scholarly journals The sperm protein Spaca6 is essential for fertilization in zebrafish

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Isabel Binner ◽  
Anna Kogan ◽  
Karin Panser ◽  
Alexander Schleiffer ◽  
Victoria Eugenia Deneke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Membrane Binding ◽  
Normal Morphology ◽  
Sperm Protein ◽  
Fertility Factor ◽  
Egg Membrane ◽  
Sperm Factor ◽  
Sperm Membrane

Fertilization is a key process in all sexually reproducing species, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie this event remain unclear. To date, only a few proteins have been shown to be essential for sperm-egg binding and fusion in mice, and only some are conserved across vertebrates. One of these conserved, testis-expressed factors is SPACA6, yet its function has not been investigated outside of mammals. Here we show that zebrafish spaca6 encodes for a sperm membrane protein which is essential for fertilization. Zebrafish spaca6 knockout males are sterile. Furthermore, Spaca6-deficient sperm have normal morphology, are motile, and can approach the egg, but fail to bind to the egg and therefore cannot complete fertilization. Interestingly, sperm lacking Spaca6 have decreased levels of another essential and conserved sperm fertility factor, Dcst2, revealing a previously unknown dependence of Dcst2 expression on Spaca6. Together, our results show that zebrafish Spaca6 regulates Dcst2 levels and is required for binding between the sperm membrane and the oolemma. This is in contrast to murine SPACA6, which was reported not to be required for sperm-egg membrane binding but necessary for fusion. These findings demonstrate that Spaca6 is essential for zebrafish fertilization and is a conserved sperm factor in vertebrate reproduction.

scholarly journals The Sperm Protein Spaca6 is Essential for Fertilization in Zebrafish

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam I. Binner ◽  
Anna Kogan ◽  
Karin Panser ◽  
Alexander Schleiffer ◽  
Victoria E. Deneke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Normal Morphology ◽  
Sperm Protein ◽  
Fertility Factor ◽  
Sperm Factor ◽  
Sperm Membrane

Fertilization is a key process in all sexually reproducing species, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie this event remain unclear. To date, only a few proteins have been shown to be essential for sperm-egg binding and fusion in mice, and only some are conserved across vertebrates. One of these conserved, testis-expressed factors is SPACA6, yet its function has not been investigated outside of mammals. Here we show that zebrafish spaca6 encodes for a sperm membrane protein which is essential for fertilization. Zebrafish spaca6 knockout males are sterile. Furthermore, Spaca6-deficient sperm have normal morphology, are motile, and can approach the egg, but fail to bind to the egg and therefore cannot complete fertilization. Interestingly, sperm lacking Spaca6 have decreased levels of another essential and conserved sperm fertility factor, Dcst2, revealing a previously unknown dependence of Dcst2 expression on Spaca6. Together, our results show that zebrafish Spaca6 regulates Dcst2 levels and is required for binding between the sperm membrane and the oolemma. This is in contrast to murine sperm lacking SPACA6, which was reported to be able to bind but unable to fuse with oocytes. These findings demonstrate that Spaca6 is essential for zebrafish fertilization and is a conserved sperm factor in vertebrate reproduction.

scholarly journals TMEM95 is a sperm membrane protein essential for mammalian fertilization

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismael Lamas-Toranzo ◽  
Julieta G Hamze ◽  
Enrica Bianchi ◽  
Beatriz Fernández-Fuertes ◽  
Serafín Pérez-Cerezales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Sperm Protein ◽  
Egg Protein ◽  
Egg Membrane ◽  
Sperm Membrane ◽  
Mammalian Fertilization ◽  
Male Specific ◽  
Mechanical Injection

The fusion of gamete membranes during fertilization is an essential process for sexual reproduction. Despite its importance, only three proteins are known to be indispensable for sperm-egg membrane fusion: the sperm proteins IZUMO1 and SPACA6, and the egg protein JUNO. Here we demonstrate that another sperm protein, TMEM95, is necessary for sperm-egg interaction. TMEM95 ablation in mice caused complete male-specific infertility. Sperm lacking this protein were morphologically normal exhibited normal motility, and could penetrate the zona pellucida and bind to the oolemma. However, once bound to the oolemma, TMEM95-deficient sperm were unable to fuse with the egg membrane or penetrate into the ooplasm, and fertilization could only be achieved by mechanical injection of one sperm into the ooplasm, thereby bypassing membrane fusion. These data demonstrate that TMEM95 is essential for mammalian fertilization.

scholarly journals Sperm proteins SOF1, TMEM95, and SPACA6 are required for sperm−oocyte fusion in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (21) ◽  
pp. 11493-11502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taichi Noda ◽  
Yonggang Lu ◽  
Yoshitaka Fujihara ◽  
Seiya Oura ◽  
Takayuki Koyano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Sperm Proteins ◽  
Sperm Membrane ◽  
Oocyte Membrane

Sperm−oocyte membrane fusion is one of the most important events for fertilization. So far, IZUMO1 and Fertilization Influencing Membrane Protein (FIMP) on the sperm membrane and CD9 and JUNO (IZUMO1R/FOLR4) on the oocyte membrane have been identified as fusion-required proteins. However, the molecular mechanisms for sperm−oocyte fusion are still unclear. Here, we show that testis-enriched genes, sperm−oocyte fusion required 1 (Sof1/Llcfc1/1700034O15Rik), transmembrane protein 95 (Tmem95), and sperm acrosome associated 6 (Spaca6), encode sperm proteins required for sperm−oocyte fusion in mice. These knockout (KO) spermatozoa carry IZUMO1 but cannot fuse with the oocyte plasma membrane, leading to male sterility. Transgenic mice which expressed mouseSof1,Tmem95,andSpaca6rescued the sterility ofSof1,Tmem95, andSpaca6KO males, respectively. SOF1 and SPACA6 remain in acrosome-reacted spermatozoa, and SPACA6 translocates to the equatorial segment of these spermatozoa. The coexpression of SOF1, TMEM95, and SPACA6 in IZUMO1-expressing cultured cells did not enhance their ability to adhere to the oocyte membrane or allow them to fuse with oocytes. SOF1, TMEM95, and SPACA6 may function cooperatively with IZUMO1 and/or unknown fusogens in sperm−oocyte fusion.

scholarly journals Bemisia tabaci Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2 Interacts with Begomoviruses and Plays a Role in Virus Acquisition

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1700
Author(s):  
Yun-Yun Fan ◽  
Yu-Wei Zhong ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Yao Chi ◽  
Sophie Bouvaine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Bemisia Tabaci ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Virus Acquisition ◽  
Leaf Curl Virus ◽  
Whitefly Vector

Begomoviruses cause substantial losses to agricultural production, especially in tropical and subtropical regions, and are exclusively transmitted by members of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci species complex. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the transmission of begomoviruses by their whitefly vector are not clear. In this study, we found that B. tabaci vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (BtVAMP2) interacts with the coat protein (CP) of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), an emergent begomovirus that seriously impacts tomato production globally. After infection with TYLCV, the transcription of BtVAMP2 was increased. When the BtVAMP2 protein was blocked by feeding with a specific BtVAMP2 antibody, the quantity of TYLCV in B. tabaci whole body was significantly reduced. BtVAMP2 was found to be conserved among the B. tabaci species complex and also interacts with the CP of Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV). When feeding with BtVAMP2 antibody, the acquisition quantity of SLCMV in whitefly whole body was also decreased significantly. Overall, our results demonstrate that BtVAMP2 interacts with the CP of begomoviruses and promotes their acquisition by whitefly.

scholarly journals Membrane recruitment of Atg8 by Hfl1 facilitates turnover of vacuolar membrane proteins in yeast cells approaching stationary phase

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Wen He ◽  
Xue-Fei Cui ◽  
Shao-Jie Ma ◽  
Qin Xu ◽  
Yan-Peng Ran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Multivesicular Body ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Vacuolar Membrane ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Membrane Structures ◽  
Membrane Recruitment

Abstract Background The vacuole/lysosome is the final destination of autophagic pathways, but can also itself be degraded in whole or in part by selective macroautophagic or microautophagic processes. Diverse molecular mechanisms are involved in these processes, the characterization of which has lagged behind those of ATG-dependent macroautophagy and ESCRT-dependent endosomal multivesicular body pathways. Results Here we show that as yeast cells gradually exhaust available nutrients and approach stationary phase, multiple vacuolar integral membrane proteins with unrelated functions are degraded in the vacuolar lumen. This degradation depends on the ESCRT machinery, but does not strictly require ubiquitination of cargos or trafficking of cargos out of the vacuole. It is also temporally and mechanistically distinct from NPC-dependent microlipophagy. The turnover is facilitated by Atg8, an exception among autophagy proteins, and an Atg8-interacting vacuolar membrane protein, Hfl1. Lack of Atg8 or Hfl1 led to the accumulation of enlarged lumenal membrane structures in the vacuole. We further show that a key function of Hfl1 is the membrane recruitment of Atg8. In the presence of Hfl1, lipidation of Atg8 is not required for efficient cargo turnover. The need for Hfl1 can be partially bypassed by blocking Atg8 delipidation. Conclusions Our data reveal a vacuolar membrane protein degradation process with a unique dependence on vacuole-associated Atg8 downstream of ESCRTs, and we identify a specific role of Hfl1, a protein conserved from yeast to plants and animals, in membrane targeting of Atg8.

Partial purification of a boar sperm membrane protein inducing sperm agglutinating antibody

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-139
Author(s):  
Oyewole Adeyemo ◽  
E. O. Okegbile ◽  
O. O. Olorunsogo
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Partial Purification ◽  
Boar Sperm ◽  
Sperm Membrane ◽  
Triton X

For the development of immunological contraception, attention is being concentrated on the possibility of using a sperm membrane antigen. Boar sperm membrane was extracted with triton-X 100 and fractionated by Sephadex G-150 column chromatography. The glycosylated and nonglycosylated portions of protein peaks from the gel filtration were obtained by fractionating on concanavalin A-Sepharose and eluting the bound protein with 0.3 M methyl mannoside. A glycosylated fraction was found to induce sperm agglutinating antibodies in rabbit. The partially purified protein has a molecular weight of 30 kilodaltons, as determined by sodium dodecyl polyaccyrlamide gel electrophoresis. Further work is planned on the histochemical determination of the origin of this protein and species cross-activity of the antibody.

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