Role of CRISP2 in the functional evolution of the sperm storage in vas deferens

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06763
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE Eriko 山形大学, 学士課程基盤教育機構, 准教授 (20337405)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 渡邉 明彦 山形大学, 理学部, 教授 (30250913)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Crisp / sperm storage / newt

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified Crisp2v and Crisp2vs as newly CRISP proteins which suppress the gating of Ca2+channels. Crisp2v and Crisp2vs were suggested to be expressed in the vas deferens of newt. Crisp2vs is a splicing variant lacking ICR domain that suppress the gating of Ca2+channels. In sperm of the newt, intracellular Ca2+ is localized to the midpiece to keep fertilizability. We showed that as for the individual which was higher in the relative expression of Crisp2vs to Crisp2v in the vas deferens, higher was the rate of sperm in which intracellular Ca2+ is localized to the midpiece, in the reproductive season. We also found that Crisp2v and Crisp2vs gene was included in the RNAseq data of tissues containing pelvic or ventral glands which synthesized component proteins of the spermatophore. It was suggested that Crisp2v and Crisp2vs maintain the sperm quality in the vas deferens and spermatophore of newt.

Free Research Field

発生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

異なる受精様式を持つ動物種においては貯精部位、期間がそれぞれ異なり、独自の貯精機構を持つと考えられる。本研究により、体内受精を行う有尾両生類では、輸精管を含む雄性生殖管におけるCRISP2vとCRISP2vsを用いた独自の精子のクオリティー維持機構を獲得したことにより、その受精様式を成立させるために必要な長期の貯精が可能となったことが示された。CRISP2vとCRISP2vsは細胞外タンパク質であることから、生殖補助医療や家畜生産における精子のクオリティー維持技術の開発に貢献することも期待できる。