Evolution of Protamine Genes and Changes in Sperm Head Phenotype in Rodents1

Lüke, Lena; Vicens, Alberto; Tourmente, Maximiliano; Roldán, Eduardo R. S.

doi:10.1095/biolreprod.113.115956

Cited by 47 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Some authors have presented evidence supporting the involvement of protamines in sperm head shaping, leading to smaller and more elongated sperm heads when they are present in high proportions 135136. Similar results have been reported by Gómez Montoto et al 137.…”

Section: Assessment Of Sperm Morphometry II – Functional Aspectssupporting

confidence: 73%

Current status and potential of morphometric sperm analysis

et al. 2016

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The spermatozoon is the most diverse cell type known and this diversity is considered to reflect differences in sperm function. How the diversity in sperm morphology arose during speciation and what role the different specializations play in sperm function, however, remain incompletely characterized. This work reviews the hypotheses proposed to explain sperm morphological evolution, with a focus on some aspects of sperm morphometric evaluation; the ability of morphometrics to predict sperm cryoresistance and male fertility is also discussed. For this, the evaluation of patterns of change of sperm head morphometry throughout a process, instead of the study of the morphometric characteristics of the sperm head at different stages, allows a better identification of the males with different sperm cryoconservation ability. These new approaches, together with more studies employing a greater number of individuals, are needed to obtain novel results concerning the role of sperm morphometry on sperm function. Future studies should aim at understanding the causes of sperm design diversity and the mechanisms that generate them, giving increased attention to other sperm structures besides the sperm head. The implementation of scientific and technological advances could benefit the simultaneous examination of sperm phenotype and sperm function, demonstrating that sperm morphometry could be a useful tool for sperm assessment.

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Section: Assessment Of Sperm Morphometry II – Functional Aspectssupporting

confidence: 73%

Current status and potential of morphometric sperm analysis

et al. 2016

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“…Less divergent sequences between protamine 1 and cleaved protamine 2 were found associate with smaller and more elongated heads relative to the total sperm length [34]. Altogether, these results suggest that once the optimum design to perform in a sperm competition context has been achieved, proteins involved in shaping the sperm head tend to reduce the degree of variation in their sequences.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Postcopulatory Sexual Selection Results in Spermatozoa with More Uniform Head and Flagellum Sizes in Rodents

et al. 2014

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Interspecific comparative studies have shown that, in most taxa, postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) in the form of sperm competition drives the evolution of longer and faster swimming sperm. Work on passserine birds has revealed that PCSS also reduces variation in sperm size between males at the intraspecific level. However, the influence of PCSS upon intra-male sperm size diversity is poorly understood, since the few studies carried out to date in birds have yielded contradictory results. In mammals, PCSS increases sperm size but there is little information on the effects of this selective force on variations in sperm size and shape. Here, we test whether sperm competition associates with a reduction in the degree of variation of sperm dimensions in rodents. We found that as sperm competition levels increase males produce sperm that are more similar in both the size of the head and the size of the flagellum. On the other hand, whereas with increasing levels of sperm competition there is less variation in head length in relation to head width (ratio CV head length/CV head width), there is no relation between variation in head and flagellum sizes (ratio CV head length/CV flagellum length). Thus, it appears that, in addition to a selection for longer sperm, sperm competition may select more uniform sperm heads and flagella, which together may enhance swimming velocity. Overall, sperm competition seems to drive sperm components towards an optimum design that may affect sperm performance which, in turn, will be crucial for successful fertilization.

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“…; Lüke et al. ). Initially intended to estimate genetic components associated to male and female reproductive traits, studies have been then focused on several sperm characteristics, with some studies addressing the study of genetic components associated with sperm heterogeneity.…”

Section: Conclusion and Future Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Understanding Sperm Heterogeneity: Biological and Practical Implications

Ramón

Jiménez-Rabadán

García-Álvarez

et al. 2014

Reprod Domestic Animals

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Contents Sperm are the most diverse cell type known. This diversity is thought to reflect adaptation to conditions under which sperm function as a way to ensure the survival of sperm in fertilization environments and to maximize fertilizing capacity thereof. The existence of morphological diversity among species is widely assumed, although this diversity seems less clear as we go deeper (between males, between ejaculates from the same male and even within the same ejaculate), with different theories addressing this heterogeneity. Moreover, the development of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) has led to changes in the physiological conditions in which sperm fertilize, which could lead, ultimately, to a selection towards more favourable sperm design. Regardless of the origin of this diversity, when studying the relationship between shape and function of sperm, it is advisable to assess the degree of heterogeneity of sperm and takes into account to be more likely to identify those morphological characteristics determining the fertile ability of sperm. Otherwise, these relationships could be hidden as a result of considering an average shape not representative of morphological characteristics of sperm. In addition, the knowledge of this morphological diversity in terms of changes arising from modifications in the sperm environment and mechanisms that generate these changes could be useful for understanding the reproductive capacity of males but also in enhancing their fertile ability.

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Evolution of Protamine Genes and Changes in Sperm Head Phenotype in Rodents1

Cited by 47 publications

References 60 publications

Current status and potential of morphometric sperm analysis

Current status and potential of morphometric sperm analysis

Postcopulatory Sexual Selection Results in Spermatozoa with More Uniform Head and Flagellum Sizes in Rodents

Understanding Sperm Heterogeneity: Biological and Practical Implications

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