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A sperm-supplied factor required for embryogenesis in C. elegans

H Browning¹, S Strome

¹Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.

Development (Cambridge, England)

|January 1, 1996

Summary

The gene spe-11 is essential for C. elegans embryonic development. Maternal expression of spe-11 rescues embryonic lethality, indicating it functions after fertilization, not during sperm development.

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Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Genetics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Paternal-effect embryonic-lethal genes are crucial for early embryonic development.
The spe-11 gene in C. elegans causes embryonic lethality when mutated.
SPE-11 protein is present in mature sperm, suggesting a role in early embryogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

To clone and characterize the paternal-effect gene spe-11.
To determine if SPE-11 functions during spermatogenesis or in the early embryo.
To identify the first paternally contributed factor essential for embryogenesis.

Main Methods:

Cloning and sequencing of the spe-11 gene.
Analysis of spe-11 gene expression during oogenesis and spermatogenesis.
Engineering C. elegans to express SPE-11 maternally to assess its function.

Main Results:

The spe-11 gene encodes a novel protein.
SPE-11 is expressed during spermatogenesis and present in sperm.
Maternal expression of SPE-11 is sufficient to rescue embryonic lethality, demonstrating its post-fertilization role.

Conclusions:

SPE-11 is not required during spermatogenesis.
SPE-11 is a sperm-supplied factor critical for early embryonic development.
SPE-11 represents the first genetically identified and molecularly characterized paternally contributed factor essential for embryogenesis.

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