Not just heads and tails: The complexity of the sperm epigenome

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Hannah B. Gold, Emory University; Yoon Hee Jung, Emory University; Victor Corces, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-09-07
• Publisher: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.R117.001561
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Biological Chemistry
• ISSN: 0021-9258
• Volume: 293
• Issue: 36
• Start Page: 13815
• End Page: 13820
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Award R01 ES027859 from United States Public Health Service.
• Keywords: CHROMATIN; sperm chromatin; epigenetics; PATTERN; Science & Technology; EARLY EMBRYOS; FERTILIZATION; PATERNAL GENOME; DNA METHYLATION; MAMMALIAN SPERM; protamine; CTCF; transcription; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; epigenetic inheritance; chromatin; GERM-LINE; histone; sperm; transgenerational inheritance; DEMETHYLATION; MOUSE SPERM
• Research Categories: Biology, Genetics

Abstract

Transgenerational inheritance requires mechanisms by which epigenetic information is transferred via gametes. Canonical thought holds that mammalian sperm chromatin would be incapable of carrying epigenetic information as post-translational modifications of histones because of their replacement with protamine proteins. Furthermore, compaction of the sperm genome would hinder DNA accessibility of proteins involved in transcriptional regulation and genome architecture. In this Minireview, we delineate the paternal chromatin remodeling events during spermatogenesis and fertilization. Sperm chromatin is epigenetically modified at various time points throughout its development. This allows for the addition of environment-specific modifications that can be passed from parents to offspring.