RNA binding protein BOULE forms aggregates in mammalian testis

Yujuan Su; Xinghui Guo; Min Zang; Zhengyao Xie; Tingting Zhao; Eugene Yujun Xu

doi:10.7555/JBR.36.20220072

Volume 36 Issue 4

Jul. 2022

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Yujuan Su, Xinghui Guo, Min Zang, Zhengyao Xie, Tingting Zhao, Eugene Yujun Xu. RNA binding protein BOULE forms aggregates in mammalian testis[J]. The Journal of Biomedical Research, 2022, 36(4): 255-268. doi: 10.7555/JBR.36.20220072

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Yujuan Su, Xinghui Guo, Min Zang, Zhengyao Xie, Tingting Zhao, Eugene Yujun Xu. RNA binding protein BOULE forms aggregates in mammalian testis[J]. The Journal of Biomedical Research, 2022, 36(4): 255-268. doi: 10.7555/JBR.36.20220072

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RNA binding protein BOULE forms aggregates in mammalian testis

doi: 10.7555/JBR.36.20220072

1.
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
2.
Department of Neurology, and Center for Reproductive Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

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Corresponding author: Eugene Yujun Xu, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China. Tel: +86-25-86869505, E-mail: e-xu@northwestern.edu
Received: 2022-04-05
Revised: 2022-05-25
Accepted: 2022-05-27

Published: 2022-06-28

Issue Date: 2022-07-28

Abstract

Abstract

Amyloids have traditionally been considered pathologic protein aggregates which contribute to neurodegeneration. New evidence however increasingly suggests that non-pathological amyloids are formed in animals during normal development. Amyloid-like aggregate formation was originally thought to be a conserved feature of animal gametogenesis. This hypothesis was based on findings which suggest that regulated amyloid formations govern yeast meiosis by way of meiosis-specific RNA binding proteins. Additional support came from studies which demonstrate that DAZL, a mammalian gametogenesis-specific RNA binding protein, also forms SDS-resistant aggregates in vivo. Here, we report evidence of aggregated BOULE formations, another DAZ family protein, during sperm development. Data suggest that in mouse testis, BOULE forms SDS-resistant amyloid-like aggregates. BOULE aggregate formation correlates with dynamic developmental expression during spermatogenesis but disappeared in Boule knockout testis. We also mapped essential small region in vitro BOULE aggregations, immediately downstream DAZ repeats, and found that aggregations positively correlated with temperature. We also performed enhanced UV cross-linking immunoprecipitation on BOULE aggregates from mouse testes and found that aggregates bind with a large number of spermatogenesis-related mRNAs. These findings provide insight into the amyloidogenic properties of gametogenesis-specific RNA binding proteins as a conserved feature in mammalian reproduction. Further investigation is warranted to understand the functional significance of BOULE amyloid-like formation during mouse spermatogenesis.
- amyloid,
- RNA-binding protein,
- BOULE,
- protein aggregation,
- SDD-AGE,
- enhanced UV cross-linking immunoprecipitation

CLC number: R321.1, Document code: A
The authors reported no conflict of interests.

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References(35)

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