title: Spermidine promotes mating and fertilization efficiency in model organisms.
abstract: Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine involved in multiple biological processes, including DNA metabolism, autophagy and aging. Like other polyamines, spermidine is also indispensable for successful reproduction at several stages. However, a direct influence on the actual fertilization process, i.e., the fusion of an oocyte with a spermatocyte, remains uncertain. To explore this possibility, we established the mating process in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model for fertilization in higher eukaryotes. During human fertilization, the sperm capacitates and the acrosome reaction is necessary for penetration of the oocyte. Similarly, sexually active yeasts form a protrusion called "shmoo" as a prerequisite for mating. In this study, we demonstrate that pheromone-induced shmoo formation requires spermidine. In addition, we show that spermidine is essential for mating in yeast as well as for egg fertilization in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In both cases, this occurs independently from autophagy. In synthesis, we identify spermidine as an important mating component in unicellular and multicellular model organisms, supporting an unprecedented evolutionary conservation of the mechanisms governing fertilization-related cellular fusion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Maria Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Didac
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carmona-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruckenstuhl
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reisenbichler
authors.forename: Evgenia V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Megalou
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magnes
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jungwirth
authors.forename: Frank M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sinner
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Pieber
authors.forename: Kai-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Fröhlich
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
authors.forename: Nektarios
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tavernarakis
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Madeo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D022081:Cell Surface Extensions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D013095:Spermidine / Q000502:physiology*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D011073:Polyamines; D013095:Spermidine