their localization and dynamics. We present evidence that MSP signaling reorganizes oocyte microtubules through a signaling network involving antagonistic G alpha(o/i) and G alpha(s) pathways and gap-junctional communication with somatic cells of the gonad. We propose that MSP-dependent microtubule reorganization promotes meiotic spindle assembly by facilitating the search and capture of microtubules by meiotic chromatin following NEBD.

Meiotic diapause: how a sperm signal sets you free

Major sperm protein, a cytoskeletal molecule required for the amoeboid motility of sperm in Caenorhabditis elegans, also functions as a signaling molecule that regulates the rates of meiotic maturation and ovulation. Recent work has begun to uncover new genes required for the response to this signal in both somatic and germ line cells.

Start me up: Cell signaling and the journey from oocyte to embryo inC. elegans

Intercellular communication plays a pivotal role in regulating and coordinating oocyte meiosis and fertilization, key triggers for embryonic development. The nematode Caenorhabaditis elegans has emerged as an important experimental paradigm for exploring these fundamental reproductive processes and their regulation. The oocytes of most animal species arrest during meiotic prophase and complete meiosis in response to intercellular signaling in the process of meiotic maturation. Oocyte meiotic maturation is defined by the transition between diakinesis and metaphase of meiosis I and is accompanied by nuclear envelope breakdown and meiotic spindle assembly. As such, the meiotic maturation process is essential for completing meiosis and a prerequisite for successful fertilization. In C. elegans, the processes of meiotic maturation, ovulation, and fertilization are temporally coupled: sperm utilize the major sperm protein as a hormone to trigger oocyte meiotic maturation, and, in turn, the maturing oocyte signals its own ovulation, leading to fertilization. The powerful genetic screens possible in C. elegans have led to the identification of several sperm cell surface proteins that are required for the interaction and fusion of gametes at fertilization. The study of these proteins provides fundamental insights into fertilization mechanisms, their role in speciation, and their potential conservation across phyla. Signaling processes sparked by fertilization are required for meiotic chromosome segregation and initiating the embryonic program. Here we review recent advances in understanding how signaling mechanisms contribute to the oocyte-to-embryo transition in C. elegans.

MSP domain protein-1 from Ascaris suum and its possible role in the regulation of major sperm protein-based crawling motility

Nematode sperm utilize a crawling motility based on a nematode sperm-specific cytoskeletal protein called the major sperm protein (MSP). Although MSP has no similarity to actin in sequence or structure, the motility mediated by these two proteins is nearly indistinguishable at a phenotypic level. As with the traditional actin cytoskeleton, the central component of MSP-based motility (MSP) interacts with accessory proteins that regulate polymerization and depolymerization and play a key role in cell motility. A bioinformatics approach has led to the identification of proteins with enhanced expression in the Ascaris suum male germ line, including five new proteins each containing an MSP domain. One of these MSP domain proteins (As-MDP-1) contains an MSP domain in the C-terminus and a N-terminal extension rich in prolines and alanines. The 15.6 kDa As-MDP-1 was shown to be >90% identical at the amino acid level to members of a small family of Ascaris proteins that have been shown to bind to the MSP cytoskeleton and to negatively regulate MSP fiber growth. Further, it was demonstrated that As-MDP-1 is the smallest member of the MFP1 triplet of negative regulators of MSP cytoskeleton formation. Antibodies were used to detect the presence of As-MDP-1 along the entire length of the MSP fibers suggesting that As-MDP-1 binds directly to the higher order forms of MSP. This protein has orthologues in other nematode species, is present in Ascaris in at least six allelic forms, and is likely to form multimers.

Cytoskeleton dynamics powers nematode sperm motility

Nematode sperm provide a simple and specialized system for studying the molecular mechanism of amoeboid cell motility. Locomotion is generated by the assembly dynamics of their cytoskeleton, which is based on the major sperm protein (MSP). Protrusive force is generated at the leading edge of the lamellipod by MSP filament formation and bundling, whereas the contractile force that drags the rearward cell body forward is generated by cytoskeleton disassembly. The dynamics of the system can be reconstituted in vitro using cell-free extracts of Ascaris sperm, in which vesicles derived from the leading edge of the cell can be either pushed or pulled. The addition of ATP to the cell-free extract initiates MSP filament polymerization and bundling immediately behind the vesicle, and the expansion of the resulting gel pushes the vesicle at rates comparable to those seen in living cells. In contrast, the addition of Yersinia tyrosine phosphatase generates depolymerization and gel contraction that pulls the vesicles. Overall, nematode sperm motility illustrates that cell locomotion can be generated by cytoskeletal dynamics alone without the use of myosin-like motor proteins.

Preparing to move: assembly of the MSP amoeboid motility apparatus during spermiogenesis in Ascaris

We exploited the rapid, inducible conversion of non-motile Ascaris spermatids into crawling spermatozoa to examine the pattern of assembly of the MSP motility apparatus that powers sperm locomotion. In live sperm, the first detectable motile activity is the extension of spikes and, later, blebs from the cell surface. However, examination of cells by EM revealed that the formation of surface protrusions is preceded by assembly of MSP filament tails on the membranous organelles in the peripheral cytoplasm. These organelle-associated filament meshworks assemble within 30 sec after induction of spermiogenesis and persist until the membranous organelles are sequestered into the cell body when the lamellipod extends. The filopodia-like spikes, which are packed with bundles of filaments, extend and retract rapidly but last only a few seconds before giving way to, or converting into, blebs. Coalescence of these blebs, each supported by a dense mesh of filaments, often initiates lamellipod extension, which culminates in the formation of the robust, dynamic MSP fiber complexes that generate sperm motility. The same membrane phosphoprotein that orchestrates assembly of the fiber complexes at the leading edge of the lamellipod of mature sperm is also found at all sites of filament assembly during spermiogenesis. The orderly progression of steps that leads to construction of a functional motility apparatus illustrates the precise spatio-temporal control of MSP filament assembly in the developing cell and highlights the remarkable similarity in organization and plasticity shared by the MSP cytoskeleton and the actin filament arrays in conventional crawling cells.

C. elegans sperm bud vesicles to deliver a meiotic maturation signal to distant oocytes

The major sperm protein (MSP) is the central cytoskeletal element required for actin-independent motility of nematode spermatozoa. MSP has a dual role in Caenorhabditis elegans reproduction, functioning as a hormone for both oocyte meiotic maturation and ovarian muscle contraction. The identification of the signaling function of MSP raised the question, how do spermatozoa, which are devoid of ribosomes, ER and Golgi, release a cytoplasmic protein lacking a signal sequence? Here, we provide evidence that MSP export occurs by the budding of novel vesicles that have both inner and outer membranes with MSP sandwiched in between. MSP vesicles are apparently labile structures that generate long-range MSP gradients for signaling at the oocyte cell surface. Both spermatozoa and non-motile spermatids bud MSP vesicles, but their stability and signaling properties differ. Budding protrusions from the cell body contain MSP, but not the MSD proteins, which counteract MSP filament assembly. We propose that MSP generates the protrusive force for its own vesicular export.

Structure of MFP2 and its function in enhancing MSP polymerization in Ascaris sperm amoeboid motility

The simplicity and specialization of the cell motility machinery of Ascaris sperm provides a powerful system in which to probe the basic molecular mechanism of amoeboid cell motility. Although Ascaris sperm locomotion closely resembles that seen in many other types of crawling cell, movement is generated by modulation of a cytoskeleton based on the major sperm protein (MSP) rather than the actin present in other cell types. The Ascaris motility machinery can be studied conveniently in a cell-free in vitro system based on the movement of plasma membrane vesicles by fibres constructed from bundles of MSP filaments. In addition to ATP, MSP and a plasma membrane protein, reconstitution of MSP motility in this cell-free extract requires cytosolic proteins to orchestrate the site-specific assembly and bundling of MSP filaments that generates locomotion. One of these proteins, MFP2, accelerates the rate of movement in this assay. Here, we describe crystal structures of two isoforms of MFP2 and show that both are constructed from two domains that have the same fold based on a novel, compact beta sheet arrangement. Patterns of conservation observed in a structure-based analysis of MFP2 sequences from different nematode species identified regions that may be putative functional interfaces involved both in interactions between MFP2 domains and also with other components of the sperm motility machinery. Analysis of the growth of fibres in vitro in the presence of added MFP2 indicated that MFP2 increases the rate of locomotion by enhancing the effective rate of MSP filament polymerization. This observation, together with the structural data, suggests that MFP2 may function in a manner analogous to formins in actin-based motility.

MSP dynamics drives nematode sperm locomotion

Most eukaryotic cells can crawl over surfaces. In general, this motility requires three sequential actions: polymerization at the leading edge, adhesion to the substrate, and retraction at the rear. Recent in vitro experiments with extracts from spermatozoa from the nematode Ascaris suum suggest that retraction forces are generated by depolymerization of the major sperm protein cytoskeleton. Combining polymer entropy with a simple kinetic model for disassembly we propose a model for disassembly-induced retraction that fits the in vitro experimental data. This model explains the mechanism by which disassembly of the cytoskeleton generates the force necessary to pull the cell body forward and suggests further experiments that can test the validity of the models.

MSP domain proteins show enhanced expression in male germ line cells

Nematode sperm utilize a crawling motility based on polymerization--depolymerization of a nematode-specific cytoskeletal molecule-major sperm protein (MSP). While several proteins that interact with and regulate MSP filament formation have been identified using in vitro approaches, it is likely that additional molecules participate in vivo in the regulation of MSP cytoskeletal dynamics. By comparing EST data generated from an Ascaris suum testis germinal zone cDNA library with EST data from other tissue- and stage-specific A. suum cDNA libraries and with expression profile data from Caenorhabditis elegans, 42 genes were selected with exclusive or enhanced expression in male germ line cells. In addition to 11 protein kinases and seven protein phosphatases, 10 genes encoding proteins with protein-protein interaction domains were identified. These potential cytoskeletal modifiers included five novel MSP-domain proteins (As-MDPs). All five As-mdps were highly expressed in male germ line cells, but only As-mdp-2, 3 and 5 were transcribed exclusively in the testis. The prediction that As-MDP-1, 2 and 3 were cytosolic components and that As-MDP-4 and 5 were associated with the sperm cell membrane proteins was supported by the results of immunoblotting experiments. The 23 members of the MDP family of proteins from C. elegans were predicted to be transcribed in the testis. The findings provide additional candidates to the growing list of molecules that regulate MSP cytoskeletal dynamics.