Scholarlink

<p>Active mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) elimination during spermatogenesis has emerged as a conserved mechanism ensuring the uniparental mitochondrial inheritance in animals. However, given the existence of post-fertilization processes degrading sperm mitochondria, the physiological significance of mtDNA removal during spermatogenesis is not clear. Here we show that mtDNA clearance is indispensable for sperm development and activity. We uncover a previously unappreciated role of Poldip2 as a mitochondrial exonuclease that is specifically expressed in late spermatogenesis and required for sperm mtDNA elimination in <i>Drosophila</i>. Loss of Poldip2 impairs mtDNA clearance in elongated spermatids and impedes the progression of individualization complexes that strip away cytoplasmic materials and organelles. Over time, <i>poldip2</i> mutant sperm exhibit marked nuclear genome fragmentation, and the flies become completely sterile. Notably, these phenotypes were rescued by expressing a mitochondrially targeted bacterial exonuclease, which ectopically removes mtDNA. Our work illustrates the developmental necessity of mtDNA clearance for effective cytoplasm removal at the end of spermatid morphogenesis, and for preventing potential nuclear-mitochondrial genome imbalance in mature sperm, in which nuclear genome activity is shut down.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Mitochondrial DNA removal is essential for sperm development and activity

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月11日

查看全文
  • Zhe Chen,
  • Fan Zhang,
  • Annie Lee,
  • Michaela Yamine,
  • Zong-Heng Wang,
  • Guofeng Zhang,
  • Christian Combs,
  • Hong Xu

摘要

Active mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) elimination during spermatogenesis has emerged as a conserved mechanism ensuring the uniparental mitochondrial inheritance in animals. However, given the existence of post-fertilization processes degrading sperm mitochondria, the physiological significance of mtDNA removal during spermatogenesis is not clear. Here we show that mtDNA clearance is indispensable for sperm development and activity. We uncover a previously unappreciated role of Poldip2 as a mitochondrial exonuclease that is specifically expressed in late spermatogenesis and required for sperm mtDNA elimination in Drosophila. Loss of Poldip2 impairs mtDNA clearance in elongated spermatids and impedes the progression of individualization complexes that strip away cytoplasmic materials and organelles. Over time, poldip2 mutant sperm exhibit marked nuclear genome fragmentation, and the flies become completely sterile. Notably, these phenotypes were rescued by expressing a mitochondrially targeted bacterial exonuclease, which ectopically removes mtDNA. Our work illustrates the developmental necessity of mtDNA clearance for effective cytoplasm removal at the end of spermatid morphogenesis, and for preventing potential nuclear-mitochondrial genome imbalance in mature sperm, in which nuclear genome activity is shut down.