The Rapidly Evolving X-linked Family Finetunes Spermatogenesis to Enhance Sperm Competition.

Despite rapid evolution across eutherian mammals, the X-linked family miRNAs are located in a region flanked by two highly conserved protein-coding genes ( and ) on the X chromosome. Intriguingly, these miRNAs are predominantly expressed in the testis, suggesting a potential role in spermatogenesis and male fertility. Here, we report that the X-linked family miRNAs were derived from the MER91C DNA transposons. Selective inactivation of individual miRNAs or clusters caused no discernable defects, but simultaneous ablation of five clusters containing nineteen members of the family led to reduced male fertility in mice. Despite normal sperm counts, motility and morphology, the KO sperm were less competitive than wild-type sperm when subjected to a polyandrous mating scheme. Transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses revealed that these X-linked family miRNAs, in addition to targeting a set of conserved genes, have more targets that are critical for spermatogenesis and embryonic development during evolution. Our data suggest that the family miRNAs function to enhance sperm competitiveness and reproductive fitness of the male by finetuning gene expression during spermatogenesis.