Male CD81 knockout genotype disrupts Mendelian distribution of offspring.
CD81 is an integral membrane protein in the tetraspanin superfamily that serves as an adaptor protein. CD81 is also a maternally imprinted gene that is found in a regulated cluster of genes on mouse chromosome 7. Among offspring produced from heterozygous breeding pairs, CD81(null/null) mice grew at the same rate as CD81(+/+) and CD81(+/null) mice. Because of an inhibition in sperm-egg fusion, CD81(null/null) female mice are much less fertile than CD81(+/+) and CD81(+/null) mice. However, no published study has detailed the effect of the male CD81 genotype on the genotype and sex distribution of offspring. We set up breeding pairs of heterozygotic (C.129-Cd81(tm1) N7) female mice and male mice with CD81(+/null), CD81(+/+), or CD81(null/null) genotypes. The survival and development of CD81(+/null), CD81(+/+), and CD81(null/null) offspring were monitored and compared. Compared with those of heterozygous male breeders, CD81(null/null) pups were born at a less-than-expected ratio from CD81(null/null) males. Sex distribution did not differ among pups sired by CD81(null/null) compared with CD81(+/null) mice. The data suggest that the effect of the CD81(null/null) paternal genotype on offspring is manifested early in development or in utero.
Mordica
Whitney J
WJ
Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
Gallagher
Ryan J
RJ
Kennedy
Jenna L
JL
Chapes
Stephen K
SK
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017678:Sex Distribution; D060225:Tetraspanin 28
D015703:Antigens, CD; C554799:Cd81 protein, mouse; D060225:Tetraspanin 28