Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice
The axoneme and accessory structures of flagella are critical for sperm motility and male fertilization. Sperm production needs precise and highly ordered gene expression to initiate and sustain the many cellular processes that result in mature spermatozoa. Here, we identified a testis enriched gene...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/12/1614 |
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| author | Xiuqing He Wenyu Mu Ziqi Wang Ke Xu Yingying Yin Gang Lu Wai-Yee Chan Hongbin Liu Yue Lv Shangming Liu |
| author_facet | Xiuqing He Wenyu Mu Ziqi Wang Ke Xu Yingying Yin Gang Lu Wai-Yee Chan Hongbin Liu Yue Lv Shangming Liu |
| author_sort | Xiuqing He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The axoneme and accessory structures of flagella are critical for sperm motility and male fertilization. Sperm production needs precise and highly ordered gene expression to initiate and sustain the many cellular processes that result in mature spermatozoa. Here, we identified a testis enriched gene transmembrane protein 232 (<i>Tmem232</i>), which is essential for the structural integrity of the spermatozoa flagella axoneme. <i>Tmem232</i> knockout mice were generated for in vivo analyses of its functions in spermatogenesis. Phenotypic analysis showed that deletion of <i>Tmem232</i> in mice causes male-specific infertility. Transmission electron microscopy together with scanning electron microscopy were applied to analyze the spermatozoa flagella and it was observed that the lack of TMEM232 caused failure of the cytoplasm removal and the absence of the 7th outer microtubule doublet with its corresponding outer dense fiber (ODF). Co-IP assays further identified that TMEM232 interacts with ODF family protein ODF1, which is essential to maintain sperm motility. In conclusion, our findings indicate that TMEM232 is a critical protein for male fertility and sperm motility by regulating sperm cytoplasm removal and maintaining axoneme integrity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:38:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d449684d8964442a2bd653f7669dfa9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:38:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d449684d8964442a2bd653f7669dfa92023-11-18T09:43:28ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092023-06-011212161410.3390/cells12121614Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in MiceXiuqing He0Wenyu Mu1Ziqi Wang2Ke Xu3Yingying Yin4Gang Lu5Wai-Yee Chan6Hongbin Liu7Yue Lv8Shangming Liu9School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaCUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaCUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, ChinaThe axoneme and accessory structures of flagella are critical for sperm motility and male fertilization. Sperm production needs precise and highly ordered gene expression to initiate and sustain the many cellular processes that result in mature spermatozoa. Here, we identified a testis enriched gene transmembrane protein 232 (<i>Tmem232</i>), which is essential for the structural integrity of the spermatozoa flagella axoneme. <i>Tmem232</i> knockout mice were generated for in vivo analyses of its functions in spermatogenesis. Phenotypic analysis showed that deletion of <i>Tmem232</i> in mice causes male-specific infertility. Transmission electron microscopy together with scanning electron microscopy were applied to analyze the spermatozoa flagella and it was observed that the lack of TMEM232 caused failure of the cytoplasm removal and the absence of the 7th outer microtubule doublet with its corresponding outer dense fiber (ODF). Co-IP assays further identified that TMEM232 interacts with ODF family protein ODF1, which is essential to maintain sperm motility. In conclusion, our findings indicate that TMEM232 is a critical protein for male fertility and sperm motility by regulating sperm cytoplasm removal and maintaining axoneme integrity.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/12/1614TMEM232ODF1spermaxonemecytoplasm removal |
| spellingShingle | Xiuqing He Wenyu Mu Ziqi Wang Ke Xu Yingying Yin Gang Lu Wai-Yee Chan Hongbin Liu Yue Lv Shangming Liu Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice Cells TMEM232 ODF1 sperm axoneme cytoplasm removal |
| title | Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice |
| title_full | Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice |
| title_fullStr | Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice |
| title_short | Deficiency of the <i>Tmem232</i> Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice |
| title_sort | deficiency of the i tmem232 i gene causes male infertility with morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum in mice |
| topic | TMEM232 ODF1 sperm axoneme cytoplasm removal |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/12/1614 |
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