The role Y chromosome genes Prssly and Teyorf1 in male reproduction.

项目总结/摘要 哺乳动物的Y染色体是雄性的象征，因为它编码驱动雄性性别决定的Sry基因， 一组其他基因被认为与男性生殖的各个方面有关，其他基因在男性生殖中起着重要作用。 广泛表达的转录、翻译和蛋白质稳定性调节因子。尽管这些明显重要的 功能，知识连接特定Y染色体基因的作用，以特定的生殖和其他生理 进程仍然有限。这是由于这种染色体的不寻常的基因组结构，几十年来， 它能抵抗任何攻击随着TALEN和CRISPR/Cas9技术的出现， 染色体基因功能直接成为可能。 Y染色体结构的奇怪性也使其对测序产生了挑战。小鼠Y染色体序列是 最终在2014年被定义，在小鼠基因组的其余部分被表征12年后。当鼠标Y序列 在Y短臂上发现了两个新的单拷贝基因：Prssly（Y-连锁丝氨酸样蛋白酶）和 Teyorf 1（睾丸表达，Y染色体开放阅读框1）。这些基因被归类为“获得性基因”， 被认为是男性生育基因的候选者。这两个基因都没有被靶向，它们的功能 仍然未知。 在初步数据中，我们发现Prssly和Teyorf 1的表达仅限于睾丸减数分裂后的生殖细胞。我们也 分析PRSSLY和TEYORF 1预测的蛋白质结构和功能，发现两种预测的蛋白质类似于 已知在精子发生中起作用的蛋白质。PRSSLY属于肽酶S1蛋白家族， 包括对精子运动性和精子使卵母细胞受精能力所必需丝氨酸蛋白酶PRSS 21和PRSS 55。TEYORF 1 属于Claudin蛋白家族，据报道其成员对组装和维持 血睾屏障是正常精子发生的关键组织屏障。 获得Y染色体，睾丸特异性表达，与已知生殖功能蛋白相似 促使我们提出一个假设，Prssly和Teyorf 1在男性生殖中发挥作用。我们会解决这个问题 假设追求两个具体目标： 目的1：使用以下方法产生Prssly和Teyorf 1敲除（KO）和Prssly和Teyorf 1报告基因标签敲入（KI）小鼠 CRISPR/Cas9系统和合子电穿孔。 目的2：表征这些小鼠的表型，重点是评估生育力、精子参数、精子功能， 体外和精子发生进展。 综合结果将允许定义Prssly和Teyorf 1是否在精子发生和生育中发挥作用。的 KI小鼠的开发将为这些因素的未来机制研究打开大门。该项目将影响 对Y染色体基因功能和男性生育力遗传基础的认识。它还将有助于讨论 关于Y染色体的进化和获得性Y基因的重要性。

Project Summary/Abstract The mammalian Y chromosome is a symbol of maleness as it encodes the Sry gene driving male sex determination, a battery of other genes thought to be involved in various aspects of male reproduction, and other genes playing roles of broadly expressed regulators of transcription, translation and protein stability. In spite of these clearly important functions, the knowledge linking the roles of specific Y chromosome genes to specific reproductive and other physiological processes remains limited. This is due to the unusual genomic structure of this chromosome, which for decades rendered it resistant to any targeting attempts. With the emergence of TALEN and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies addressing Y chromosome gene function directly became possible. The oddity of the Y chromosome structure made it also defiant to sequencing. The mouse Y chromosome sequence was finally defined in 2014, 12 years after the remainder of the mouse genome was characterized. When the mouse Y sequence was revealed two new single copy genes were identified on the Y short arm: Prssly (Y-linked serine-like protease) and Teyorf1 (testis expressed, chromosome Y open reading frame 1). These genes were classified as ‘acquired genes’ and were proposed to be the candidates for male fertility genes. Neither of these genes has been targeted and their function remains unknown. In Preliminary Data we show that Prssly and Teyorf1 expression is restricted to testicular postmeiotic germ cells. We also analyzed PRSSLY and TEYORF1 predicted protein structure and function and found that both predicted proteins resemble proteins that are known to play roles in spermatogenesis. PRSSLY belongs to the peptidase S1 family of proteins that include serine proteases PRSS21 and PRSS55 essential for sperm motility and sperm ability to fertilize oocytes. TEYORF1 belongs to the Claudin family of proteins members of which were reported important for assembly and maintenance of blood-testis barrier, a tissue barrier critical for normal spermatogenesis. Acquisition to the Y chromosome, testis specific expression, and resemblance to proteins of known reproductive functions prompted us to propose a hypothesis that Prssly and Teyorf1 play roles in male reproduction. We will address this hypothesis pursuing two specific aims: Aim 1: Generate Prssly and Teyorf1 knock-out (KO) and Prssly and Teyorf1 reporter tag knock-in (KI) mice using CRISPR/Cas9 system and zygote electroporation. Aim 2: Characterize phenotype of these mice focusing on assessment of fertility, sperm parameters, sperm function in vitro, and spermatogenesis progression. The combined results will allow to define whether Prssly and Teyorf1 play roles in spermatogenesis and fertility. The development of KI mice will open the door to future mechanistic investigations of these factors. The project will impact on understanding of Y chromosome gene function and genetic basis of male fertility. It will also contribute to discussions regarding the evolution of Y chromosomes and the importance of acquired Y genes.