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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Sexual Crosses with the Mucoromycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus
Published on: June 6, 2025
Essential role of autophagy in resource allocation during sexual reproduction
Hui Gao1, Muhammad Babar Khawar1,2, Wei Li1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Sexual reproduction is the most common form of reproduction among eukaryotes, which is characterized by a series of massive cellular or tissue renovations. Recent studies have revealed novel functions of autophagy during sexual reproductive processes, ranging from yeast to mammals. In mammals, autophagy is indispensable for spermatogenesis and oogenesis, and it participates in early embryonic development and maternal-fetus crosstalk to ensure the development of embryos or fetuses. Thus, autophagy provides the molecular basis for resource allocation among parents and their offspring, providing an important way to benefit the next generation.Abbreviations: ATG: autophagy-related; Becn1: beclin 1, autophagy related; CMA: chaperone-mediated autophagy; epg: ectopic PGL granules; ES: ectoplasmic specialization; EVTs: extravillous trophoblasts; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; PCD: programmed cell death; PTB: preterm birth; STB: syncytiotrophoblast.
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