Analysis of regulatory mechanism of arginine methylation for sperm-specific protein in C. elegans

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15799
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Tajima Tatsuya 筑波大学, 生存ダイナミクス研究センター, 助教 (80845058)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 線虫 / 精子 / アルギニンメチル化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Protein arginine methylation is catalyzed by a family of methyltransferases called PRMTs. This process involves the formation of monomethylarginine (MMA), followed by either asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA). Previous experiments have revealed that PRMT-1, an enzyme responsible for ADMA formation, methylates the Arg43 residue of the sperm-specific and mammalian protamine substitute proteins SPCH-2 and SPCH-3. Furthermore, genetic analysis has shown that SPCH-2 significantly contributes to the reproductive function of nematodes and may be involved in the elongation of pseudopodia (analogous to the flagella of mammalian sperm) during spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アルギニンメチル化は転写調節やシグナル伝達など様々な細胞内イベントに関与することが知られてきたが、生殖機能を制御することはほとんど報告されてこなかった。本研究より、戦中の精子特異的タンパク質SPCH-2とSPCH-3のアルギニン43位はPRMT-1によるアルギニンメチル化受けていた。また、遺伝学的解析より、spch-2変異体における精細胞形成と精子形成に異常がみられた。これらの知見は、ヒトの男性不妊の原因究明、さらには治療法の開発につながる潜在性を秘めている。