Male reproductive biology was reshaped during placental mammal diversification through epididymal secretome expansion

ABSTRACT: The evolutionary timing of the origin of secretory proteins underlying post-mating reproductive processes remains uncharacterized in vertebrates. We dated the origin of 2,520 human tissue-specific genes encoding secretory proteins across vertebrate evolution, finding that the male reproductive (MR) secretome underwent a dramatic expansion during the eutherian (placental mammal) diversification, experiencing a 6.8-fold gene gain-the largest increase compared to any other secretome or transition in vertebrate evolution. These genes are predominantly expressed in the epididymis, where they protect sperm and drive sperm maturation, influencing essential post-mating reproductive processes and male reproductive outcome. In contrast, MR secretome genes that originated along other evolutionary bra

SUBMITTER: Jose Ranz 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44319-026-00817-1 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other