Sperm mitochondria in reproduction: good or bad and where do they go?
The mitochondrion is the major energy provider to power sperm motility. In mammals, aside from the nuclear genome, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) also contributes to oxidative phosphorylation to impact production of ATP by coding 13 polypeptides. However, the role of sperm mitochondria in fertilization and its final fate after fertilization are still controversial. The viewpoints that sperm bearing more mtDNA will have a better fertilizing capability and that sperm mtDNA is actively eliminated during early embryogenesis are widely accepted. However, this may be not true for several mammalian species, including mice and humans. Here, we review the sperm mitochondria and their mtDNA in sperm functions, and the mechanisms of maternal mitochondrial inheritance in mammals.
Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
Shi-Ming
SM
Luo
Heide
H
Schatten
Qing-Yuan
QY
Sun
D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
Autophagy; Maternal inheritance; Mitochondrial DNA; Oxidative phosphorylation; Paternal inheritance; Ubiquitination