SEPT12 collaborates with microtubules to form the manchette and sperm tail (#269)
The septin gene belongs to a highly conserved family of polymerizing GTP-binding cytoskeletal proteins. SEPTs perform cytoskeletal remodeling, cell polarity, membrane compartmentalization, mitosis, and vesicle trafficking by interacting with various cytoskeletons (e.g., tubulins, actins, and myosins). Septins have been implicated in the pathology of numerous diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy, leukemia, ovarian tumors, breast cancer, and male infertility. In mammalian spermatogenesis, the SEPT1/4/6/7 complex compartmentalizes between the mid-piece and the principal piece regions of the sperm tail, and this complex is important for maintaining a proper mitochondrial architecture of the spermatozoa mid-piece. Our previous studies have indicated that SEPT12 is expressed in post-meiotic male germ cells. The generated Septin12+/+/ +/- chimeras with a Septin12 mutant allele deleted in the exons encoding the N-terminal GTP-binding domain were infertile. Spermatozoa from these chimeric mice showed abnormal sperm morphology (round head, acrosomal defects, and a bent tail), immotile sperm, maturation arrest, increased apoptosis, and a decreased sperm count. However, the mechanisms of reduced SEPT12 influences spermiogenesis are still unknown. We show how SEPT12 interacts and co-localizes with α- and β-tubulins, major cytoskeletons participating in manchette formation during mouse spermiogenesis. In Septin12 +/+/ +/- chimeric mice, manchette organization and tail development were disrupted. In cells, the knockdown of the SEPTIN12 transcript disrupts α- and β-tubulin organization. We discovered that the SEPTIN12-microtubulin complex is critical for manchette and tail formation during spermiogenesis.
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- Lin YH, Chou CK, Huang YC, Yu IS, Pan HA, Lin SW, Kuo PL. SEPT12 deficiency causes sperm nucleus damage and developmental arrest of preimplantation embryos. Fertility and Sterility 2011;95:363-365.
- Chao HCA, Lin YH, Kuo YC, Shen CJ, Pan HA, Kuo PL. The expression pattern of SEPT7 correlates with sperm morphology. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 2010;27:299-307.
- Kuo YC, Lin YH, Chen HI, Wang YY, Chiou YW, Lin HH, Pan HA, Wu CM, Su SM, Hsu CC, Kuo PL. SEPT12 mutations cause male infertility with defective sperm annulus. Human Mutation 2012;33(4):710-719.
- Lin YH, Wang YY, Chen HI, Kuo YC, Chiou YW, Lin HH, Wu CM, Hsu CC, Chiang HS, Kuo PL. SETPTIN12 genetic variants confer susceptibility to teratozoospermia. PLoS One 2012;7(3):e34011.