Matzkin Luciano M, Bono Jeremy M, Pigage Helen K, Allan Carson W, Diaz Fernando, McCoy John R, Green Clinton C, Callan Jeffrey B, Delahunt Stephen P
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 22:2023.09.22.558997. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.22.558997.
Although RNA is found in the seminal fluid of diverse organisms, it is unknown whether this RNA is functional within females. Here, we develop an experimental proteomic method called VESPA (Variant Enabled SILAC Proteomic Analysis) to test the hypothesis that male seminal fluid RNA is translated by females. We find strong evidence for 67 male-derived, female-translated proteins (mdFTPs) in female lower reproductive tracts at six hours postmating, many with predicted functions relevant to reproduction. Gene knockout experiments indicate that genes coding for mdFTPs play diverse roles in postmating interactions, with effects on fertilization efficiency, and the formation and persistence of the insemination reaction mass, a trait hypothesized to be involved in sexual conflict. These findings advance our understanding of reproduction by revealing a novel mechanism of postmating molecular interactions between the sexes that strengthens and extends male influences on reproductive outcomes in previously unrecognized ways. Given the diverse species known to carry RNA in seminal fluid, this discovery has broad significance for understanding molecular mechanisms of cooperation and conflict during reproduction.
尽管在多种生物的精液中都发现了RNA，但尚不清楚这种RNA在雌性体内是否具有功能。在此，我们开发了一种名为VESPA（变异体启用的SILAC蛋白质组分析）的实验蛋白质组学方法，以检验雌性是否会翻译雄性精液RNA这一假设。我们发现，在交配后6小时的雌性下生殖道中，有强有力的证据表明存在67种雄性来源的、由雌性翻译的蛋白质（mdFTPs），其中许多蛋白质具有与生殖相关的预测功能。基因敲除实验表明，编码mdFTPs的基因在交配后的相互作用中发挥着不同作用，对受精效率以及授精反应团块的形成和持续存在产生影响，授精反应团块这一特征被认为与性冲突有关。这些发现揭示了两性之间交配后分子相互作用的一种新机制，以以前未被认识的方式加强并扩展了雄性对生殖结果的影响，从而推进了我们对生殖的理解。鉴于已知多种物种的精液中都携带RNA，这一发现对于理解生殖过程中合作与冲突的分子机制具有广泛意义。
