MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Science for Health
Paul Burgoyne group project:
A Y short arm gene required for sperm head elongation and formation of the sperm tail
In XOSry,Eif2s3y and XSxrbO males carrying Eif2s3y as a transgene, there is spermatogenic arrest during the meiotic metaphase stages (A Y short arm gene required for the apoptotic response to sex chromosome univalence). This block can be overcome by providing a small chromosome [Y*X] as a pairing partner for the X or XSxrb chromosome. In the context of XOSry, spermatogenesis then proceeds to step 7 of round spermatid development when there is again arrest such that there is no sperm head elongation or development of the sperm tail. In the context of XSxrbO the block at stage 7 is a somewhat ‘leaky’. We are again using transgene rescue to try and reinstate normal progression beyond step 7 and thus identify they gene or genes involved at this stage of sperm development.
Click image to view at full-size
In XSxraY*X males (left) all the spermatids are elongating (St12) in stage XII seminiferous tubules containing meiotic division (M). In XY*X,Sry,Eif2s3y double transgenic males (middle), the spermatids don’t elongate (St7). In XSxrbY*X,Eif2s3y transgenic males (right), some spermatids don’t elongate whereas others start their elongation (St10).
Selected publications
- Burgoyne PS, Mahadevaiah SK, Sutcliffe MJ, Palmer SJ. (1992)
Fertility in mice requires X-Y pairing and a Y-chromosomal "spermiogenesis" gene mapping to the long arm.
Cell 71, 391-8 PubMed abstract - Mazeyrat, S; Saut, N; Grigoriev, V; Mahadevaiah, SK; Ojarikre, OA; Rattigan, A; Bishop, C; Eicher, EM; Mitchell, MJ and Burgoyne, PS (2001)
A Y-encoded subunit of the translation initiation factor Eif2 is essential for mouse spermatogenesis.
Nature Genetics 29, 49-53 PubMed abstract
Burgoyne group
Recent publications
Research projects
- The role of Sly in sex chromosome repression and sperm development
- A Y short arm gene required for the apoptotic response to sex chromosome univalence
- A Y short arm gene required for sperm head elongation and formation of the sperm tail
- X-attached-Y/O males and the MI checkpoint response to univalent sex chromosomes
- Further studies of the causes of XYY male infertility
- The causes of XY female infertility
© MRC National Institute for Medical Research
The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
Top of page