The conserved genetic program of male germ cells uncovers ancient regulators of human spermatogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Male germ cells share a common origin across animal species, therefore they likely retain a conserved genetic program that defines their cellular identity. However, the unique evolutionary dynamics of male germ cells coupled with their widespread leaky transcription pose significant obstacles to the identification of the core spermatogenic program. Through network analysis of the spermatocyte transcriptome of vertebrate and invertebrate species, we describe the conserved evolutionary origin of metazoan male germ cells at the molecular level. We estimate the average functional requirement of a metazoan male germ cell to correspond to the expression of approximately 10,000 protein-coding genes, a third of which defines a genetic scaffold of deeply conserved genes that has been retained throu

SUBMITTER: Brattig-Correia R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11466473 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature