Identification of novel factors to regulate maturation and meiosis initiation of spermatogonia using zebrafish spermatogenesis mutants

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06698
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Kawasaki Toshihiro 国立遺伝学研究所, 遺伝形質研究系, 特命助教 (30770630)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 生殖幹細胞 / 自己複製 / 減数分裂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In spermatogenesis, the maturation of spermatogonia associated with proliferation and the initiation of meiosis are closely related. In order to establish a molecular basis for elucidating the mechanisms that control these processes, I performed translatome analysis based on the moto and PM-035 mutant zebrafish having defect in the spermatogonial stem cell differerentiation and in the inhibition of meiotic entry in the undifferentiated spermatogonia, respectively. To remove information of somatic cells, translating mRNA were used for RNA-seq analysis by using the RNA immunoprecipitated with GFP tagged Rpl10a expressed in the undifferentiated spermatogonia (TRAP-seq). The characteristic proteins and pathways were identified on self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells and meiosis.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生殖幹細胞の自己複製・分化制御機構や減数分裂の開始機構の解析は、マウスやショウジョウバエで精力的に行われ理解が進んできたが未だ解明に至ったとは言えない状況にある。本研究でトランスレイトーム解析に用いたmotoおよびPM-035変異体は先行する動物種においてもユニークな表現型を持つため、本研究からのフィードバックも期待される。またこれら学術的意義以外にも、魚類における生殖原細胞の解析はあまり進んでいないため、本研究におけるゼブラフィッシュ精原細胞における分子基盤の確立は資源枯渇が問題になっている日本の水産研究にも資するものであると考えられる。