A testis-expressing heme peroxidase HPX12 regulates male fertility in the mosquito Anopheles stephensi.

ABSTRACT: In vertebrates dysregulation of the antioxidant defense system has a detrimental impact on male fertility and reproductive physiology. However, in insects, especially mosquitoes the importance of sperm quality has been poorly studied. Since long-term storage of healthy and viable sperm earmarks male reproductive competency, we tested whether the heme peroxidase, a member of antioxidant enzyme family proteins, and abundantly expressed in the testis, also influence male fertility in the mosquito An. stephensi. Here, we show that a heme peroxidase 12 (HPX12), is an important cellular factor to protect the sperms from oxidative stress, and maintains semen quality in the male mosquito reproductive organ. We demonstrate that knockdown of the HPX12 not only impairs the sperm parameters such as mo

SUBMITTER: Kumari S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8850455 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature