Bulk RNA-seq in Tasor2 KO testis & Tex15 cKO germ cells

ABSTRACT: Chromatin-associated factors play critical roles in germ cell development. TEX15, a testis-specific protein, is essential for retrotransposon silencing and meiotic progression in male germ cells. Here we report that TEX15 plays a novel role in spermiogenesis. Postnatal inactivation of TEX15 leads to teratozoospermia and male subfertility but not de-repression of retrotransposons. Mechanistically, TEX15 forms a complex with TASOR2 but not its paralogue TASOR in testis. Strikingly, TEX15 and HUSH2 components (TASOR2, MPP8, and PPHLN1) colocalize as nuclear foci at XY chromatin in round spermatids. The formation of TEX15 nuclear focus is dependent on TASOR2 but not vice versa, indicating that HUSH2 recruits TEX15 to the chromatin. TASOR2-deficient mice are viable but exhibit teratozoospermia. TASOR2 and MPP8 bind to muti-copy gene families in postmeiotic spermatids. Importantly, multi-copy genes including X-linked H2al genes are upregulated in TEX15-deficient spermatids and TASOR2-deficient testis. Our results demonstrate that the HUSH2 complex targets and represses multi-copy gene families in spermiogenesis through TEX15, providing a mechanism for postmeiotic sex chromatin (PMSC) repression.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE324264 | GEO | 2026/09/15

REPOSITORIES: GEO