L3MBTL2 regulates chromatin remodeling during spermatogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Lethal (3) malignant brain tumor like 2 (L3MBTL2) is a member of the MBT-domain proteins, which are involved in transcriptional repression and implicated in chromatin compaction. Our previous study has shown that L3MBTL2 is highly expressed in the testis, but its role in spermatogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we found that L3MBTL2 was most highly expressed in pachytene spermatocytes within the testis. Germ cell-specific ablation of L3mbtl2 in the testis led to increased abnormal spermatozoa, progressive decrease of sperm counts and premature testicular failure in mice. RNA-sequencing analysis on L3mbtl2 deficient testes confirmed that L3MBTL2 was a transcriptional repressor but failed to reveal any significant changes in spermatogenesis-associated genes. Interestingly, L3mb

SUBMITTER: Meng C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6889272 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature