Initiation of spermiogenesis in C. elegans: A pharmacological and genetic analysis

Shakes, Diane C.; Ward, Samuel

doi:10.1016/0012-1606(89)90088-2

Cited by 132 publications

(158 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…5F). This observation is in line with a previous study showing that the CaM inhibitor TFP, CPZ or W7 induced C. elegans sperm activation in vitro (Shakes and Ward, 1989). tiated cell types.…”

Section: Calmodulin Is Involved In the Regulation Of Pseudopod Extenssupporting

confidence: 93%

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Cytosolic Ca2+ as a multifunctional modulator is required for spermiogenesis inAscaris suum

et al. 2013

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The dynamic polar polymers actin fi laments and microtubules are usually employed to provide the structural basis for establishing cell polarity in most eukaryotic cells. Radially round and immotile spermatids from nematodes contain almost no actin or tubulin, but still have the ability to break symmetry to extend a pseudopod and initiate the acquisition of motility powered by the dynamics of cytoskeleton composed of major sperm protein (MSP) during spermiogenesis (sperm activation). However, the signal transduction mechanism of nematode sperm activation and motility acquisition remains poorly understood. Here we show that Ca 2+ oscillations induced by the Ca 2+ release from intracellular Ca 2+ store through inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptor are required for Ascaris suum sperm activation. The chelation of cytosolic Ca 2+ suppresses the generation of a functional pseudopod, and this suppression can be relieved by introducing exogenous Ca 2+ into sperm cells. Ca 2+ promotes MSP-based sperm motility by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and thus the energy supply required for MSP cytoskeleton assembly. On the other hand, Ca 2+ promotes MSP disassembly by activating Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine protein phosphatase calcineurin. In addition, Ca 2+ /camodulin activity is required for the fusion of sperm-specifi c membranous organelle with the plasma membrane, a regulated exocytosis required for sperm motility. Thus, Ca 2+ plays multifunctional roles during sperm activation in Ascaris suum.

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Section: Calmodulin Is Involved In the Regulation Of Pseudopod Extenssupporting

confidence: 93%

“…However, the role of Ca 2+ in nematode sperm activation was seldom reported. Previously, Ca 2+ was implicated in the regulation of C. elegans sperm activation (Shakes and Ward, 1989;Washington and Ward, 2006). However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.…”

Section: Chelation Of Cytosolic Ca 2+ Blocks Pseudopod Extension But mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytosolic Ca2+ as a multifunctional modulator is required for spermiogenesis inAscaris suum

et al. 2013

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“…This effect, termed transactivation , was assessed by combining L4 spe-47(hc198) hermaphrodites with L4 fer-1(hc13) males overnight at 25°in a ratio of 6 to 15, respectively, in 35-mm Petri dishes. When reared at 25°, fer-1 males pass defective sperm to hermaphrodites, but their seminal fluid activates sperm from spe-8 group mutant hermaphrodites (Shakes and Ward 1989). After isolating the mated spe-47(hc198) hermaphrodites, they produced a mean of only 4.8 progeny (N = 12; SEM = 1.1), which is similar to the 6.1 (N = 12; SEM = 1.0) progeny from control hermaphrodites not exposed to fer-1 males.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Player in the Spermiogenesis Pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans

et al. 2015

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Precise timing of sperm activation ensures the greatest likelihood of fertilization. Precision in Caenorhabditis elegans sperm activation is ensured by external signaling, which induces the spherical spermatid to reorganize and extend a pseudopod for motility. Spermatid activation, also called spermiogenesis, is prevented from occurring prematurely by the activity of SPE-6 and perhaps other proteins, termed "the brake model." Here, we identify the spe-47 gene from the hc198 mutation that causes premature spermiogenesis. The mutation was isolated in a suppressor screen of spe-27(it132ts), which normally renders worms sterile, due to defective transduction of the activation signal. In a spe-27(+) background, spe-47(hc198) causes a temperature-sensitive reduction of fertility, and in addition to premature spermiogenesis, many mutant sperm fail to activate altogether. The hc198 mutation is semidominant, inducing a more severe loss of fertility than do null alleles generated by CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology. The hc198 mutation affects an major sperm protein (MSP) domain, altering a conserved amino acid residue in a b-strand that mediates MSP-MSP dimerization. Both N-and C-terminal SPE-47 reporters associate with the forming fibrous body (FB)-membranous organelle, a specialized sperm organelle that packages MSP and other components during spermatogenesis. Once the FB is fully formed, the SPE-47 reporters dissociate and disappear. SPE-47 reporter localization is not altered by either the hc198 mutation or a C-terminal truncation deleting the MSP domain. The disappearance of SPE-47 reporters prior to the formation of spermatids requires a reevaluation of the brake model for prevention of premature spermatid activation.

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“…In addition, him-17 25°males contained reduced numbers of sperm, and although they appeared to exhibit normal mating behavior, mating and sperm transfer assays (Shakes and Ward 1989;Stanfield and Villeneuve 2006) revealed that they did not transfer either sperm or sperm-activating seminal fluid components to hermaphrodites (data not shown. )…”

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confidence: 98%

A Role forCaenorhabditis elegansChromatin-Associated Protein HIM-17 in the Proliferationvs. Meiotic Entry Decision

et al. 2007

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Chromatin-associated protein HIM-17 was previously shown to function in the chromosomal events of meiotic prophase. Here we report an additional role for HIM-17 in regulating the balance between germ cell proliferation and meiotic development. A cryptic function for HIM-17 in promoting meiotic entry and/or inhibiting proliferation was revealed by defects in germline organization in him-17 mutants grown at high temperature (25°) and by a synthetic tumorous germline phenotype in glp-1(ar202); him-17 mutants at 15°.

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Initiation of spermiogenesis in C. elegans: A pharmacological and genetic analysis

Cited by 132 publications

References 22 publications

Cytosolic Ca2+ as a multifunctional modulator is required for spermiogenesis inAscaris suum

Cytosolic Ca2+ as a multifunctional modulator is required for spermiogenesis inAscaris suum

A New Player in the Spermiogenesis Pathway of Caenorhabditis elegans

A Role forCaenorhabditis elegansChromatin-Associated Protein HIM-17 in the Proliferationvs. Meiotic Entry Decision

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