Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 7, No. 6, 513-520,
June 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Testis and spermatogenesis |
Teratozoospermia in mice lacking the transition protein 2 (Tnp2)
1 Institute of Human Genetics, University of Göttingen, D-37073 Göttingen and 2 Department of Anatomy, Eppendorf University Hospital, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
Abstract
It is believed that the transition proteins (Tnp1 and Tnp2) participate in the removal of the nucleohistones and in the initial condensation of the spermatid nucleus. Later in spermatogenesis, Tnp1 and Tnp2 are replaced by the protamines 1 and 2. In an effort to elucidate the physiological role of Tnp2, we have disrupted its locus by homologous recombination. Breeding of the Tnp2–/– males on different genetic backgrounds revealed normal fertility on the mixed background C57BL/6Jx129/Sv, but total infertility on the inbred 129/Sv background. Light and electron microscopy showed that the germ cells were capable of undergoing chromatin condensation, although many spermatozoa exhibited head abnormalities with acrosomes not attached to the nuclear envelope. Furthermore, migration of Tnp2–/– spermatozoa from the uterus into the oviduct was reduced. These results suggest that male infertility of the Tnp2–/– mice is a result of sperm head abnormalities and reduced sperm motility. The increased level of the Tnp1 transcript in testes of the Tnp2-deficient mice raises the possibility that a deficiency created through the disruption of the Tnp2 gene can be compensated for by recruitment of the Tnp1.
acrosome/chromatin condensation/genetic background/teratozoospermia/Tnp2
Notes
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Institute of Human Genetics, University of Göttingen D-37073 Göttingen, Germany. E-mail: wengel{at}gwdg.de
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  K.-F. Lee, Y.-T. Tam, Y. Zuo, A. W.Y. Cheong, R. T.K. Pang, N. P.Y. Lee, C. K.Y. Shum, P.-C. Tam, A. N.Y. Cheung, Z.-M. Yang, et al. Characterization of an acrosome protein VAD1.2/AEP2 which is differentially expressed in spermatogenesis Mol. Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2008; 14(8): 465 - 474. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Grzmil, D. Boinska, K. C. Kleene, I. Adham, G. Schluter, M. Kamper, B. Buyandelger, A. Meinhardt, S. Wolf, and W. Engel Prm3, the Fourth Gene in the Mouse Protamine Gene Cluster, Encodes a Conserved Acidic Protein That Affects Sperm Motility Biol Reprod, June 1, 2008; 78(6): 958 - 967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. van Lith, A.-R. Karala, D. Bown, J. A. Gatehouse, L. W. Ruddock, P. T.K. Saunders, and A. M. Benham A Developmentally Regulated Chaperone Complex for the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Male Haploid Germ Cells Mol. Biol. Cell, August 1, 2007; 18(8): 2795 - 2804. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. T. Carrell, B. R. Emery, and S. Hammoud Altered protamine expression and diminished spermatogenesis: what is the link? Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2007; 13(3): 313 - 327. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Roy, Y.-N. Lin, J. E. Agno, F. J. DeMayo, and M. M. Matzuk Absence of tektin 4 causes asthenozoospermia and subfertility in male mice FASEB J, April 1, 2007; 21(4): 1013 - 1025. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Jaroszynski, A. Dev, M. Li, A. Meinhardt, D.G. de Rooij, C. Mueller, D. Bohm, S. Wolf, I.M. Adham, G. Wulf, et al. Asthenoteratozoospermia in mice lacking testis expressed gene 18 (Tex18) Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2007; 13(3): 155 - 163*. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Miller and G.C. Ostermeier Towards a better understanding of RNA carriage by ejaculate spermatozoa Hum. Reprod. Update, November 1, 2006; 12(6): 757 - 767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Torregrosa, D. Dominguez-Fandos, M. I. Camejo, C. R. Shirley, M. L. Meistrich, J. L. Ballesca, and R. Oliva Protamine 2 precursors, protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio, DNA integrity and other sperm parameters in infertile patients Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2006; 21(8): 2084 - 2089. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Oliva Protamines and male infertility Hum. Reprod. Update, July 1, 2006; 12(4): 417 - 435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Kotaja, D. De Cesare, B. Macho, L. Monaco, S. Brancorsini, E. Goossens, H. Tournaye, A. Gansmuller, and P. Sassone-Corsi Abnormal sperm in mice with targeted deletion of the act (activator of cAMP-responsive element modulator in testis) gene PNAS, July 20, 2004; 101(29): 10620 - 10625. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Paisley, S. Banks, J. Selfridge, N. F. McLennan, A.-M. Ritchie, C. McEwan, D. S. Irvine, P. T. K. Saunders, J. C. Manson, and D. W. Melton Male Infertility and DNA Damage in Doppel Knockout and Prion Protein/Doppel Double-Knockout Mice Am. J. Pathol., June 1, 2004; 164(6): 2279 - 2288. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.-H. Tsai-Morris, Y. Sheng, E. Lee, K.-J. Lei, and M. L. Dufau Gonadotropin-regulated testicular RNA helicase (GRTH/Ddx25) is essential for spermatid development and completion of spermatogenesis PNAS, April 27, 2004; 101(17): 6373 - 6378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
U. Schlecht, P. Demougin, R. Koch, L. Hermida, C. Wiederkehr, P. Descombes, C. Pineau, B. Jegou, and M. Primig Expression Profiling of Mammalian Male Meiosis and Gametogenesis Identifies Novel Candidate Genes for Roles in the Regulation of Fertility Mol. Biol. Cell, March 1, 2004; 15(3): 1031 - 1043. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Nayernia, B. Drabent, I. M. Adham, M. Moschner, S. Wolf, A. Meinhardt, and W. Engel Male Mice Lacking Three Germ Cell Expressed Genes Are Fertile Biol Reprod, December 1, 2003; 69(6): 1973 - 1978. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Nayernia, F. Vauti, A. Meinhardt, C. Cadenas, S. Schweyer, B. I. Meyer, I. Schwandt, K. Chowdhury, W. Engel, and H.-H. Arnold Inactivation of a Testis-specific Lis1 Transcript in Mice Prevents Spermatid Differentiation and Causes Male Infertility J. Biol. Chem., November 28, 2003; 278(48): 48377 - 48385. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Schultz, F. K. Hamra, and D. L. Garbers A multitude of genes expressed solely in meiotic or postmeiotic spermatogenic cells offers a myriad of contraceptive targets PNAS, October 14, 2003; 100(21): 12201 - 12206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. U. Mannan, K. Nayernia, C. Mueller, P. Burfeind, I. M. Adham, and W. Engel Male Mice Lacking the Theg (Testicular Haploid Expressed Gene) Protein Undergo Normal Spermatogenesis and Are Fertile Biol Reprod, September 1, 2003; 69(3): 788 - 796. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Kimura, C. Ito, S. Watanabe, T. Takahashi, M. Ikawa, K. Yomogida, Y. Fujita, M. Ikeuchi, N. Asada, K. Matsumiya, et al. Mouse Germ Cell-Less as an Essential Component for Nuclear Integrity Mol. Cell. Biol., February 15, 2003; 23(4): 1304 - 1315. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Nayernia, I. M. Adham, E. Burkhardt-Gottges, J. Neesen, M. Rieche, S. Wolf, U. Sancken, K. Kleene, and W. Engel Asthenozoospermia in Mice with Targeted Deletion of the Sperm Mitochondrion-Associated Cysteine-Rich Protein (Smcp) Gene Mol. Cell. Biol., May 1, 2002; 22(9): 3046 - 3052. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Nayernia, I. M. Adham, R. Shamsadin, C. Muller, U. Sancken, and W. Engel Proacrosin-deficient mice and zona pellucida modifications in an experimental model of multifactorial infertility Mol. Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2002; 8(5): 434 - 440. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|