Depletion of SMC5/6 sensitizes male germ cells to DNA damage.

The structural maintenance of chromosomes complex SMC5/6 is thought to be essential for DNA repair and chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. To determine the requirements of the SMC5/6 complex during mouse spermatogenesis we combined a conditional knockout allele for Smc5, with four germ cell-specific Cre-recombinase transgenes, Ddx4-Cre, Stra8-Cre, Spo11-Cre, and Hspa2-Cre, to mutate Smc5 in spermatogonia, in spermatocytes before meiotic entry, during early meiotic stages, and during midmeiotic stages, respectively. Conditional mutation of Smc5 resulted in destabilization of the SMC5/6 complex. Despite this, we observed only mild defects in spermatogenesis. Mutation of Smc5 mediated by Ddx4-Cre and Stra8-Cre resulted in partial loss of preleptotene spermatocytes; however, spermatogenesis progresses and mice are fertile. Mutation of Smc5 via Spo11-Cre or Hspa2-Cre did not result in detectable defects of spermatogenesis. Upon exposure to gamma irradiation or etoposide treatment, each conditional Smc5 mutant demonstrated an increase in the number of enlarged round spermatids with multiple acrosomes and supernumerary chromosome content. We propose that the SMC5/6 complex is not acutely required for premeiotic DNA replication and meiotic progression during mouse spermatogenesis; however, when germ cells are challenged by exogenous DNA damage, the SMC5/6 complex ensures genome integrity, and thus, fertility.

New point mutation in Golga3 causes multiple defects in spermatogenesis.

Mice with repro27 exhibit fully penetrant male-specific infertility associated with a nonsense mutation in the golgin subfamily A member 3 gene (Golga3). GOLGA3 is a Golgi complex-associated protein implicated in protein trafficking, apoptosis, positioning of the Golgi and spermatogenesis. In repro27 mutant mice, a point mutation in exon 18 of the Golga3 gene that inserts a pre-mature termination codon leads to an absence of GOLGA3 protein expression. GOLGA3 protein was undetectable in the brain, heart and liver in both mutant and control mice. Although spermatogenesis in Golga3(repro27) mutant mice appears to initiate normally, development is disrupted in late meiosis during the first wave of spermatogenesis, leading to significant germ cell loss between 15 and 18 days post-partum (dpp). Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase dUTP-mediated Nick End Labeling analysis showed elevated DNA fragmentation in meiotic germ cells by 12 dpp, suggesting apoptosis as a mechanism of germ cell loss. The few surviving post-meiotic round spermatids exhibited abnormal spermiogenesis with defects in acrosome formation, head and tail development and extensive vacuolization in the seminiferous epithelium. Analysis of epididymal spermatozoa showed significantly low sperm concentration and motility and in vitro fertilization with mutant spermatozoa was unsuccessful. Golga3(repro27) mice lack GOLGA3 protein and thus provide an in vivo tool to aid in deciphering the role of GOLGA3 in Golgi complex positioning, cargo trafficking and apoptosis signalling in male germ cells.

Mutagenesis-generated mouse models of human infertility with abnormal sperm.

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of human male fertility, with impairment of sperm number, motility and morphology (oligoasthenoteratozoospermia), has been difficult to understand, partly for lack of animal models. METHODS: An ethylnitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis strategy has been successful in producing heritable gene mutations with phenotypes similar to human male infertility, and here, we describe three independent ENU-induced mutations that cause a phenotype of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in mice. RESULTS: The loci identified by these three mutations are designated swm2, repro2 and repro3. All mutant males were characterized by low sperm concentration, poor sperm morphology and negligible motility, but the infertile males were apparently normal in other respects. Sperm from mutant males failed to fertilize oocytes in vitro. Ultrastructural analyses revealed varied abnormalities apparent in both testicular spermatids and epididymal sperm. Genetic mapping placed the swm2 gene on chromosome 7, the repro2 gene on chromosome 5 and the repro3 gene on chromosome 10. CONCLUSION: The single-gene mutations caused complex and non-specific sperm pathologies, a point with important implications for managing cases of human male infertility. The ultimate identification of the loci for the mutations causing these phenotypes will clarify aetiology of complex syndromes of infertility with sperm abnormalities consistent with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

Impact of trisomy on fertility and meiosis in male mice.

BACKGROUND: Chromosomal abnormalities frequently are associated with impairment or arrest of spermatogenesis in mammals but are compatible with fertility in female carriers of the same anomaly. In the case of trisomy, mice have extra genomic DNA as well as the chromosomal abnormality, usually present as an extra, unpaired chromosome. Thus, impairment of spermatogenesis in trisomic males could be due to the presence of extra genomic material (i.e. triplicated genes) or due to the chromosomal abnormality and presence of an unpaired chromosome in meiosis. METHODS: In this study, fertility and chromosomal pairing configurations during meiotic prophase were analysed in male mice trisomic for different segments of the genome. Four have an extra segmental or tertiary trisomic chromosome--Ts(17(16))65Dn, Ts(10(16))232Dn, Ts(12(17))4Rk and Ts(4(17))2Lws--and one has the triplicated segment attached to another chromosome--Ts(16C-tel)1Cje. Ts(17(16))65Dn and Ts(16C-tel)1Cje have similar gene content triplication and differ primarily in whether the extra DNA is in an extra chromosome or not. RESULTS: The presence of an intact extra chromosome, rather than trisomy per se, is associated with male sterility. Additionally, sterility is correlated with a high frequency of association of the unpaired chromosome with the XY body, which contains the largely unpaired X and Y chromosomes. CONCLUSIONS: Intact extra chromosomes disrupt spermatogenesis, and unpaired chromosomes establish a unique chromatin territory within meiotic nuclei.

New mouse genetic models for human contraceptive development.

Genetic strategies for the post-genomic sequence age will be designed to provide information about gene function in a myriad of physiological processes. Here an ENU mutagenesis program (http://reprogenomics.jax.org) is described that is generating a large resource of mutant mouse models of infertility; male and female mutants with defects in a wide range of reproductive processes are being recovered. Identification of the genes responsible for these defects, and the pathways in which these genes function, will advance the fields of reproduction research and medicine. Importantly, this program has potential to reveal novel human contraceptive targets.

Temporal expression of cell cycle-related proteins during spermatogenesis: establishing a timeline for onset of the meiotic divisions.

During spermatogenesis, the complex events of the first meiotic prophase and division phase bring about dramatic changes in nuclear organization. One factor frustrating mechanistic dissection of these events is lack of knowledge about precisely what events occur, in what order they occur, and how they may be interrelated by temporal sequence; in other words, a precise timeline is lacking. This temporal ordering problem can be tackled by following expression and localization in mouse spermatocytes of proteins critical to events of the meiotic cell division process. These include ones that are primarily chromosomal and related to pairing and recombination, as well as kinases and substrates that mediate the cell cycle transition. Distinct and protein-specific patterns occur with respect to expression and localization throughout meiotic prophase and division and dramatic relocalization of proteins occurs as spermatocytes enter the meiotic division phase. This information provides a foundation for a meiotic timeline that can be augmented to provide, eventually, a complete catalog of meiotic events and their temporal sequence. Such a framework can clarify mechanisms of normal meiosis as well as mutant phenotypes and aberrations of the meiotic process that lead to aneuploidy.

Evidence for meiotic spindle checkpoint from analysis of spermatocytes from Robertsonian-chromosome heterozygous mice.

Mice heterozygous for Robertsonian centric fusion chromosomal translocations frequently produce aneuploid sperm. In this study RBJ/Dn x C57BL/6J F1 males, heterozygous for four Robertsonian translocations (2N=36), were analyzed to determine effects on germ cells of error during meiosis. Analysis of sperm by three color fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed significantly elevated aneuploidy, thus validating Robertsonian heterozygous mice as a model for production of chromosomally abnormal gametes. Primary spermatocytes from heterozygous males exhibited abnormalities of chromosome pairing in meiotic prophase and metaphase. In spite of prophase abnormalities, the prophase/metaphase transition occurred. However, an increased frequency of cells with misaligned condensed chromosomes was observed. Cytological analysis of both young and adult heterozygous mice revealed increased apoptosis in spermatocytes during meiotic metaphase I. Metaphase spermatocytes with misaligned chromosomes accounted for a significant proportion of the apoptotic spermatocytes, suggesting that a checkpoint process identifies aberrant meioses. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that kinetochores of chromosomes that failed to align on the spindle stained more intensely for kinetochore antigens CENP-E and CENP-F than did aligned chromosomes. Taken together, these observations are consistent with detection of malattached chromosomes by a meiotic spindle checkpoint mechanism that monitors attachment and/or congression of homologous chromosome pairs. However, the relatively high frequency of gametic aneuploidy suggests that the checkpoint mechanism does not efficiently eliminate all germ cells with chromosomal abnormalities.

What are the spermatocyte's requirements for successful meiotic division?

The consequences of error during meiotic division in spermatogenesis can be serious: aneuploid spermatozoa, embryonic lethality, and developmental abnormalities. Recombination between homologs is essential to ensure normal segregation; thus the spermatocyte must time division precisely so that it occurs after recombination between chromosomes and accumulation of the cell-cycle machinery necessary to ensure an accurate segregation of chromosomes. We use two systems to investigate meiotic division during spermatogenesis in the mouse: pharmacological induction of meiotic metaphase in cultured spermatocytes and transillumination-mediated dissection of stage XII seminiferous tubule segments to monitor progress through the division phase. By these approaches we can assess timing of acquisition of competence for the meiotic division phase and the temporal order of events as division proceeds. Competence for the meiotic division arises in the mid-pachytene stage of meiotic prophase, after chromosomes have synapsed and coincident with the accumulation of the cell-cycle regulatory protein CDC25C. The activity of both MPF and topoisomerase II are required. The earliest hallmarks of the division phase are nuclear envelope breakdown, followed by phosphorylation of histone H3 and chromosome condensation. These events are likely to be monitored by checkpoint mechanisms since checkpoint proteins can be localized in nuclei and DNA-damaging agents delay entry into the meiotic division phase. Understanding how the spermatocyte regulates its entry into the meiotic division phase can help clarify the natural mechanisms ensuring accurate chromosome segregation and preventing aneuploidy. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 285:243-250, 1999.

New gene family defined by MORC, a nuclear protein required for mouse spermatogenesis.

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a complex developmental process. The analysis of mouse mutations has provided insight into biochemical pathways required for completion of this process. We previously described the autosomal recessive mouse morc TgN(Tyr)1Az(microrchidia) mutation, a serendipitous transgenic insertional mutation which causes arrest of spermatogenesis prior to the pachytene stage of meiosis prophase I. We now report the molecular characterization of the morc locus and positional cloning of a gene disrupted by the morc TgN(Tyr)1Az mutation. This gene, which we term Morc, encodes a 108 kDa protein expressed specifically in male germ cells. The transgene integrated within the first intron of Morc and was accompanied by an intragenic deletion of approximately 13 kb of genomic sequences, removing exons 2-4 and abrogating expression of the wild-type transcript. Analysis of the MORC protein sequence revealed putative nuclear localization signals, two predicted coiled-coil structural motifs and limited homology to GHL (GyraseB, Hsp90, MutL) ATPase. Epitope-tagged MORC protein expressed in COS7 cells localized to the nucleus. We also cloned the human MORC homolog and show that it too is testis-specific, but closely related human genes are transcribed in multiple somatic tissues. Homologous proteins are also present in zebrafish, nematodes, slime mold and plants. Thus, cloning of Morc defines a novel gene family whose members are likely to serve important biological functions in both meiotic and mitotic cells of multicellular organisms.

Imprinting of a RING zinc-finger encoding gene in the mouse chromosome region homologous to the Prader-Willi syndrome genetic region.

A novel locus in the human Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) region encodes the imprinted ZNF127 and antisense ZNF127AS genes. Here, we show that the mouse ZNF127 ortholog, Zfp127, encodes a homologous putative zinc-finger polypeptide, with a RING (C3HC4) and three C3H zinc-finger domains that suggest function as a ribonucleoprotein. By the use of RT-PCR across an in-frame hexamer tandem repeat and RNA from a Mus musculus x M.spretus F1interspecific cross, we show that Zfp127 is expressed only from the paternal allele in brain, heart and kidney. Similarly, Zfp127 is expressed in differentiated cells derived from androgenetic embryonic stem cells and normal embryos but not those from parthogenetic embryonic stem cells. We hypothesize that the gametic imprint may be set, at least in part, by the transcriptional activity of Zfp127 in pre- and post-meiotic male germ cells. Therefore, Zfp127 is a novel imprinted gene that may play a role in the imprinted phenotype of mouse models of PWS.

Acquisition of competence to condense metaphase I chromosomes during spermatogenesis.

Little is known about the timing of meiotic prophase events during spermatogenesis in the mouse or how these events are related to cell-cycle progression. This work was designed to test hypotheses about the timing and biochemical correlates of developmental acquisition of competence to condense bivalent pairs of homologous chromosomes held together by chiasmata. The experimental approach takes advantage of the fact that okadaic acid (OA) treatment of pachytene spermatocytes causes precocious entry into metaphase I (MI) of meiosis. Leptotene and zygotene (L/Z) spermatocytes are not competent to respond to OA with condensation of chiasmate bivalent chromosomes. Competence for MI condensation of chiasmate bivalents is acquired by the middle of the pachytene stage of meiotic prophase, several days after homologous chromosomes become fully synapsed. The acquisition of MI competence is paralleled by the accumulation of histone H1t in the nuclei of mid-pachytene spermatocytes. Biochemical differences also exist between the incompetent L/Z spermatocytes and the competent pachytene spermatocytes. Both have the molecular components of metaphase promoting factor, CDC2 and CYCLIN B1; however, the histone H1 kinase activity of metaphase promoting factor of incompetent L/Z spermatocytes is not activated by OA, as it is in competent pachytene spermatocytes. Additionally, the CDC25C protein phosphatase is present in competent pachytene spermatocytes, but not in incompetent L/Z or early pachytene spermatocytes. Both incompetent and competent spermatocytes accumulate MPM-2 phosphoepitopes and phosphorylated histone H3 in response to OA treatment, indicating that presence of these antigens is not sufficient to promote condensation of meiotic chromosomes. These data demonstrate that meiotic competence of spermatocytes is acquired after homologous chromosome pairing is established and is coincident with first appearance of histone H1t and CDC25C protein phosphatase in spermatocytes.

Differential gene expression of mammalian SPO11/TOP6A homologs during meiosis.

As the initiator of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the SPO11 protein is essential for recombination. Similarity between SPO11 and archaebacterial TOP6A proteins points to evolutionary specialization of a DNA cleavage function for meiotic recombination. To determine whether this extends to mammals, we isolated and characterized mouse and human SPO11 cDNAs. Mammalian SPO11 genes were found to be expressed at high levels only in testis, wherein mouse Spo11 transcript is restricted primarily to meiotic germ cells and is maximally expressed at midpachynema. Mouse Spo11 is located near the distal end of chromosome 2, while human SPO11 is found in the homologous position of chromosome 20q13.2-13.3, a region that is amplified in some breast cancers. Sequence homology and differential expression together support a highly conserved role for SPO11 in the enzymatic cleavage of DNA that accompanies meiotic recombination.

Meiotic events at the centromeric heterochromatin: histone H3 phosphorylation, topoisomerase II alpha localization and chromosome condensation.

Mechanisms of chromosome condensation and segregation during the first meiotic division are not well understood. Resolution of recombination events to form chiasmata is important, for it is chiasmata that hold homologous chromosomes together for their oppositional orientation on the meiotic metaphase spindle, thus ensuring their accurate segregation during anaphase I. Events at the centromere are also important in bringing about proper attachment to the spindle apparatus. This study was designed to correlate the presence and activity of two proteins at the centromeric heterochromatin, topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) and histone H3, with the processes of chromosome condensation and individualization of chiasmate bivalents in murine spermatocytes. We tested the hypothesis that phosphorylation of histone H3 is a key event instigating localization of TOP2A to the centromeric heterochromatin and condensation of chromosomes as spermatocytes exit prophase and progress to metaphase. Activity of topoisomerase II is required for condensation of chromatin at the end of meiotic prophase. Histone H3 becomes phosphorylated at the end of prophase, beginning with its phosphorylation at the centromeric heterochromatin in the diplotene stage. However, it cannot be involved in localization of TOP2A, since TOP2A is localized to the centromeric heterochromatin throughout most of meiotic prophase. This observation suggests a meiotic function for TOP2A in addition to its role in chromatin condensation. The use of kinase inhibitors demonstrates that phosphorylation of histone H3 can be uncoupled from meiotic chromosome condensation; therefore other proteins, such as those constituting metaphase-promoting factor, must be involved. These results define the timing of important meiotic events at the centromeric heterochromatin and provide insight into mechanisms of chromosome condensation for meiotic metaphase.

Characterization of the mouse Xpf DNA repair gene and differential expression during spermatogenesis.

The human XPF protein, an endonuclease subunit essential for DNA excision repair, may also function in homologous recombination. To investigate a possible link between mammalian XPF and recombination that occurs during meiosis, we isolated, characterized, and determined an expression profile for the mouse Xpf gene. The predicted mouse XPF protein, encoded by a 3.4-kb cDNA, contains 917 amino acids and is 86% identical to human XPF. Appreciable similarity also exists between mouse XPF and homologous proteins in budding yeast (Rad1), fission yeast (Rad16), and fruit fly (Mei-9), all of which have dual functions in excision repair and recombination. Sequence analysis of the 38.3-kb Xpf gene, localized to a region in proximal mouse chromosome 16, revealed greater than 72% identity to human XPF in 16 regions. Of these conserved elements, 11 were exons and 5 were noncoding sequence within introns. Xpf transcript and protein levels were specifically elevated in adult mouse testis. Moreover, increased levels of Xpf and Ercc1 mRNAs correlated with meiotic and early postmeiotic spermatogenic cells. These results support a distinct role for the XPF/ERCC1 junction-specific endonuclease during meiosis, most likely in the resolution of heteroduplex intermediates that arise during recombination.

Identification of morc (microrchidia), a mutation that results in arrest of spermatogenesis at an early meiotic stage in the mouse.

The microrchidia, or morc, autosomal recessive mutation results in the arrest of spermatogenesis early in prophase I of meiosis. The morc mutation arose spontaneously during the development of a mouse strain transgenic for a tyrosinase cDNA construct. Morc -/- males are infertile and have grossly reduced testicular mass, whereas -/- females are normal, indicating that the Morc gene acts specifically during male gametogenesis. Immunofluorescence to synaptonemal complex antigens demonstrated that -/- male germ cells enter meiosis but fail to progress beyond zygotene or leptotene stage. An apoptosis assay revealed massive numbers of cells undergoing apoptosis in testes of -/- mice. No other abnormal phenotype was observed in mutant animals, with the exception of eye pigmentation caused by transgene expression in the retina. Spermatogenesis is normal in +/- males, despite significant transgene expression in germ cells. Genomic analysis of -/- animals indicates the presence of a deletion adjacent to the transgene. Identification of the gene inactivated by the transgene insertion may define a novel biochemical pathway involved in mammalian germ cell development and meiosis.

Dynamics of meiotic prophase I during spermatogenesis: from pairing to division.

This review focuses on recent developments in our understanding of meiotic chromosome behavior in mammalian spermatogenesis, with a special emphasis on prophase I events in the best characterized organism, the laboratory mouse. The dynamics of chromosome movement prior to pairing and synapsis of chromosomes are complex and implicate function for both centromeres and telomeres in getting homologous chromosomes together in intimate synapsis. Likely candidates for mediating pairing and recombination include a host of proteins implicated in DNA repair and recombination, which have been shown to localize to the synaptonemal complex during meiotic prophase I. Precocious induction of meiotic metaphase in cultured pachytene spermatocytes has led to new information about requirements for MPF and topoisomerase II activity during the transition from meiotic prophase to metaphase. Together, the studies reviewed here increase our understanding of how chromosomes get together with their homologous partners and how these partners subsequently come apart.

Factors affecting meiotic and developmental competence of primary spermatocyte nuclei injected into mouse oocytes.

Mature mouse oocytes that have received the nuclei of pachytene primary spermatocytes (or metaphase I chromosomes of primary spermatocytes) can develop into fertile offspring. However, success rate in this study was low. No more than 3.8% of transferred 2-cell embryos arising from spermatocyte-injected oocytes developed to full term. Nevertheless, the birth of normal offspring seems to suggest that at least in some primary spermatocytes the functional genomic imprinting is complete before transfer and/or consolidated after the transfer. Although injected spermatocyte nuclei could undergo two successive meiotic divisions within oocytes, abnormalities of both divisions were commonly observed, and sister chromatids often separated prematurely during the second meiotic division. Chromosome breakage/rearrangements were also frequently seen before the first cleavage. Such abnormalities of chromosome behavior are probably the major causes of the poor preimplantation development of zygotes arising from primary spermatocyte-injected oocytes. Thus, clinical use of primary spermatocytes as substitutes for spermatozoa in assisted fertilization is not advisable until the causes of chromosomal abnormalities are better understood through extensive animal studies.

Differential expression of the zinc finger gene Zfp105 during spermatogenesis.

We report the isolation of Zfp105, the mouse homolog of the human ZNF35 zinc finger gene. Zfp105 and ZNF35 are highly conserved at the protein and nucleotide level, and Zfp105 maps to a region of mouse Chromosome (Chr) 9 that is homologous to the human region containing ZNF35. Zpf105 is highly expressed in the testis, especially in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids. The possible role of this gene product in maintaining an ordered germ cell differentiation process is discussed.

Meiotic prophase arrest with failure of chromosome synapsis in mice deficient for Dmc1, a germline-specific RecA homolog.

DMC1 is a meiosis-specific gene first discovered in yeast that encodes a protein with homology to RecA and may be component of recombination nodules. Yeast dmc1 mutants are defective in crossing over and synaptonemal complex (SC) formation, and arrest in late prophase of meiosis I. We have generated a null mutation in the Dmc1 gene in mice and show that homozygous mutant males and females are sterile with arrest of gametogenesis in the first meiotic prophase. Chromosomes in mutant spermatocytes fail to synapse, despite the formation of axial elements that are the precursor to the SC. The strong similarity of phenotypes in Dmc1-deficient mice and yeast suggests that meiotic mechanisms have been highly conserved through evolution.