Deletions on mouse Yq lead to upregulation of multiple X- and Y-linked transcripts in spermatids

Hum Mol Genet. 2005 Sep 15;14(18):2705-15. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddi304. Epub 2005 Aug 8.

Abstract

Deletions on the mouse Y-chromosome long arm (MSYq) lead to teratozoospermia and in severe cases to infertility. We find that the downstream transcriptional changes in the testis resulting from the loss of MSYq-encoded transcripts involve upregulation of multiple X- and Y-linked spermatid-expressed genes, but not related autosomal genes. Therefore, this indicates that in normal males, there is a specific repression of X and Y (gonosomal) transcription in post-meiotic cells, which depends on MSYq-encoded transcripts. Together with the known sex ratio skew in favour of females in the offspring of fertile MSYqdel males, this strongly suggests the existence of an intragenomic conflict between X- and Y-linked genes. Two potential antagonists in this conflict are the X-linked multicopy gene Xmr and its multicopy MSYq-linked relative Sly, which are upregulated and downregulated, respectively, in the testes of MSYqdel males. Xmr is also expressed during meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI), indicating a link between the MSCI and the MSYq-dependent gonosomal repression in spermatids. We therefore propose that this repression and MSCI itself are evolutionary adaptations to maintain a normal sex ratio in the face of X/Y antagonism.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genes, X-Linked / genetics*
  • Genes, Y-Linked / genetics*
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Multigene Family / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sex Ratio
  • Spermatids / metabolism*
  • X Chromosome Inactivation / genetics
  • Y Chromosome / genetics*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • SLY1 protein, mouse
  • Slx protein, mouse