2. Academic Validation
  3. RAB10 Interacts with the Male Germ Cell-Specific GTPase-Activating Protein during Mammalian Spermiogenesis

RAB10 Interacts with the Male Germ Cell-Specific GTPase-Activating Protein during Mammalian Spermiogenesis

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Jan 5;18(1):97. doi: 10.3390/ijms18010097.
Ying-Hung Lin 1,  Chih-Chun Ke 2,  Ya-Yun Wang 3,  Mei-Feng Chen 4,  Tsung-Ming Chen 5,  Wei-Chi Ku 6,  Han-Sun Chiang 7,  Chung-Hsin Yeh 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Graduate Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan. 084952@mail.fju.edu.tw.
  • 2 Department of Urology, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City 23702, Taiwan. koacurtis@gmail.com.
  • 3 Department of Chemistry, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan. vic0009@gmail.com.
  • 4 Bone and Joint Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan. mfchen0@gmail.com.
  • 5 Department and Graduate Institute of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan. tmtonychen@webmail.nkmu.edu.tw.
  • 6 School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan. 089052@mail.fju.edu.tw.
  • 7 Graduate Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan. 053824@mail.fju.edu.tw.
  • 8 Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Shin-Kong Wu-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei 11101, Taiwan. M000732@ms.skh.org.tw.
PMID: 28067790 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18010097
Abstract

According to recent estimates, 2%-15% of couples are sterile, and approximately half of the infertility cases are attributed to male reproductive factors. However, the reasons remain undefined in approximately 25% of male infertility cases, and most infertility cases exhibit spermatogenic defects. Numerous genes involved in spermatogenesis still remain unknown. We previously identified Male Germ Cells Rab GTPase-Activating Proteins (MGCRABGAPs) through cDNA microarray analysis of human testicular tissues with spermatogenic defects. MGCRABGAP contains a conserved RABGAP catalytic domain, TBC (Tre2/Bub2/Cdc16). RABGAP family proteins regulate cellular function (e.g., cytoskeletal remodeling, vesicular trafficking, and cell migration) by inactivating RAB proteins. MGCRABGAP is a male germ cell-specific protein expressed in elongating and elongated spermatids during mammalian spermiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins that interact with MGCRABGAP during mammalian spermiogenesis using a proteomic approach. We found that MGCRABGAP exhibited GTPase-activating bioability, and several MGCRABGAP interactors, possible substrates (e.g., RAB10, RAB5C, and RAP1), were identified using co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (nano LC-MS/MS). We confirmed the binding ability between RAB10 and MGCRABGAP via co-IP. Additionally, MGCRABGAP-RAB10 complexes were specifically colocalized in the manchette structure, a critical structure for the formation of spermatid heads, and were slightly expressed at the midpiece of mature spermatozoa. Based on these results, we propose that MGCRABGAP is involved in mammalian spermiogenesis by modulating RAB10.

Keywords

Male Germ Cells Rab GTPase-Activating Proteins; RAB10; spermatogenesis.

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