Ma Xuan, Qi Yongmei, He Huanshan, Yuan Cong, Huang Dejun
Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, China.
Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 730000, China.
Theriogenology. 2025 Oct 15;246:117547. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117547. Epub 2025 Jun 19.
Protein kinases are critical regulators of cellular functions and play a pivotal role in male reproduction. In this study, we investigated the role and regulatory mechanisms of the testis-specific serine/threonine kinase 6 (tssk6) in zebrafish. We found that tssk6 gene is highly expressed in the testis of adult male zebrafish, with its protein sequence showing high homology to those of mice and humans, highlighting its evolutionary conservation across vertebrates and suggesting an ancient, critical role in male reproduction. By constructing tssk6 mutants, we demonstrated that deletion of this gene leads to impaired testis development, reduced sperm quality, and decreased fertilization capacity in male zebrafish, directly linking tssk6 to the regulation of male fertility. In addition, transcriptome analysis of testis from tssk6 mutants further revealed significant changes in the expression of genes essential for spermatogenesis, sperm-egg recognition and fusion, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms underlying these reproductive defects. Collectively, these findings highlight the critical regulatory role of tssk6 in male zebrafish fertility. Our study not only advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying male reproduction but also provides valuable insights into conserved reproductive pathways in vertebrates.
蛋白激酶是细胞功能的关键调节因子，在雄性生殖中起关键作用。在本研究中，我们调查了睾丸特异性丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶6（tssk6）在斑马鱼中的作用和调控机制。我们发现tssk6基因在成年雄性斑马鱼的睾丸中高度表达，其蛋白质序列与小鼠和人类的蛋白质序列具有高度同源性，突出了其在脊椎动物中的进化保守性，并表明其在雄性生殖中具有古老而关键的作用。通过构建tssk6突变体，我们证明该基因的缺失会导致雄性斑马鱼睾丸发育受损、精子质量下降和受精能力降低，直接将tssk6与雄性生育力的调节联系起来。此外，对tssk6突变体睾丸的转录组分析进一步揭示了精子发生、精卵识别和融合所必需的基因表达的显著变化，阐明了这些生殖缺陷背后的分子机制。总的来说，这些发现突出了tssk6在雄性斑马鱼生育力中的关键调节作用。我们的研究不仅推进了我们对雄性生殖潜在分子机制的理解，也为脊椎动物中保守的生殖途径提供了有价值的见解。
