Epigenetic marking of sperm by post-translational modification of histones and protamines.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The concept that individual traits can be acquired and transmitted by the germline through epigenetic mechanisms has gained recognition in the past years. However, epigenetic marks in sperm have not been are not well identified.

Results

Using a novel proteomic approach that combines peptide-based bottom-up and intact protein top-down tandem mass spectrometry, we report the identification of epigenetic marks on histones and protamines in adult mouse sperm. We identified a total of 26 post-translational modifications (PTMs) on specific residues of the core histones H2B, H3 and H4, and the linker histone H1, four of which had not been described previously in any tissue or cell line. We also detected 11 novel PTMs on the protamines PRM1 and PRM2 and observed that they

SUBMITTER: Brunner AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3904194 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature