IQCN disruption causes fertilization failure and male infertility due to manchette assembly defect
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ABSTRACT: Total fertilization failure (TFF) is an important cause of infertility; however, the genetic basis of TFF caused by male factors remains to be clarified. In this study, whole-exome sequencing was firstly used to screen for genetic causes of TFF after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and homozygous variants in the novel gene IQ motif containing N (IQCN) were identified in two affected individuals with abnormal acrosome structures. Then, Iqcn knockout mice were generated by CRISPR-Cas9 technology and showed that the knockout male mice resembled the human phenotypes. Additionally, we found that IQCN regulates microtubule nucleation during manchette assembly via calmodulin and related calmodulin-binding proteins, which resulted in head deformity with aberrant oocyte activation factor PLCζ. Fortunately, ICSI with assisted oocyte activation can overcome IQCN-associate TFF and male infertility. Thus, our study firstly identified the function of IQCN, highlights the relationship between the manchette assembly and fertilization, and provides a genetic marker and a therapeutic option for male-source TFF.
SUBMITTER: Dr. Jing Dai
PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_15252-EMMM_202216501 | biostudies-other |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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