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The combined action of CTCF and its testis-specific paralog BORIS is essential for spermatogenesis

ABSTRACT: CTCF is a key organizer of the 3D genome. Its specialized paralog, BORIS, heterodimerizes with CTCF but is expressed only in male germ cells and in cancer states. Unexpectedly, BORIS-null mice have only minimal germ cell defects. To understand the CTCF-BORIS relationship, mouse models with varied CTCF and BORIS levels were generated. Whereas Ctcf+/+Boris+/+, Ctcf+/-Boris+/+, and Ctcf+/+Boris-/- males are fertile, Ctcf+/-Boris-/- (Compound Mutant; CM) males are sterile. Testes with combined depletion of both CTCF and BORIS show reduced size, defective meiotic recombination, increased apoptosis, and malformed spermatozoa. Although CM germ cells exhibit only 25% of CTCF WT expression, chromatin binding of CTCF is preferentially lost from CTCF-BORIS heterodimeric sites. Furthermore, CM testes lose the expression of a large number of spermatogenesis genes and gain the expression of developmentally inappropriate genes that are “toxic” to fertility. Thus, a combined action of CTCF and BORIS is required to both repress pre-meiotic genes and activate post-meiotic genes for a complete spermatogenesis program.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE154249 | GEO | 2021/04/22

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, non-coding RNAs that mediate post-transcriptional gene silencing by inhibiting mRNA translation and promoting mRNA decay. DICER1, an RNAse III endonuclease encoded by Dicer1, is required for processing short 21-22 nucleotide miRNAs from longer double-stranded RNA precursors. Here, we investigate the loss of Dicer1 in mouse postnatal male germ cells to determine how disruptions in the miRNA biogenesis pathway may contribute to infertility. Reduced levels of Dicer1 transcripts and DICER1 were confirmed in germ cell knock-out (GCKO) testes by postnatal day 18 (P18). Compared to wild-type (WT) at 8 weeks, GCKO males had no change in body weight, yet showed significant reductions in testis mass and sperm number. Histology and fertility tests confirmed spermatogenic failure in GCKO males. Array analyses at P18 showed 96% of miRNA genes were down-regulated and 37% of protein-coding genes were differentially expressed in GCKO testes. Interestingly, we observed preferential overexpression of genes on the sex chromosomes in GCKO testes, with more than 80% of the genes overlapping those proposed to undergo meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) in the germ cells. Compared to WT, GCKO mice showed higher percentages of cells at early meiotic stages (leptotene and zygotene) but lower percentages at later stages (pachytene, diplotene and metaphase I), providing evidence that deletion of Dicer1 leads to disruptions in meiotic progression. Furthermore, we observed fewer elongating spermatids with proper translational activation of transition protein 2 (Tnp2), protamine 1 and 2 (Prm1 and Prm2) in GCKO testes after step 12-14. Therefore, deleting Dicer1 in early postnatal germ cells causes misregulation of transcripts encoded by genes on the sex chromosomes, impairs meiotic progression and post-meiotic translational control and results in spermatogenic failure and infertility. Total RNA, including miRNAs, were purified from a total of six individual mouse samples. The tissue collected was obtained from wild-type (control; n=3) and Dicer1 germ cell knockout (mutant; n=3) testes on P18.

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The combined action of CTCF and its testis-specific paralog BORIS is essential for spermatogenesis

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