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The sperm mitochondria‐specific translocator has a key role in maternal mitochondrial inheritance
Author(s) -
Hayashida Kenji,
Omagari Katsuhisa,
Masuda Junichi,
Hazama Hiroaki,
Kadokawa Yoshiko,
Ohba Kazuo,
Kohno Shigeru
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
cell biology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1095-8355
pISSN - 1065-6995
DOI - 10.1016/j.cellbi.2004.09.016
Subject(s) - sperm , mitochondrial dna , mitochondrion , biology , non mendelian inheritance , genetics , spermatid , microbiology and biotechnology , gene
The mechanism of maternal mitochondrial inheritance in animals involves the selective elimination of sperm mitochondria by the elimination factor of the egg and the sperm mitochondria‐specific factor. In vitro fertilization using sperm from isogenic mice incorporating heterospecific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) showed that the number of PCR positives of sperm mtDNA in two‐cell embryos was significantly increased following sperm incubation with anti‐tetratricopeptide repeat‐containing protein involved in spermatogenesis (tpis) protein, anti‐translocator of mitochondrial outer membrane (Tom) 22 and anti‐Tom40 antibodies. The treatment of fertilized eggs with EGTA and other endonuclease inhibitors increased the sperm mtDNA levels. We conclude that the elimination factor, which is probably an endonuclease, is selectively received by the tpis protein of the sperm mitochondrial outer membrane within the egg. It is then transported into the sperm mitochondria by Tom22 and Tom40, where it destroys the sperm mtDNA, establishing the maternal inheritance of mtDNA.