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Human Sperm Telomere–Binding Complex Involves Histone H2b and Secures Telomere Membrane Attachment

Journal Article · · Journal of Cell Biology
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). School of Medicine. Dept. of Biological Chemistry; Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Vilnius (Lithuania). Inst. of Biochemistry; DOE/OSTI
  2. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). School of Medicine. Dept. of Biological Chemistry
  3. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). School of Medicine. Dept. of Biological Chemistry; Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Life Sciences Division

Telomeres are unique chromatin domains located at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomere functions in somatic cells involve complexes between telomere proteins and TTAGGG DNA repeats. During the differentiation of germ-line cells, telomeres undergo significant reorganization most likely required for additional specific functions in meiosis and fertilization. A telomere-binding protein complex from human sperm (hSTBP) has been isolated by detergent treatment and was partially purified. hSTBP specifically binds double-stranded telomeric DNA and does not contain known somatic telomere proteins TRF1, TRF2, and Ku. Surprisingly, the essential component of this complex has been identified as a specific variant of histone H2B. Indirect immunofluorescence shows punctate localization of H2B in sperm nuclei, which in part coincides with telomeric DNA localization established by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Anti–H2B antibodies block interactions of hSTBP with telomere DNA, and spH2B forms specific complex with this DNA in vitro, indicating that this protein plays a role in telomere DNA recognition. We propose that hSTBP participates in the membrane attachment of telomeres that may be important for ordered chromosome withdrawal after fertilization.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division; National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1625121
Journal Information:
Journal of Cell Biology, Journal Name: Journal of Cell Biology Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 151; ISSN 0021-9525
Publisher:
Rockefeller University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (18)

Molecular turnover, the H3.3 dilemma and organismal aging (hypothesis) journal February 2015
Putative molecular mechanism underlying sperm chromatin remodelling is regulated by reproductive hormones journal December 2012
Genetics of male infertility: from research to clinic journal November 2015
Spermatozoal RNAs: What about their functions? journal August 2009
Proteome and Transcriptome Analysis of Ovary, Intersex Gonads, and Testis Reveals Potential Key Sex Reversal/Differentiation Genes and Mechanism in Scallop Chlamys nobilis journal March 2018
Repressive and active histone methylation mark distinct promoters in human and mouse spermatozoa journal May 2010
RNA dynamics of fertile and infertile spermatozoa journal May 2007
Delayed paternal age of reproduction in humans is associated with longer telomeres across two generations of descendants journal June 2012
Pericentric heterochromatin reprogramming by new histone variants during mouse spermiogenesis journal January 2007
Shedding light into the relevance of telomeres in human reproduction and male factor infertility† journal October 2018
Altered protamine expression and diminished spermatogenesis: what is the link? journal January 2007
Function of sperm chromatin structural elements in fertilization and development journal September 2009
Long-Term Effects of Mouse Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection with DNA-Fragmented Sperm on Health and Behavior of Adult Offspring1 journal April 2008
Association between two common transitions of H2BFWT gene and male infertility: a case-control, meta, and structural analysis journal February 2018
Protamine ratio and the level of histone retention in sperm selected from a density gradient preparation journal April 2009
Analysis of DNA damage after human sperm cryopreservation in genes crucial for fertilization and early embryo development journal August 2013
Impact of cigarette smoking on histone (H2B) to protamine ratio in human spermatozoa and its relation to sperm parameters journal July 2014
Potential biomarkers of DNA quality in cryopreserved fish sperm: impact on gene expression and embryonic development journal December 2018

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