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Ren H, Wen X, He Q, Yi M, Dugarjaviin M, Bou G. Comparative Study on the Sperm Proteomes of Horses and Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2237. [PMID: 39123763 PMCID: PMC11311092 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152237] [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: 06/29/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The reproductive performance of horse sperm and donkey sperm has been reported to differ. Sperm proteins play a crucial role in sperm viability and fertility. Although differences between species are known, no prior study has investigated disparities in the sperm proteome between horses and donkeys. Therefore, this study characterized and compared the sperm proteomes of horses and donkeys using 4D-DIA mass spectrometry technology. We identified 3436 proteins in horse sperm and 3404 proteins in donkey sperm. Of these, 3363 proteins were expressed in both horse and donkey sperm, with 73 proteins being specifically expressed in horse sperm, and 41 in donkey sperm. According to data analysis, donkeys exhibited a greater percentage of motility and progressive movement in straight-line sperm than horses, as well as lower percentages of static and slow sperm than horses. Joint analysis of the results from the horse and donkey sperm proteomes and their CEROS II-read parameters demonstrated a possible association between sperm proteins and their sperm viability patterns. These findings suggest that there are discrepancies in the expression levels and protein compositions of horse and donkey sperm and that certain specific proteins may be responsible for the differences in performance between these two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ren
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Xin Wen
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Qianqian He
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Minna Yi
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Manglai Dugarjaviin
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Gerelchimeg Bou
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (H.R.); (X.W.); (Q.H.); (M.Y.)
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Science Research and Technology Innovation, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
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Voss ER, Nachman MW. Mating system variation and gene expression in the male reproductive tract of Peromyscus mice. Mol Ecol 2024:e17433. [PMID: 39031829 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17433] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Genes involved in reproduction often evolve rapidly at the sequence level due to postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) driven by male-male competition and male-female sexual conflict, but the impact of PCSS on gene expression has been under-explored. Further, though multiple tissues contribute to male reproductive success, most studies have focused on the testes. To explore the influence of mating system variation on reproductive tract gene expression in natural populations, we captured adult males from monogamous Peromyscus californicus and polygynandrous P. boylii and P. maniculatus. We generated RNAseq libraries, quantified gene expression in the testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and liver, and identified 3627 mating system-associated differentially expressed genes (MS-DEGs), where expression shifted in the same direction in P. maniculatus and P. boylii relative to P. californicus. Gene expression variation was most strongly associated with mating behaviour in the seminal vesicles, where 89% of differentially expressed genes were MS-DEGs, including the key seminal fluid proteins Svs2 and Pate4. We also used published rodent genomes to test for positive and relaxed selection on Peromyscus-expressed genes. Though we did not observe more overlap than expected by chance between MS-DEGs and positively selected genes, 203 MS-DEGs showed evidence of positive selection. Fourteen reproductive genes were under tree-wide positive selection but convergent relaxed selection in P. californicus and Microtus ochrogaster, a distantly related monogamous species. Changes in transcript abundance and gene sequence evolution in association with mating behaviour suggest that male mice may respond to sexual selection intensity by altering aspects of sperm motility, sperm-egg binding and copulatory plug formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin R Voss
- Department of Integrative Biology and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Michael W Nachman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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3
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He H, Li X, Li J, Ning Y, Luo J, Shi H. A novel regulatory sex-skewing method that inhibits testicular DPY30 expression to increase female rate of dairy goat offspring. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skad422. [PMID: 38167777 PMCID: PMC10998464 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad422] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The demand for goat milk products has increased exponentially with the growth of the global population. The shortage of dairy products will be addressed extraordinarily by manipulating the female rate of goat offspring to expand the goat population and goat milk yield. No studies have reported bioinformatic analyses of X- and Y-bearing sperm of dairy goats, although this will contribute to exploring novel and applied sex-skewing technologies. Regulatory subunit of the histone methyltransferase complex (DPY30) was determined to be the key differentially expressed protein (DEP) among 15 DEPs identified in the present study. The spatiotemporal expression of DPY30 strongly suggested a functional involvement of the protein in spermatogenesis. DPY30 promoted meiosis via upregulating SYCP3, which played a crucial role in mediating sex ratio skewing in goats. Although DPY30 suppressed the self-renewal of spermatogonia stem cells through AKT/PLZF, DPY30 inhibition in the testis did not induce testicular dysgenesis. Based on the biosafety assessment in mice testes, lentivirus-mediated DPY30 knockdown in bucks' testes increased X-bearing sperm proportion and female kids' rate (22.8 percentage points) without affecting sperm quality, pregnancy rate, and kidding rate. This study provides the first evidence of the DEGs in the sexed sperm of dairy goats. DPY30 inhibition in the testes of bucks increased the female kids' rate without influencing reproductive performance. The present study provides evidence for expanding the female dairy goat population to address the concern of dairy product shortage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanshan He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jintao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong Ning
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huaiping Shi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People’s Republic of China
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Zeender V, Pfammatter S, Roschitzki B, Dorus S, Lüpold S. Genotype-by-environment interactions influence the composition of the Drosophila seminal proteome. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231313. [PMID: 37700651 PMCID: PMC10498039 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1313] [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: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ejaculate proteins are key mediators of post-mating sexual selection and sexual conflict, as they can influence both male fertilization success and female reproductive physiology. However, the extent and sources of genetic variation and condition dependence of the ejaculate proteome are largely unknown. Such knowledge could reveal the targets and mechanisms of post-mating selection and inform about the relative costs and allocation of different ejaculate components, each with its own potential fitness consequences. Here, we used liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to characterize the whole-ejaculate protein composition across 12 isogenic lines of Drosophila melanogaster that were reared on a high- or low-quality diet. We discovered new proteins in the transferred ejaculate and inferred their origin in the male reproductive system. We further found that the ejaculate composition was mainly determined by genotype identity and genotype-specific responses to larval diet, with no clear overall diet effect. Nutrient restriction increased proteolytic protein activity and shifted the balance between reproductive function and RNA metabolism. Our results open new avenues for exploring the intricate role of genotypes and their environment in shaping ejaculate composition, or for studying the functional dynamics and evolutionary potential of the ejaculate in its multivariate complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérian Zeender
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sibylle Pfammatter
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Roschitzki
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Garlovsky MD, Ahmed-Braimah YH. Evolutionary Quantitative Proteomics of Reproductive Protein Divergence in Drosophila. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100610. [PMID: 37391044 PMCID: PMC10407754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100610] [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: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits often evolve rapidly between species. Understanding the causes and consequences of this rapid divergence requires characterization of female and male reproductive proteins and their effect on fertilization success. Species in the Drosophila virilis clade exhibit rampant interspecific reproductive incompatibilities, making them ideal for studies on diversification of reproductive proteins and their role in speciation. Importantly, the role of intraejaculate protein abundance and allocation in interspecific divergence is poorly understood. Here, we identify and quantify the transferred male ejaculate proteome using multiplexed isobaric labeling of the lower female reproductive tract before and immediately after mating using three species of the virilis group. We identified over 200 putative male ejaculate proteins, many of which show differential abundance between species, suggesting that males transfer a species-specific allocation of seminal fluid proteins during copulation. We also identified over 2000 female reproductive proteins, which contain female-specific serine-type endopeptidases that showed differential abundance between species and elevated rates of molecular evolution, similar to that of some male seminal fluid proteins. Our findings suggest that reproductive protein divergence can also manifest in terms of species-specific protein abundance patterns.
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Otčenášková T, Macíčková E, Vondráková J, Frolíková M, Komrskova K, Stopková R, Stopka P. Proteomic analysis of the mouse sperm acrosome - towards an understanding of an organelle with diverse functionality. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151296. [PMID: 36805822 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The acrosome located within the mammalian sperm head is essential for successful fertilization, as it enables the sperm to penetrate the extracellular layers of the oocyte and fuse with oolemma. However, the mammalian acrosomal vesicle is no longer considered to contain only hydrolytic enzymes. Using label-free nano-scale liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) proteomics, we identified a total of 885 proteins in the acrosome isolated from spermatozoa obtained from cauda epididymis of free-living house mice Mus musculus musculus contains a total of 885 proteins. Among these, 334 proteins were significantly enriched in the acrosome thus representing 27.3% of the whole proteome of the intact sperm. Importantly, we have detected a total of nine calycins while eight of them belong to the lipocalin protein family. In mice, lipocalins are involved in multi-level chemical communication between individuals including pheromone transport and odor perception. Using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, we demonstrated that lipocalin 5 (LCN5) is expressed in the mouse germ cells, and after completing spermatogenesis, it remains localized in the sperm acrosome until the last step of the extratesticular maturation, the acrosome reaction. The presence of lipocalins in the acrosome and acrosome-reacted sperm suggests their original role as chelators of organic and potentially toxic compounds resulting from ongoing spermiogenesis. Along with this evidence, detected mitochondrial (e.g., a subunit of the cytochrome c oxidase MTCO1) and proteasomal proteins (subunits of both 20 S core proteasome [PSMA2, PSMBs] and 19 S regulatory particle [PSMDs]) in acrosomes provide further evidence that acrosomes could also function as `waste baskets` after testicular sperm maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Otčenášková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Eliška Macíčková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Vondráková
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Michaela Frolíková
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Katerina Komrskova
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Romana Stopková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavel Stopka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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Tourmente M, Sansegundo E, Rial E, Roldan ERS. Bioenergetic changes in response to sperm capacitation and two-way metabolic compensation in a new murine model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:11. [PMID: 36534181 PMCID: PMC9763147 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04652-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of fertilizing ability by mammalian spermatozoa, known as "capacitation," includes processes that depend on particular metabolic pathways. This has led to the hypothesis that ATP demands might differ between capacitated and non-capacitated cells. Mouse sperm can produce ATP via OXPHOS and aerobic glycolysis, an advantageous characteristic considering that these cells have to function in the complex and variable environment of the female reproductive tract. Nonetheless, despite evidence showing that both metabolic pathways play a role in events associated with mouse sperm capacitation, there is contradictory evidence regarding changes promoted by capacitation in this species. In addition, the vast majority of studies regarding murine sperm metabolism use Mus musculus laboratory strains as model, thus neglecting the wide diversity of sperm traits of other species of Mus. Focus on closely related species with distinct evolutionary histories, which may be the result of different selective pressures, could shed light on diversity of metabolic processes. Here, we analyzed variations in sperm bioenergetics associated with capacitation in spermatozoa of the steppe mouse, Mus spicilegus, a species with high sperm performance. Furthermore, we compared sperm metabolic traits of this species with similar traits previously characterized in M. musculus. We found that the metabolism of M. spicilegus sperm responded to capacitation in a manner similar to that of M. musculus sperm. However, M. spicilegus sperm showed distinct metabolic features, including the ability to perform cross-pathway metabolic compensation in response to either respiratory or glycolytic inhibition, thus revealing a delicate fine-tuning of its metabolic capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN - UNC), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IIByT - CONICET, UNC), Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Ester Sansegundo
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Rial
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
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Effects of Larval Diet on the Male Reproductive Traits in the West Indian Sweet Potato Weevils Euscepes postfasciatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040389. [PMID: 35447831 PMCID: PMC9031274 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary In insects, it is known that the diet during the larval stage affects traits in the adult stage. However, it is still unclear how it affects reproductive traits such as ejaculation. The ejaculate contains many proteins and therefore requires much nutrition, so the larval diet strongly influences it. Males of the West Indian sweet potato weevil Euscepes postfasciatus use accessory gland substances to inhibit remating by females. Crossing experiments were conducted using lines reared on artificial diets or sweet potato tubers during the larval stage, and the refractory period was examined. The results showed that the larval stage diet had a significant effect on the refractory period of females. We also found one protein of approximately 15 kDa in size expressed only in the treatments reared on sweet potatoes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that larval diet qualitatively influences male ejaculate and female refractory period. Abstract Larval diet significantly affects adult traits, although less is known about how they affect reproductive traits. Males of West Indian sweet potato weevil Euscepes postfasciatus deliver a remating inhibitor along with sperm to their mates during mating, leading to a refractory period (the period before females mate again). Crossing experiments were conducted using lines reared on artificial diets, including sweet potato powder (AD) or sweet potato tubers (SP) during the larval stage, and the refractory period was examined. We also examined whether the larval diet qualitatively or quantitatively altered male ejaculate. The results showed that the refractory period was significantly longer in the SP treatment than in the AD treatment for males and females. There was no significant difference in ejaculate volume. However, the number of sperm in the testes-seminal vesicles complex was significantly higher in the SP treatment. Additionally, SDS-PAGE revealed that the ejaculate was qualitatively different depending on the larval diet, and one protein of approximately 15 kDa in size was expressed only in the SP treatments. Revealing how larval diet affects reproductive traits in adult males will help shed light on the diverse evolution of insect mating systems and reproductive behavior.
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Barrachina F, Battistone MA, Castillo J, Mallofré C, Jodar M, Breton S, Oliva R. Sperm acquire epididymis-derived proteins through epididymosomes. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:651-668. [PMID: 35137089 PMCID: PMC8971652 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are epididymosomes implicated in protein transfer from the epididymis to spermatozoa? SUMMARY ANSWER We characterized the contribution of epididymal secretions to the sperm proteome and demonstrated that sperm acquire epididymal proteins through epididymosomes. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Testicular sperm are immature cells unable to fertilize an oocyte. After leaving the testis, sperm transit along the epididymis to acquire motility and fertilizing abilities. It is well known that marked changes in the sperm proteome profile occur during epididymal maturation. Since the sperm is a transcriptional and translational inert cell, previous studies have shown that sperm incorporate proteins, RNA and lipids from extracellular vesicles (EVs), released by epithelial cells lining the male reproductive tract. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We examined the contribution of the epididymis to the post-testicular maturation of spermatozoa, via the production of EVs named epididymosomes, released by epididymal epithelial cells. An integrative analysis using both human and mouse data was performed to identify sperm proteins with a potential epididymis-derived origin. Testes and epididymides from adult humans (n = 9) and adult mice (n = 3) were used to experimentally validate the tissue localization of four selected proteins using high-resolution confocal microscopy. Mouse epididymal sperm were co-incubated with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labeled epididymosomes (n = 4 mice), and visualized using high-resolution confocal microscopy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Adult (12-week-old) C57BL/CBAF1 wild-type male mice and adult humans were used for validation purposes. Testes and epididymides from both mice and humans were obtained and processed for immunofluorescence. Mouse epididymal sperm and mouse epididymosomes were obtained from the epididymal cauda segment. Fluorescent epididymosomes were obtained after labeling the epididymal vesicles with CFSE dye followed by epididymosome isolation using a density cushion. Immunofluorescence was performed following co-incubation of sperm with epididymosomes in vitro. High-resolution confocal microscopy and 3D image reconstruction were used to visualize protein localization and sperm-epididymosomes interactions. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Through in silico analysis, we first identified 25 sperm proteins with a putative epididymal origin that were conserved in both human and mouse spermatozoa. From those, the epididymal origin of four sperm proteins (SLC27A2, EDDM3B, KRT19 and WFDC8) was validated by high-resolution confocal microscopy. SLC27A2, EDDM3B, KRT19 and WFDC8 were all detected in epithelial cells lining the human and mouse epididymis, and absent from human and mouse seminiferous tubules. We found region-specific expression patterns of these proteins throughout the mouse epididymides. In addition, while EDDM3B, KRT19 and WFDC8 were detected in both epididymal principal and clear cells (CCs), SLC27A2 was exclusively expressed in CCs. Finally, we showed that CFSE-fluorescently labeled epididymosomes interact with sperm in vitro and about 12-36% of the epididymosomes contain the targeted sperm proteins with an epididymal origin. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The human and mouse sample size was limited and our results were descriptive. The analyses of epididymal sperm and epididymosomes were solely performed in the mouse model due to the difficulties in obtaining epididymal luminal fluid human samples. Alternatively, human ejaculated sperm and seminal EVs could not be used because ejaculated sperm have already contacted with the fluids secreted by the male accessory sex glands, and seminal EVs contain other EVs in addition to epididymosomes, such as the abundant prostate-derived EVs. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our findings indicate that epididymosomes are capable of providing spermatozoa with a new set of epididymis-derived proteins that could modulate the sperm proteome and, subsequently, participate in the post-testicular maturation of sperm cells. Additionally, our data provide further evidence of the novel role of epididymal CCs in epididymosome production. Identifying mechanisms by which sperm mature to acquire their fertilization potential would, ultimately, lead to a better understanding of male reproductive health and may help to identify potential therapeutic strategies to improve male infertility. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Ministerio de Economía y Competividad; fondos FEDER 'una manera de hacer Europa' PI13/00699 and PI16/00346 to R.O.; and Sara Borrell Postdoctoral Fellowship, Acción Estratégica en Salud, CD17/00109 to J.C.), by National Institutes of Health (grants HD040793 and HD069623 to S.B., grant HD104672-01 to M.A.B.), by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte para la Formación de Profesorado Universitario, FPU15/02306 to F.B.), by a Lalor Foundation Fellowship (to F.B. and M.A.B.), by the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya, pla estratègic de recerca i innovació en salut, PERIS 2016-2020, SLT002/16/00337 to M.J.), by Fundació Universitària Agustí Pedro i Pons (to F.B.), and by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PROLAB Award from ASBMB/IUBMB/PABMB to F.B.). Confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy was performed in the Microscopy Core facility of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Systems Biology/Program in Membrane Biology which receives support from Boston Area Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center (BADERC) award DK57521 and Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease grant DK43351. The Zeiss LSM800 microscope was acquired using an NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant S10-OD-021577-01. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Barrachina
- Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Research Group, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M A Battistone
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Castillo
- Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Research Group, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Mallofré
- Department of Pathology, Universitat de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Jodar
- Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Research Group, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Breton
- Program in Membrane Biology, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Oliva
- Molecular Biology of Reproduction and Development Research Group, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
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10
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Kopania EEK, Larson EL, Callahan C, Keeble S, Good JM. Molecular Evolution across Mouse Spermatogenesis. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6517785. [PMID: 35099536 PMCID: PMC8844503 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes involved in spermatogenesis tend to evolve rapidly, but we lack a clear understanding of how protein sequences and patterns of gene expression evolve across this complex developmental process. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to generate expression data for early (meiotic) and late (postmeiotic) cell types across 13 inbred strains of mice (Mus) spanning ∼7 My of evolution. We used these comparative developmental data to investigate the evolution of lineage-specific expression, protein-coding sequences, and expression levels. We found increased lineage specificity and more rapid protein-coding and expression divergence during late spermatogenesis, suggesting that signatures of rapid testis molecular evolution are punctuated across sperm development. Despite strong overall developmental parallels in these components of molecular evolution, protein and expression divergences were only weakly correlated across genes. We detected more rapid protein evolution on the X chromosome relative to the autosomes, whereas X-linked gene expression tended to be relatively more conserved likely reflecting chromosome-specific regulatory constraints. Using allele-specific FACS expression data from crosses between four strains, we found that the relative contributions of different regulatory mechanisms also differed between cell types. Genes showing cis-regulatory changes were more common late in spermatogenesis, and tended to be associated with larger differences in expression levels and greater expression divergence between species. In contrast, genes with trans-acting changes were more common early and tended to be more conserved across species. Our findings advance understanding of gene evolution across spermatogenesis and underscore the fundamental importance of developmental context in molecular evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E K Kopania
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Erica L Larson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
| | - Colin Callahan
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Sara Keeble
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Good
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
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11
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Teves ME, Roldan ERS. Sperm bauplan and function and underlying processes of sperm formation and selection. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:7-60. [PMID: 33880962 PMCID: PMC8812575 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00009.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated and polarized cell, with two main structures: the head, containing a haploid nucleus and the acrosomal exocytotic granule, and the flagellum, which generates energy and propels the cell; both structures are connected by the neck. The sperm's main aim is to participate in fertilization, thus activating development. Despite this common bauplan and function, there is an enormous diversity in structure and performance of sperm cells. For example, mammalian spermatozoa may exhibit several head patterns and overall sperm lengths ranging from ∼30 to 350 µm. Mechanisms of transport in the female tract, preparation for fertilization, and recognition of and interaction with the oocyte also show considerable variation. There has been much interest in understanding the origin of this diversity, both in evolutionary terms and in relation to mechanisms underlying sperm differentiation in the testis. Here, relationships between sperm bauplan and function are examined at two levels: first, by analyzing the selective forces that drive changes in sperm structure and physiology to understand the adaptive values of this variation and impact on male reproductive success and second, by examining cellular and molecular mechanisms of sperm formation in the testis that may explain how differentiation can give rise to such a wide array of sperm forms and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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12
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Yeast Two-Hybrid Screen Identifies PKA-Riα Interacting Proteins during Mouse Spermiogenesis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121941. [PMID: 34946890 PMCID: PMC8700991 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling plays various roles during mammalian spermatogenesis, ranging from the regulation of gene expression to the modulation of sperm motility. However, the molecular mechanisms that govern the multifaceted functions of PKA during spermatogenesis remain largely unclear. We previously found that PKA regulatory subunit I α (RIα) and catalytic subunit α (Cα) co-sediment with polyribosomal fractions of mouse testis lysate on sucrose gradient and the stimulation of PKA activity facilitates protein synthesis in post-meiotic elongating spermatids, indicating that type I PKA is intricately associated with protein translation machinery and regulates protein synthesis during mouse spermiogenesis. Since PKA activity is often regulated by interacting proteins that form complexes with its regulatory subunits, the identification of PKA-RIα interacting proteins in post-meiotic spermatogenic cells will facilitate our understanding of its regulatory roles in protein synthesis and spermiogenesis. In the present study, we applied a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify PKA-Riα-binding proteins using a cDNA library generated from mouse round and elongating spermatids. Numerous proteins were found to potentially interact with PKA-RIα, including proteostasis modulators, metabolic enzymes, cytoskeletal regulators, and mitochondrial proteins, many of which are specifically expressed in testes. Consistently, the examination of MENA (mouse ENA/VASP homolog) in developing mouse testes suggested that post-meiotic spermatogenic cells express a short isoform of MENA that interacts with PKA-RIα in yeast two-hybrid assay. The identification of PKA-RIα interacting proteins provides us solid basis to further explore how PKA signaling regulates protein synthesis and cellular morphogenesis during mouse spermatogenesis.
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13
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McDonough-Goldstein CE, Whittington E, McCullough EL, Buel SM, Erdman S, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Pronounced Postmating Response in the Drosophila Female Reproductive Tract Fluid Proteome. Mol Cell Proteomics 2021; 20:100156. [PMID: 34597791 PMCID: PMC9357439 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2021.100156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility depends on the progression of complex and coordinated postmating processes within the extracellular environment of the female reproductive tract (FRT). Molecular interactions between ejaculate and FRT proteins regulate many of these processes, including sperm motility, migration, storage, and modification, along with concurrent changes in the female. Although extensive progress has been made in the proteomic characterization of the male-derived components of sperm and seminal fluid, investigations into the FRT have remained more limited. To achieve a comparable level of knowledge regarding female-derived proteins that comprise the reproductive environment, we utilized semiquantitative MS-based proteomics to study the composition of the FRT tissue and, separately, the luminal fluid, before and after mating in Drosophila melanogaster. Our approach leveraged whole-fly isotopic labeling to delineate female proteins from transferred male ejaculate proteins. Our results revealed several characteristics that distinguish the FRT fluid proteome from the FRT tissue proteome: (1) the fluid proteome is encoded by genes with higher overall levels of FRT gene expression and tissue specificity, including many genes with enriched expression in the fat body, (2) fluid-biased proteins are enriched for metabolic functions, and (3) the fluid exhibits pronounced postmating compositional changes. The dynamic mating-induced proteomic changes in the FRT fluid inform our understanding of secretory mechanisms of the FRT, serve as a foundation for establishing female contributions to the ejaculate-female interactions that regulate fertility, and highlight the importance of applying proteomic approaches to characterize the composition and dynamics of the FRT environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Whittington
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Erin L McCullough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Sharleen M Buel
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Scott Erdman
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
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14
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Zhao Y, Wang Y, Guo F, Lu B, Sun J, Wang J, Ren Z. iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of sperm reveals candidate proteins that affect the quality of spermatozoa from boars on plateaus. Proteome Sci 2021; 19:9. [PMID: 34330296 PMCID: PMC8323236 DOI: 10.1186/s12953-021-00177-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tibetan pigs (TP) exhibit heritable adaptations to their hypoxic environments as a result of natural selection. However, candidate proteins that affect the sperm quality of boars on plateaus have not yet been clearly investigated. Methods In this study, to reveal the candidate proteins that affect the quality of spermatozoa of boars on plateaus, we analyzed the sperm quality using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) system and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. We also compared the proteomes of sperm proteomes between TP and Yorkshire pigs (YP) raised at high altitudes using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) in combination with the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) proteomic method, and confirmed the relative expression levels of the four proteins by western blotting. Results The sperm quality of the TP was superior to that of the YP on plateaus. Of the 1,555 quantified proteins, 318 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the DEPs were predominantly associated with the sorbitol metabolic process, removal of superoxide radicals, cellular response to superoxide, response to superoxide and regulation of the mitotic spindle assembly. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were mainly enriched in pathways involved in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, glutathione metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and estrogen signaling. Based on the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, we identified 8 candidate proteins (FN1, EGF, HSP90B1, CFL1, GPX4, NDUFA6, VDAC2, and CP) that might play important roles and affect the sperm quality of boars on plateaus. Moreover, the relative expression levels of four proteins (CFL1, EGF, FN1, and GPX4) were confirmed by western blot analysis. Conclusions Our study revealed 8 candidate proteins (FN1, EGF, HSP90B1, CFL1, GPX4, NDUFA6, VDAC2, and CP) that affect the sperm quality of boar on plateaus and provide a reference for further studies on improving sperm quality and the molecular breeding of boars on plateaus. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12953-021-00177-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Zhao
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Yaomei Wang
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Feipeng Guo
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Bo Lu
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Jiale Sun
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Jianzhou Wang
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China
| | - Zili Ren
- College of Animal Science, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi, Tibet, 860000, P.R. China.
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15
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Fuentes-Albero MC, González-Brusi L, Cots P, Luongo C, Abril-Sánchez S, Ros-Santaella JL, Pintus E, Ruiz-Díaz S, Barros-García C, Sánchez-Calabuig MJ, García-Párraga D, Avilés M, Izquierdo Rico MJ, García-Vázquez FA. Protein Identification of Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma in Bottlenose Dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus). Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673961. [PMID: 34336830 PMCID: PMC8323341 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins play an important role in many reproductive functions such as sperm maturation, sperm transit in the female genital tract or sperm-oocyte interaction. However, in general, little information concerning reproductive features is available in the case of aquatic animals. The present study aims to characterize the proteome of both spermatozoa and seminal plasma of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as a model organism for cetaceans. Ejaculate samples were obtained from two trained dolphins housed in an aquarium. Spermatozoa and seminal plasma were analyzed by means of proteomic analyses using an LC-MS/MS, and a list with the gene symbols corresponding to each protein was submitted to the DAVID database. Of the 419 proteins identified in spermatozoa and 303 in seminal plasma, 111 proteins were shared by both. Furthermore, 70 proteins were identified as involved in reproductive processes, 39 in spermatozoa, and 31 in seminal plasma. The five most abundant proteins were also identified in these samples: AKAP3, ODF2, TUBB, GSTM3, ROPN1 for spermatozoa and CST11, LTF, ALB, HSP90B1, PIGR for seminal plasma. In conclusion, this study provides the first characterization of the proteome in cetacean sperm and seminal plasma, opening the way to future research into new biomarkers, the analysis of conservation capacity or possible additional applications in the field of assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari-Carmen Fuentes-Albero
- Department of Biology, Avanqua-Oceanogràfic S.L, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Leopoldo González-Brusi
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Paula Cots
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Chiara Luongo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Abril-Sánchez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Luis Ros-Santaella
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Eliana Pintus
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Sara Ruiz-Díaz
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Agricultural and Food Research and Technology Institute (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - María-Jesús Sánchez-Calabuig
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Agricultural and Food Research and Technology Institute (INIA), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- Department of Biology, Avanqua-Oceanogràfic S.L, Valencia, Spain.,Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Avilés
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Mᵃ José Izquierdo Rico
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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16
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Llavanera M, Mateo-Otero Y, Delgado-Bermúdez A, Recuero S, Olives S, Barranco I, Yeste M. Deactivation of the JNK Pathway by GSTP1 Is Essential to Maintain Sperm Functionality. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:627140. [PMID: 33732696 PMCID: PMC7959831 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.627140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fifty percent of male subfertility diagnosis is idiopathic and is usually associated with genetic abnormalities or protein dysfunction, which are not detectable through the conventional spermiogram. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are antioxidant enzymes essential for preserving sperm function and maintaining fertilizing ability. However, while the role of GSTP1 in cell signaling regulation via the inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) has been enlightened in somatic cells, it has never been investigated in mammalian spermatozoa. In this regard, a comprehensive approach through immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, computer-assisted sperm assessment (CASA), and flow cytometry analysis was used to characterize the molecular role of the GSTP1–JNK heterocomplex in sperm physiology, using the pig as a model. Immunological assessments confirmed the presence and localization of GSTP1 in sperm cells. The pharmacological dissociation of the GSTP1–JNK heterocomplex resulted in the activation of JNK, which led to a significant decrease in sperm viability, motility, mitochondrial activity, and plasma membrane stability, as well as to an increase of intracellular superoxides. No effects in intracellular calcium levels and acrosome membrane integrity were observed. In conclusion, the present work has demonstrated, for the first time, the essential role of GSTP1 in deactivating JNK, which is crucial to maintain sperm function and has also set the grounds to understand the relevance of the GSTP1–JNK heterocomplex for the regulation of mammalian sperm physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Llavanera
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Yentel Mateo-Otero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Delgado-Bermúdez
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Sandra Recuero
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Samuel Olives
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Barranco
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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17
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Fang K, Li Q, Wei Y, Zhou C, Guo W, Shen J, Wu R, Ying W, Yu L, Zi J, Zhang Y, Yang H, Liu S, Chen CD. Prediction and Validation of Mouse Meiosis-Essential Genes Based on Spermatogenesis Proteome Dynamics. Mol Cell Proteomics 2021; 20:100014. [PMID: 33257503 PMCID: PMC7950215 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra120.002081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanism associated with mammalian meiosis has yet to be fully explored, and one of the main reasons for this lack of exploration is that some meiosis-essential genes are still unknown. The profiling of gene expression during spermatogenesis has been performed in previous studies, yet few studies have aimed to find new functional genes. Since there is a huge gap between the number of genes that are able to be quantified and the number of genes that can be characterized by phenotype screening in one assay, an efficient method to rank quantified genes according to phenotypic relevance is of great importance. We proposed to rank genes by the probability of their function in mammalian meiosis based on global protein abundance using machine learning. Here, nine types of germ cells focusing on continual substages of meiosis prophase I were isolated, and the corresponding proteomes were quantified by high-resolution MS. By combining meiotic labels annotated from the mouse genomics informatics mouse knockout database and the spermatogenesis proteomics dataset, a supervised machine learning package, FuncProFinder (https://github.com/sjq111/FuncProFinder), was developed to rank meiosis-essential candidates. Of the candidates whose functions were unannotated, four of 10 genes with the top prediction scores, Zcwpw1, Tesmin, 1700102P08Rik, and Kctd19, were validated as meiosis-essential genes by knockout mouse models. Therefore, mammalian meiosis-essential genes could be efficiently predicted based on the protein abundance dataset, which provides a paradigm for other functional gene mining from a related abundance dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailun Fang
- 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qidan Li
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu Wei
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Changyang Zhou
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhui Guo
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China; Science Department, Malvern College Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jiaqi Shen
- Mathematics Department, United World College Changshu China, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruoxi Wu
- 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqin Ying
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Zi
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China; Guangdong Proteomics Engineering Laboratories, Shenzhen Proteomics Engineering Laboratories, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Hui Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Siqi Liu
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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18
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McCullough EL, McDonough CE, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Quantitative proteomics reveals rapid divergence in the postmating response of female reproductive tracts among sibling species. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201030. [PMID: 32576111 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility depends, in part, on interactions between male and female reproductive proteins inside the female reproductive tract (FRT) that mediate postmating changes in female behaviour, morphology, and physiology. Coevolution between interacting proteins within species may drive reproductive incompatibilities between species, yet the mechanisms underlying postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) isolating barriers remain poorly resolved. Here, we used quantitative proteomics in sibling Drosophila species to investigate the molecular composition of the FRT environment and its role in mediating species-specific postmating responses. We found that (i) FRT proteomes in D. simulans and D. mauritiana virgin females express unique combinations of secreted proteins and are enriched for distinct functional categories, (ii) mating induces substantial changes to the FRT proteome in D. mauritiana but not in D. simulans, and (iii) the D. simulans FRT proteome exhibits limited postmating changes irrespective of whether females mate with conspecific or heterospecific males, suggesting an active female role in mediating reproductive interactions. Comparisons with similar data in the closely related outgroup species D. melanogaster suggest that divergence is concentrated on the D. simulans lineage. Our study suggests that divergence in the FRT extracellular environment and postmating response contribute to previously described patterns of PMPZ isolation and the maintenance of species boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L McCullough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Caitlin E McDonough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
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19
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SSizer: Determining the Sample Sufficiency for Comparative Biological Study. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:3411-3421. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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20
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Castaneda JM, Miyata H, Archambeault DR, Satouh Y, Yu Z, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. Mouse t-complex protein 11 is important for progressive motility in sperm†. Biol Reprod 2020; 102:852-862. [PMID: 31837139 PMCID: PMC7124965 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The t-complex is defined as naturally occurring variants of the proximal third of mouse chromosome 17 and has been studied by mouse geneticists for decades. This region contains many genes involved in processes from embryogenesis to sperm function. One such gene, t-complex protein 11 (Tcp11), was identified as a testis-specific gene whose protein is present in elongating spermatids. Later work on Tcp11 localized TCP11 to the sperm surface and acrosome cap and implicated TCP11 as important for sperm capacitation through the cyclic AMP/Protein Kinase A pathway. Here, we show that TCP11 is cytoplasmically localized to elongating spermatids and absent from sperm. In the absence of Tcp11, male mice have severely reduced fertility due to a significant decrease in progressively motile sperm; however, Tcp11-null sperm continues to undergo tyrosine phosphorylation, a hallmark of capacitation. Interestingly, null sperm displays reduced PKA activity, consistent with previous reports. Our work demonstrates that TCP11 functions in elongated spermatids to confer proper motility in mature sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio M Castaneda
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Haruhiko Miyata
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Denise R Archambeault
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan and
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Martin M Matzuk
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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21
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Civetta A, Ranz JM. Genetic Factors Influencing Sperm Competition. Front Genet 2019; 10:820. [PMID: 31572439 PMCID: PMC6753916 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Females of many different species often mate with multiple males, creating opportunities for competition among their sperm. Although originally unappreciated, sperm competition is now considered a central form of post-copulatory male–male competition that biases fertilization. Assays of differences in sperm competitive ability between males, and interactions between females and males, have made it possible to infer some of the main mechanisms of sperm competition. Nevertheless, classical genetic approaches have encountered difficulties in identifying loci influencing sperm competitiveness while functional and comparative genomic methodologies, as well as genetic variant association studies, have uncovered some interesting candidate genes. We highlight how the systematic implementation of approaches that incorporate gene perturbation assays in experimental competitive settings, together with the monitoring of progeny output or sperm features and behavior, has allowed the identification of genes unambiguously linked to sperm competitiveness. The emerging portrait from 45 genes (33 from fruit flies, 8 from rodents, 2 from nematodes, and 2 from ants) is their remarkable breadth of biological roles exerted through males and females, the non-preponderance of sperm genes, and their overall pleiotropic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Civetta
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - José M Ranz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
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22
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Karr TL, Southern H, Rosenow MA, Gossmann TI, Snook RR. The Old and the New: Discovery Proteomics Identifies Putative Novel Seminal Fluid Proteins in Drosophila. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:S23-S33. [PMID: 30760537 PMCID: PMC6427231 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.001098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins (SFPs), the nonsperm component of male ejaculates produced by male accessory glands, are viewed as central mediators of reproductive fitness. SFPs effect both male and female post-mating functions and show molecular signatures of rapid adaptive evolution. Although Drosophila melanogaster, is the dominant insect model for understanding SFP evolution, understanding of SFP evolutionary causes and consequences require additional comparative analyses of close and distantly related taxa. Although SFP identification was historically challenging, advances in label-free quantitative proteomics expands the scope of studying other systems to further advance the field. Focused studies of SFPs has so far overlooked the proteomes of male reproductive glands and their inherent complex protein networks for which there is little information on the overall signals of molecular evolution. Here we applied label-free quantitative proteomics to identify the accessory gland proteome and secretome in Drosophila pseudoobscura,, a close relative of D. melanogaster,, and use the dataset to identify both known and putative novel SFPs. Using this approach, we identified 163 putative SFPs, 32% of which overlapped with previously identified D. melanogaster, SFPs and show that SFPs with known extracellular annotation evolve more rapidly than other proteins produced by or contained within the accessory gland. Our results will further the understanding of the evolution of SFPs and the underlying male accessory gland proteins that mediate reproductive fitness of the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Karr
- From the ‡Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona;.
| | - Helen Southern
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Toni I Gossmann
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Rhonda R Snook
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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23
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Rowe M, Skerget S, Rosenow MA, Karr TL. Identification and characterization of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) sperm proteome. J Proteomics 2018; 193:192-204. [PMID: 30366121 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Spermatozoa exhibit remarkable variability in size, shape, and performance. Our understanding of the molecular basis of this variation, however, is limited, especially in avian taxa. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is a model organism in the study of avian sperm biology and sperm competition. Using LC-MS based proteomics, we identify and describe 494 proteins of the zebra finch sperm proteome (ZfSP). Gene ontology and associated bioinformatics analyses revealed a rich repertoire of proteins essential to sperm structure and function, including proteins linked to metabolism and energetics, as well as tubulin binding and microtubule related functions. The ZfSP also contained a number of immunity and defense proteins and proteins linked to sperm motility and sperm-egg interactions. Additionally, while most proteins in the ZfSP appear to be evolutionarily constrained, a small subset of proteins are evolving rapidly. Finally, in a comparison with the sperm proteome of the domestic chicken, we found an enrichment of proteins linked to catalytic activity and cytoskeleton related processes. As the first described passerine sperm proteome, and one of only two characterized avian sperm proteomes, the ZfSP provides a significant step towards a platform for studies of the molecular basis of sperm function and evolution in birds. SIGNIFICANCE: Using highly purified spermatozoa and LC-MS proteomics, we characterise the sperm proteome of the Zebra finch; the main model species for the avian order Passeriformes, the largest and most diverse of the avian clades. As the first described passerine sperm proteome, and one of only two reported avian sperm proteomes, these results will facilitate studies of sperm biology and mechanisms of fertilisation in passerines, as well as comparative studies of sperm evolution and reproduction across birds and other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo 0562, Norway; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway.
| | - Sheri Skerget
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | - Timothy L Karr
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, AZ, USA.
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24
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Romero MR, Pérez-Figueroa A, Carrera M, Swanson WJ, Skibinski DOF, Diz AP. RNA-seq coupled to proteomic analysis reveals high sperm proteome variation between two closely related marine mussel species. J Proteomics 2018; 192:169-187. [PMID: 30189323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Speciation mechanisms in marine organisms have attracted great interest because of the apparent lack of substantial barriers to genetic exchange in marine ecosystems. Marine mussels of the Mytilus edulis species complex provide a good model to study mechanisms underlying species formation. They hybridise extensively at many localities and both pre- and postzygotic isolating mechanisms may be operating. Mussels have external fertilisation and sperm cells should show specific adaptations for survival and successful fertilisation. Sperm thus represent key targets in investigations of the molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive isolation. We undertook a deep transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) of mature male gonads and a 2DE/MS-based proteome analysis of sperm from Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis raised in a common environment. We provide evidence of extensive expression differences between the two mussel species, and general agreement between the transcriptomic and proteomic results in the direction of expression differences between species. Differential expression is marked for mitochondrial genes and for those involved in spermatogenesis, sperm motility, sperm-egg interactions, the acrosome reaction, sperm capacitation, ATP reserves and ROS production. Proteins and their corresponding genes might thus be good targets in further genomic analysis of reproductive barriers between these closely related species. SIGNIFICANCE: Model systems for the study of fertilization include marine invertebrates with external fertilisation, such as abalones, sea urchins and mussels, because of the ease with which large quantities of gametes released into seawater can be collected after induced spawning. Unlike abalones and sea urchins, hybridisation has been reported between mussels of different Mytilus spp., which thus makes them very appealing for the study of reproductive isolation at both pre- and postzygotic levels. There is a lack of empirical proteomic studies on sperm samples comparing different Mytilus species, which could help to advance this study. A comparative analysis of sperm proteomes across different taxa may provide important insights into the fundamental molecular processes and mechanisms involved in reproductive isolation. It might also contribute to a better understanding of sperm function and of the adaptive evolution of sperm proteins in different taxa. There is now growing evidence from genomics studies that multiple protein complexes and many individual proteins might have important functions in sperm biology and the fertilisation process. From an applied perspective, the identification of sperm-specific proteins could also contribute to the improved understanding of fertility problems and as targets for fertility control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica R Romero
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; Marine Research Centre, University of Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), Isla de Toralla, Vigo, Spain
| | - Andrés Pérez-Figueroa
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | | | - Willie J Swanson
- Department of Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - David O F Skibinski
- Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Angel P Diz
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; Marine Research Centre, University of Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), Isla de Toralla, Vigo, Spain.
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25
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Whittington E, Forsythe D, Borziak K, Karr TL, Walters JR, Dorus S. Contrasting patterns of evolutionary constraint and novelty revealed by comparative sperm proteomic analysis in Lepidoptera. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:931. [PMID: 29197336 PMCID: PMC5712127 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4293-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rapid evolution is a hallmark of reproductive genetic systems and arises through the combined processes of sequence divergence, gene gain and loss, and changes in gene and protein expression. While studies aiming to disentangle the molecular ramifications of these processes are progressing, we still know little about the genetic basis of evolutionary transitions in reproductive systems. Here we conduct the first comparative analysis of sperm proteomes in Lepidoptera, a group that exhibits dichotomous spermatogenesis, in which males produce a functional fertilization-competent sperm (eupyrene) and an incompetent sperm morph lacking nuclear DNA (apyrene). Through the integrated application of evolutionary proteomics and genomics, we characterize the genomic patterns potentially associated with the origination and evolution of this unique spermatogenic process and assess the importance of genetic novelty in Lepidopteran sperm biology. Results Comparison of the newly characterized Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) sperm proteome to those of the Carolina sphinx moth (Manduca sexta) and the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) demonstrated conservation at the level of protein abundance and post-translational modification within Lepidoptera. In contrast, comparative genomic analyses across insects reveals significant divergence at two levels that differentiate the genetic architecture of sperm in Lepidoptera from other insects. First, a significant reduction in orthology among Monarch sperm genes relative to the remainder of the genome in non-Lepidopteran insect species was observed. Second, a substantial number of sperm proteins were found to be specific to Lepidoptera, in that they lack detectable homology to the genomes of more distantly related insects. Lastly, the functional importance of Lepidoptera specific sperm proteins is broadly supported by their increased abundance relative to proteins conserved across insects. Conclusions Our results identify a burst of genetic novelty amongst sperm proteins that may be associated with the origin of heteromorphic spermatogenesis in ancestral Lepidoptera and/or the subsequent evolution of this system. This pattern of genomic diversification is distinct from the remainder of the genome and thus suggests that this transition has had a marked impact on lepidopteran genome evolution. The identification of abundant sperm proteins unique to Lepidoptera, including proteins distinct between specific lineages, will accelerate future functional studies aiming to understand the developmental origin of dichotomous spermatogenesis and the functional diversification of the fertilization incompetent apyrene sperm morph. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4293-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Whittington
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Desiree Forsythe
- Science Education and Society, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Kirill Borziak
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Timothy L Karr
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Kansas University, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - James R Walters
- Department of Genomics and Genetic Resources, Kyoto Institute of Technology. Saga Ippon-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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