title: Prtl99C Acts Together with Protamines and Safeguards Male Fertility in Drosophila.
abstract: The formation of motile spermatozoa involves the highly conserved formation of protamine-rich, tightly packed chromatin. However, genetic loss of protamine function in Drosophila and mice does not lead to significant decompaction of sperm chromatin. This indicates that other proteins act redundantly or together with protamines. Here, we identify Prtl99C as a Drosophila sperm chromatin-associated protein that is essential for male fertility. Whereas the loss of protamines results in modest elongation of sperm nuclei, knockdown of Prtl99C has a much stronger effect on sperm nuclei. Loss of protamines and Prtl99C indicates an additive effect of these proteins on chromatin compaction, in agreement with independent loading of these factors into sperm chromatin. These data reveal that at least three chromatin-binding proteins act together in chromatin reorganization to compact the paternal chromatin.
authors.affiliation: Philipps-Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Biologie, Entwicklungsbiologie, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Eren-Ghiani
authors.affiliation: Philipps-Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Biologie, Entwicklungsbiologie, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rathke
authors.affiliation: Philipps-Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Biologie, Entwicklungsbiologie, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Theofel
authors.affiliation: Philipps-Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Biologie, Entwicklungsbiologie, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany. Electronic address: renkawit@biologie.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renkawitz-Pohl
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011479:Protamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D011479:Protamines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
keywords: HMG box; Mst77F; Prtl99C; histone-to-protamine switch; sperm chromatin