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Gao J, Qin Y, Schimenti JC. Gene regulation during meiosis. Trends Genet 2024; 40:326-336. [PMID: 38177041 PMCID: PMC11003842 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.12.006] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Meiosis is essential for gamete production in all sexually reproducing organisms. It entails two successive cell divisions without DNA replication, producing haploid cells from diploid ones. This process involves complex morphological and molecular differentiation that varies across species and between sexes. Specialized genomic events like meiotic recombination and chromosome segregation are tightly regulated, including preparation for post-meiotic development. Research in model organisms, notably yeast, has shed light on the genetic and molecular aspects of meiosis and its regulation. Although mammalian meiosis research faces challenges, particularly in replicating gametogenesis in vitro, advances in genetic and genomic technologies are providing mechanistic insights. Here we review the genetics and molecular biology of meiotic gene expression control, focusing on mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Gao
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yiwen Qin
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John C Schimenti
- Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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2
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Zhou X, Fang K, Liu Y, Li W, Tan Y, Zhang J, Yu X, Wang G, Zhang Y, Shang Y, Zhang L, Chen CD, Wang S. ZFP541 and KCTD19 regulate chromatin organization and transcription programs for male meiotic progression. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13567. [PMID: 37921559 PMCID: PMC10984108 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful progression of meiosis prophase I requires integrating information from the structural and molecular levels. In this study, we show that ZFP541 and KCTD19 work in the same genetic pathway to regulate the progression of male meiosis and thus fertility. The Zfp541 and/or Kctd19 knockout male mice show various structural and recombination defects including detached chromosome ends, aberrant localization of chromosome axis components and recombination proteins, and globally altered histone modifications. Further analyses on RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and ATAC-seq data provide molecular evidence for the above defects and reveal that ZFP541/KCTD19 activates the expression of many genes by repressing several major transcription repressors. More importantly, we reveal an unexpected role of ZFP541/KCTD19 in directly modulating chromatin organization. These results suggest that ZFP541/KCTD19 simultaneously regulates the transcription cascade and chromatin organization to ensure the coordinated progression of multiple events at chromosome structural and biochemical levels during meiosis prophase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhou
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Kailun Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Yanlei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive MedicineShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Weidong Li
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Yingjin Tan
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Jiaming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive MedicineShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Xiaoxia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive MedicineShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Guoqiang Wang
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Yanan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive MedicineShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Yongliang Shang
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Liangran Zhang
- Advanced Medical Research InstituteShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life SciencesShandong Normal UniversityJinanShandongChina
| | - Charlie Degui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Shunxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive MedicineShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive GeneticsShandong UniversityJinanShandongChina
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive HealthShandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive HealthJinanShandongChina
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3
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He J, Yan A, Chen B, Huang J, Kee K. 3D genome remodeling and homologous pairing during meiotic prophase of mouse oogenesis and spermatogenesis. Dev Cell 2023; 58:3009-3027.e6. [PMID: 37963468 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
During meiosis, the chromatin and transcriptome undergo prominent switches. Although recent studies have explored the genome reorganization during spermatogenesis, the chromatin remodeling in oogenesis and characteristics of homologous pairing remain largely elusive. We comprehensively compared chromatin structures and transcriptomes at successive substages of meiotic prophase in both female and male mice using low-input high-through chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Compartments and topologically associating domains (TADs) gradually disappeared and slowly recovered in both sexes. We found that homologs adopted different sex-conserved pairing strategies prior to and after the leptotene-to-zygotene transition, changing from long interspersed nuclear element (LINE)-enriched compartments B to short interspersed nuclear element (SINE)-enriched compartments A. We complemented marker genes and predicted the sex-specific meiotic sterile genes for each substage. This study provides valuable insights into the similarities and distinctions between sexes in chromosome architecture, homologous pairing, and transcriptome during meiotic prophase of both oogenesis and spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing He
- The State Key Laboratory for Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - An Yan
- The State Key Laboratory for Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Chen
- The State Key Laboratory for Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Huang
- The State Key Laboratory for Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Kehkooi Kee
- The State Key Laboratory for Complex, Severe, and Rare Diseases, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; SXMU-Tsinghua Collaborative Innovation Center for Frontier Medicine, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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4
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Liu J, Rahim F, Zhou J, Fan S, Jiang H, Yu C, Chen J, Xu J, Yang G, Shah W, Zubair M, Khan A, Li Y, Shah B, Zhao D, Iqbal F, Jiang X, Guo T, Xu P, Xu B, Wu L, Ma H, Zhang Y, Zhang H, Shi Q. Loss-of-function variants in KCTD19 cause non-obstructive azoospermia in humans. iScience 2023; 26:107193. [PMID: 37485353 PMCID: PMC10362269 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Azoospermia is a significant cause of male infertility, with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) being the most severe type of spermatogenic failure. NOA is mostly caused by congenital factors, but our understanding of its genetic causes is very limited. Here, we identified a frameshift variant (c.201_202insAC, p.Tyr68Thrfs∗17) and two nonsense variants (c.1897C>T, p.Gln633∗; c.2005C>T, p.Gln669∗) in KCTD19 (potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 19) from two unrelated infertile Chinese men and a consanguineous Pakistani family with three infertile brothers. Testicular histological analyses revealed meiotic metaphase I (MMI) arrest in the affected individuals. Mice modeling KCTD19 variants recapitulated the same MMI arrest phenotype due to severe disrupted individualization of MMI chromosomes. Further analysis showed a complete loss of KCTD19 protein in both Kctd19 mutant mouse testes and affected individual testes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the pathogenicity of the identified KCTD19 variants and highlight an essential role of KCTD19 in MMI chromosome individualization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Fazal Rahim
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jianteng Zhou
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Suixing Fan
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Hanwei Jiang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Changping Yu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Jianze Xu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Gang Yang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Wasim Shah
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Asad Khan
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yang Li
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Basit Shah
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Daren Zhao
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Furhan Iqbal
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Tonghang Guo
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Hainan Jinghua Hejing Hospital for Reproductive Medicine, Hainan 570125, China
| | - Bo Xu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Limin Wu
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Yuanwei Zhang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Qinghua Shi
- Division of Reproduction and Genetics, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
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Zhang S, Wang C, Wang Y, Zhang H, Xu C, Cheng Y, Yuan Y, Sha J, Guo X, Cui Y. A novel protein encoded by circRsrc1 regulates mitochondrial ribosome assembly and translation during spermatogenesis. BMC Biol 2023; 21:94. [PMID: 37095490 PMCID: PMC10127071 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01597-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a large class of mammalian RNAs. Several protein products translated by circRNAs have been reported to be involved in the development of various tissues and systems; however, their physiological functions in male reproduction have yet not been explored. RESULTS Here, we report an endogenous circRNA (circRsrc1) that encodes a novel 161-amino-acid protein which we named Rsrc1-161aa through circRNA sequencing coupled with mass spectrometry analysis on mouse testicular tissues. Deletion of Rsrc1-161aa in mice impaired male fertility with a significant decrease in sperm count and motility due to dysfunctions of mitochondrial energy metabolism. A series of in vitro rescue experiments revealed that circRsrc1 regulates mitochondrial functions via its encoded protein Rsrc1-161aa. Mechanistically, Rsrc1-161aa directly interacts with mitochondrial protein C1qbp and enhances its binding activity to mitochondrial mRNAs, thereby regulating the assembly of mitochondrial ribosomes and affecting the translation of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) proteins and mitochondrial energy metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Our studies reveal that Rsrc1-161aa protein encoded by circRsrc1 regulates mitochondrial ribosome assembly and translation during spermatogenesis, thereby affecting male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Chang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Chen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yiwei Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Yan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Jiahao Sha
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Yiqiang Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
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6
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Functional Characterization of a Phf8 Processed Pseudogene in the Mouse Genome. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14010172. [PMID: 36672913 PMCID: PMC9859284 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Most pseudogenes are generated when an RNA transcript is reverse-transcribed and integrated into the genome at a new location. Pseudogenes are often considered as an imperfect and silent copy of a functional gene because of the accumulation of numerous mutations in their sequence. Here we report the presence of Pfh8-ps, a Phf8 retrotransposed pseudogene in the mouse genome, which has no disruptions in its coding sequence. We show that this pseudogene is mainly transcribed in testis and can produce a PHF8-PS protein in vivo. As the PHF8-PS protein has a well-conserved JmjC domain, we characterized its enzymatic activity and show that PHF8-PS does not have the intrinsic capability to demethylate H3K9me2 in vitro compared to the parental PHF8 protein. Surprisingly, PHF8-PS does not localize in the nucleus like PHF8, but rather is mostly located at the cytoplasm. Finally, our proteomic analysis of PHF8-PS-associated proteins revealed that PHF8-PS interacts not only with mitochondrial proteins, but also with prefoldin subunits (PFDN proteins) that deliver unfolded proteins to the cytosolic chaperonin complex implicated in the folding of cytosolic proteins. Together, our findings highlighted PHF8-PS as a new pseudogene-derived protein with distinct molecular functions from PHF8.
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7
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Nagirnaja L, Lopes AM, Charng WL, Miller B, Stakaitis R, Golubickaite I, Stendahl A, Luan T, Friedrich C, Mahyari E, Fadial E, Kasak L, Vigh-Conrad K, Oud MS, Xavier MJ, Cheers SR, James ER, Guo J, Jenkins TG, Riera-Escamilla A, Barros A, Carvalho F, Fernandes S, Gonçalves J, Gurnett CA, Jørgensen N, Jezek D, Jungheim ES, Kliesch S, McLachlan RI, Omurtag KR, Pilatz A, Sandlow JI, Smith J, Eisenberg ML, Hotaling JM, Jarvi KA, Punab M, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Carrell DT, Krausz C, Laan M, O’Bryan MK, Schlegel PN, Tüttelmann F, Veltman JA, Almstrup K, Aston KI, Conrad DF. Diverse monogenic subforms of human spermatogenic failure. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7953. [PMID: 36572685 PMCID: PMC9792524 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35661-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is the most severe form of male infertility and typically incurable. Defining the genetic basis of NOA has proven challenging, and the most advanced classification of NOA subforms is not based on genetics, but simple description of testis histology. In this study, we exome-sequenced over 1000 clinically diagnosed NOA cases and identified a plausible recessive Mendelian cause in 20%. We find further support for 21 genes in a 2-stage burden test with 2072 cases and 11,587 fertile controls. The disrupted genes are primarily on the autosomes, enriched for undescribed human "knockouts", and, for the most part, have yet to be linked to a Mendelian trait. Integration with single-cell RNA sequencing data shows that azoospermia genes can be grouped into molecular subforms with synchronized expression patterns, and analogs of these subforms exist in mice. This analysis framework identifies groups of genes with known roles in spermatogenesis but also reveals unrecognized subforms, such as a set of genes expressed across mitotic divisions of differentiating spermatogonia. Our findings highlight NOA as an understudied Mendelian disorder and provide a conceptual structure for organizing the complex genetics of male infertility, which may provide a rational basis for disease classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liina Nagirnaja
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Alexandra M. Lopes
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal ,grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226IPATIMUP - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Wu-Lin Charng
- grid.4367.60000 0001 2355 7002Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Brian Miller
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Rytis Stakaitis
- grid.475435.4Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.475435.4International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.45083.3a0000 0004 0432 6841Laboratory of Molecular Neurooncology, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Ieva Golubickaite
- grid.475435.4Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.475435.4International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.45083.3a0000 0004 0432 6841Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Alexandra Stendahl
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Tianpengcheng Luan
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XSchool of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Corinna Friedrich
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Eisa Mahyari
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Eloise Fadial
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Laura Kasak
- grid.10939.320000 0001 0943 7661Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Katinka Vigh-Conrad
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Manon S. Oud
- grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Miguel J. Xavier
- grid.1006.70000 0001 0462 7212Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Samuel R. Cheers
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XSchool of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Emma R. James
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA ,grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Jingtao Guo
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Timothy G. Jenkins
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Antoni Riera-Escamilla
- grid.418813.70000 0004 1767 1951Andrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Catalonia Spain ,grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Molecular Biology Laboratory, Fundació Puigvert, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia 08025 Spain
| | - Alberto Barros
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal ,grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226Serviço de Genética, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipa Carvalho
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal ,grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226Serviço de Genética, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Susana Fernandes
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal ,grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226Serviço de Genética, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Gonçalves
- grid.422270.10000 0001 2287 695XDepartamento de Genética Humana, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal ,grid.10772.330000000121511713Centre for Toxicogenomics and Human Health, Nova Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Christina A. Gurnett
- grid.4367.60000 0001 2355 7002Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Niels Jørgensen
- grid.475435.4Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.475435.4International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Davor Jezek
- grid.4808.40000 0001 0657 4636Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Emily S. Jungheim
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- grid.16149.3b0000 0004 0551 4246Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Robert I. McLachlan
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Hudson Institute of Medical Research and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC Australia
| | - Kenan R. Omurtag
- grid.34477.330000000122986657Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Adrian Pilatz
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Clinic for Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jay I. Sandlow
- grid.30760.320000 0001 2111 8460Department of Urology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI USA
| | - James Smith
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Urology, University California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Michael L. Eisenberg
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - James M. Hotaling
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Keith A. Jarvi
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Margus Punab
- grid.412269.a0000 0001 0585 7044Andrology Center, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia ,grid.10939.320000 0001 0943 7661Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts
- grid.475435.4Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.475435.4International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Douglas T. Carrell
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Csilla Krausz
- grid.8404.80000 0004 1757 2304Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Maris Laan
- grid.10939.320000 0001 0943 7661Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Moira K. O’Bryan
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XSchool of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC Australia ,grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC Australia
| | - Peter N. Schlegel
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- grid.5949.10000 0001 2172 9288Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Joris A. Veltman
- grid.1006.70000 0001 0462 7212Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Kristian Almstrup
- grid.475435.4Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark ,grid.475435.4International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenneth I. Aston
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Andrology and IVF Laboratory, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Donald F. Conrad
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, OR USA
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8
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Zhang Y, Yang L, Fang K, Li Q, Xu H, Ren Y, Zi J, Chen CD, Liu S. Dynamic Responses of Chromosome-Binding Protein Complexes to Meiotic Prophase I of Mouse Spermatocyte. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:2715-2726. [PMID: 36223561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic prophase I (MPI) is the most important event in mammalian meiosis. The status of the chromosome-binding proteins (CBPs) and the corresponding complexes and their functions in MPI have not yet been well scrutinized. Quantitative proteomics focused on MPI-related CBPs was accomplished, in which mouse primary spermatocytes in four different subphases of MPI were collected, and chromosome-enriched proteins were extracted and quantitatively identified. According to a stringent criterion, 1136 CBPs in the MPI subphases were quantified. Looking at the dynamic patterns of CBP abundance in response to MPI progression, the patterns were broadly divided into two groups: high abundance in leptotene and zygotene or that in pachytene and diplotene. Furthermore, 152 such CBPs were regarded as 26 CBP complexes with strict filtration, in which some of these complexes were perceived to be MPI-dependent for the first time. These complexes basically belonged to four functional categories, while their dynamic abundance changes following MPI appeared; the functions of DNA replication decreased; and transcription and synapsis were activated in zygotene, pachytene, and diplotene; in contrast to the traditional prediction, condensin activity weakened in pachytene and diplotene. Profiling of protein complexes thus offered convincing evidence of the importance of CBP complexes in MPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Zhang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.,College of Life Sciences & Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 China
| | | | - Kailun Fang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031 China
| | - Qidan Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Hongkai Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Ren
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China.,Experiment Center for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jin Zi
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Charlie Degui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Siqi Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
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9
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Chen L, Wang WJ, Liu Q, Wu YK, Wu YW, Jiang Y, Liao XQ, Huang F, Li Y, Shen L, Yu C, Zhang SY, Yan LY, Qiao J, Sha QQ, Fan HY. NAT10-mediated N4-acetylcytidine modification is required for meiosis entry and progression in male germ cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:10896-10913. [PMID: 35801907 PMCID: PMC9638909 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional RNA modifications critically regulate various biological processes. N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is an epi-transcriptome, which is highly conserved in all species. However, the in vivo physiological functions and regulatory mechanisms of ac4C remain poorly understood, particularly in mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that the only known ac4C writer, N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), plays an essential role in male reproduction. We identified the occurrence of ac4C in the mRNAs of mouse tissues and showed that ac4C undergoes dynamic changes during spermatogenesis. Germ cell-specific ablation of Nat10 severely inhibits meiotic entry and leads to defects in homologous chromosome synapsis, meiotic recombination and repair of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis. Transcriptomic profiling revealed dysregulation of functional genes in meiotic prophase I after Nat10 deletion. These findings highlight the crucial physiological functions of ac4C modifications in male spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of its role in the regulation of specific physiological processes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yun-Wen Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiu-Quan Liao
- Fertility Preservation Laboratory, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 510317, China
| | - Fei Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Li Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biosystems Homeostasis, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
- College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Song-Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Management of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Li-Ying Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction (Peking University), Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jie Qiao
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Jie Qiao. Tel: +86 571 88981751;
| | - Qian-Qian Sha
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Qian-Qian Sha. Tel: +86 20 89169199;
| | - Heng-Yu Fan
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 571 88981370;
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10
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Alves LQ, Ruivo R, Valente R, Fonseca MM, Machado AM, Plön S, Monteiro N, García-Parraga D, Ruiz-Díaz S, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Castro LFC. A drastic shift in the energetic landscape of toothed whale sperm cells. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3648-3655.e9. [PMID: 34171300 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian spermatozoa are a notable example of metabolic compartmentalization.1 Energy in the form of ATP production, vital for motility, capacitation, and fertilization, is subcellularly separated in sperm cells. While glycolysis provides a local, rapid, and low-yielding input of ATP along the flagellum fibrous sheath, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), far more efficient over a longer time frame, is concentrated in the midpiece mitochondria.2 The relative weight of glycolysis and OXPHOS pathways in sperm function is variable among species and sensitive to oxygen and substrate availability.3-5 Besides partitioning energy production, sperm cell energetics display an additional singularity: the occurrence of sperm-specific gene duplicates and alternative spliced variants, with conserved function but structurally bound to the flagellar fibrous sheath.6,7 The wider selective forces driving the compartmentalization and adaptability of this energy system in mammalian species remain largely unknown, much like the impact of ecosystem resource availability (e.g., carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins) and dietary adaptations in reproductive physiology traits.8 Here, we investigated the Cetacea, an iconic group of fully aquatic and carnivorous marine mammals, evolutionarily related to extant terrestrial herbivores.9 In this lineage, episodes of profound trait remodeling have been accompanied by clear genomic signatures.10-14 We show that toothed whales exhibit impaired sperm glycolysis, due to gene and exon erosion, and demonstrate that dolphin spermatozoa motility depends on endogenous fatty acid β-oxidation, but not carbohydrates. Such unique energetic rewiring substantiates the observation of large mitochondria in toothed whale spermatozoa and emphasizes the radical physiological reorganization imposed by the transition to a carbohydrate-depleted marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Q Alves
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Raquel Ruivo
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Raul Valente
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (U. Porto), Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel M Fonseca
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - André M Machado
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (U. Porto), Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Stephanie Plön
- Department of Pathology, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
| | - Nuno Monteiro
- FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (U. Porto), Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIBIO - Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - David García-Parraga
- Veterinary Services, L'Oceanográfic, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Junta de Murs i Vals, s/n, 46013 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Ruiz-Díaz
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Mistral Fertility Clinics S.L., Clínica Tambre, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria J Sánchez-Calabuig
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - L Filipe C Castro
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (U. Porto), Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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11
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KCTD19 and its associated protein ZFP541 are independently essential for meiosis in male mice. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009412. [PMID: 33961623 PMCID: PMC8104389 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a cell division process with complex chromosome events where various molecules must work in tandem. To find meiosis-related genes, we screened evolutionarily conserved and reproductive tract-enriched genes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and identified potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 19 (Kctd19) as an essential factor for meiosis. In prophase I, Kctd19 deficiency did not affect synapsis or the DNA damage response, and chiasma structures were also observed in metaphase I spermatocytes of Kctd19 KO mice. However, spermatocytes underwent apoptotic elimination during the metaphase-anaphase transition. We were able to rescue the Kctd19 KO phenotype with an epitope-tagged Kctd19 transgene. By immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, we confirmed the association of KCTD19 with zinc finger protein 541 (ZFP541) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). Phenotyping of Zfp541 KO spermatocytes demonstrated XY chromosome asynapsis and recurrent DNA damage in the late pachytene stage, leading to apoptosis. In summary, our study reveals that KCTD19 associates with ZFP541 and HDAC1, and that both KCTD19 and ZFP541 are essential for meiosis in male mice. Meiosis is a fundamental process that consists of one round of genomic DNA replication and two rounds of chromosome segregation, producing four haploid cells. To properly distribute their genetic material, cells need to undergo complex chromosome events such as a physical linkage of homologous chromosomes (termed synapsis) and meiotic recombination. The molecules involved in these events have not been fully characterized yet, especially in mammals. Using a CRISPR/Cas9-screening system, we identified the potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 19 (Kctd19) as an essential factor for meiosis in male mice. Further, we confirmed the association of KCTD19 with zinc finger protein 541 (ZFP541) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). By observing meiosis of Zfp541 knockout germ cells, we found that Zfp541 was also essential for meiosis. These results show that the KCTD19/ZFP541 complex plays a critical role and is indispensable for male meiosis and fertility.
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