UBE2J2 is essential for the progression of meiosis prophase I during spermatogenesis in mice
Xiaochen Yu,
Jie Cen,
Yaxuan Zhang,
Tongtong Li,
Mingyu Zhang,
Fei Gao,
Hongbin Liu,
Yongzhi Cao
Affiliations
Xiaochen Yu
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
Jie Cen
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Yaxuan Zhang
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Tongtong Li
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Mingyu Zhang
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Fei Gao
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Hongbin Liu
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Yongzhi Cao
Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Technology Innovation Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Model Animal Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Corresponding author
Summary: The coordination of numerous proteins is necessary for spermatogenesis, including degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Ubiquitin binding enzyme E2 (UBE2J2) is involved in the degradation of endoplasmic reticulum-associated proteins, while its role in spermatogenesis remains unclear. We found that Ube2j2−/− mice exhibit azoospermia and spermatocytes undergo meiotic arrest at the mid-pachytene stage. Examining homologous recombination (HR) markers indicated that HR intermediate complexes are unstable and fail to form crossovers in Ube2j2−/− spermatocytes. Proteomics analysis uncovered an extensive suite of meiosis- and chromosome segregation–associated proteins unexpressed in mouse spermatocytes lacking functional UBE2J2. Our findings suggest that UBE2J2 could possibly play a key role in SC disassembly, ensuring meiosis can proceed in the late pachynema during male germline cell development in mice, and serves as an essential factor in meiotic recombination and spermatogenesis.
