A sperm-supplied factor required for embryogenesis in C. elegans.
The paternal-effect embryonic-lethal gene, spe-11, is required for normal development of early C. elegans embryos. Spe-11 embryos fail to complete meiosis, form a weak eggshell, fail to orient properly the first mitotic spindle, and fail to undergo cytokinesis. Here we report cloning and sequencing of the spe-11 gene, which encodes a novel protein. As predicted by the paternal-effect mutant phenotype, the gene is expressed during spermatogenesis but is not detectable in females undergoing oogenesis, and the protein is present in mature sperm. To investigate whether SPE-11's essential function is during spermatogenesis or whether sperm-delivered SPE-11 functions in the newly fertilized embryo, we engineered animals to supply SPE-11 to the embryo through the oocyte rather than through the sperm. We found that maternal expression is sufficient for embryonic viability. This result demonstrates that SPE-11 is not required during spermatogenesis, and suggests that SPE-11 is a sperm-supplied factor that participates directly in development of the early embryo. In contrast to the many known maternal factors required for embryogenesis, SPE-11 is the first paternally contributed factor to be genetically identified and molecularly characterized.
Browning
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Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C097514:SPE-11 protein, C elegans