Shikina Shinya, Chiu Yi-Ling, Chen Chieh-Jhen, Yang Shih-Han, Yao Jack I-Chen, Chen Che-Chun, Wei Jiou-Di, Shao Zih-Fang, Chang Ching-Fong
Institute of Marine Environment and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.
Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.
Mol Reprod Dev. 2017 Dec;84(12):1285-1295. doi: 10.1002/mrd.22927. Epub 2017 Dec 15.
The molecular and cellular characteristics of male germ cell development remain largely unknown in corals. This study focused on the expression pattern of acetylated α-tubulin (Ac-α-Tu), which is involved in male germ cell development in various animals across taxa, to gain a better understanding of male germ cell development in the stony coral Euphyllia ancora. Immunohistochemical analysis of the different stages of male germ cells showed the presence of filamentous Ac-α-Tu in the early to late stages of male germ cells-such as spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids-as well as in the flagella of mature sperm. Immunocytochemical and transmission electron microscope analyses demonstrated that early-stage male germ cells possess long flagella containing Ac-α-Tu. The presence of filamentous Ac-α-Tu was also immunohistochemically demonstrated in the male germ cells from 14 other coral species, implying that possession of flagella with Ac-α-Tu is a common characteristic of male germ cells in stony corals. Therefore, as a distinctive cellular characteristic of male germ cells, Ac-α-Tu could be used as a male germ cell marker in stony corals; indeed, immunolabeling for Ac-α-Tu may be a useful method to aid in the identification and morphological observation of male germ cells in various corals in basic and applied biology (e.g., aquaculture) as well as in ecological studies.
在珊瑚中，雄性生殖细胞发育的分子和细胞特征在很大程度上仍不清楚。本研究聚焦于乙酰化α-微管蛋白（Ac-α-Tu）的表达模式，Ac-α-Tu参与了不同分类群中各种动物的雄性生殖细胞发育，目的是更好地了解石珊瑚美丽鹿角珊瑚（Euphyllia ancora）的雄性生殖细胞发育。对雄性生殖细胞不同阶段的免疫组织化学分析表明，在雄性生殖细胞的早期到晚期，如精原细胞、精母细胞和精子细胞中，以及成熟精子的鞭毛中都存在丝状Ac-α-Tu。免疫细胞化学和透射电子显微镜分析表明，早期雄性生殖细胞拥有含有Ac-α-Tu的长鞭毛。在其他14种珊瑚的雄性生殖细胞中，免疫组织化学也证实了丝状Ac-α-Tu的存在，这意味着拥有带有Ac-α-Tu的鞭毛是石珊瑚雄性生殖细胞的一个共同特征。因此，作为雄性生殖细胞独特的细胞特征，Ac-α-Tu可作为石珊瑚中雄性生殖细胞的标记物；事实上，对Ac-α-Tu进行免疫标记可能是一种有用的方法，有助于在基础生物学和应用生物学（如水产养殖）以及生态研究中对各种珊瑚中的雄性生殖细胞进行鉴定和形态观察。
