The Evolution of Centriole Degradation in Mouse Sperm

Abstract

Centrioles are subcellular organelles with an evolutionarily conserved structure and a shock absorber-like function. In sperm, centrioles are found at the flagellum base and are essential for embryo development in basal animals. Yet, sperm centrioles have evolved diverse forms, sometimes acting like a transmission system, as in cattle, and sometimes becoming dispensable, as in house mice. How the essential sperm centriole evolved to become dispensable in some organisms is unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that this transition occurred through a cascade of evolutionary changes to the proteins, structure, and function of sperm centrioles and was possibly driven by sperm competition. We found that the last steps in this cascade are associated with a change in the primary structure of the centriolar luminal protein FAM161A in rodents. This information provides the first insight into the molecular mechanisms and adaptive evolution underlying a major evolutionary transition within the internal structure of the mammalian sperm neck.

Protamine 2 Deficiency Results In Septin 12 Abnormalities

“…There was previously reported interaction between Septin 12 and Pericentriolar material 1 (PCM1) (Yeh et al, 2019), as a component of centriolar satellites, which likely plays a role in the precise localization of various centrosomal proteins and anchoring microtubules to the centrosomes (Dammermann and Merdes, 2002), as demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid assay. Due to the presence of Septin 12 in the sperm connecting piece, where the centrioles are situated, along with a potential link between Septin 12 and centriole function (note that mice have structurally remnant centrioles that maintain centriole proteins (Khanal et al, 2024), we evaluated sperm centriole status in Prm2 -/- mice and implied immunofluorescent staining of Centrosomal Protein 135 (CEP135) (Fig. 6A, Fig.…”