Functional amyloids in reproduction

Aveline Hewetson; Hoa Quynh Do; Caitlyn Myers; Archana Muthusubramanian; Roger Bryan Sutton; Benjamin J. Wylie; Gail A. Cornwall

doi:10.3390/biom7030046

Functional amyloids in reproduction

Aveline Hewetson, Hoa Quynh Do, Caitlyn Myers, Archana Muthusubramanian, Roger Bryan Sutton, Benjamin J. Wylie, Gail A. Cornwall

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Amyloids are traditionally considered pathological protein aggregates that play causative roles in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes and prionopathies. However, increasing evidence indicates that in many biological systems nonpathological amyloids are formed for functional purposes. In this review, we will specifically describe amyloids that carry out biological roles in sexual reproduction including the processes of gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation and fertilization. Several of these functional amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across several taxa, including human, emphasizing the critical role amyloids perform in reproduction. Evidence will also be presented suggesting that, if altered, some functional amyloids may become pathological.

Original language	English
Article number	46
Journal	Biomolecules
Volume	7
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/biom7030046
State	Published - Sep 2017

Keywords

Amyloid
Cystatins
Epididymis
Fertilization
Germline specification
Reproduction
Semen
Spermatogenesis
Zona pellucida

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title = "Functional amyloids in reproduction",

abstract = "Amyloids are traditionally considered pathological protein aggregates that play causative roles in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes and prionopathies. However, increasing evidence indicates that in many biological systems nonpathological amyloids are formed for functional purposes. In this review, we will specifically describe amyloids that carry out biological roles in sexual reproduction including the processes of gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation and fertilization. Several of these functional amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across several taxa, including human, emphasizing the critical role amyloids perform in reproduction. Evidence will also be presented suggesting that, if altered, some functional amyloids may become pathological.",

keywords = "Amyloid, Cystatins, Epididymis, Fertilization, Germline specification, Reproduction, Semen, Spermatogenesis, Zona pellucida",

author = "Aveline Hewetson and Do, {Hoa Quynh} and Caitlyn Myers and Archana Muthusubramanian and Sutton, {Roger Bryan} and Wylie, {Benjamin J.} and Cornwall, {Gail A.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by NIH HD056182 and HD078715 to G.A.C. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 by the authors.",

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AU - Hewetson, Aveline

AU - Do, Hoa Quynh

AU - Myers, Caitlyn

AU - Muthusubramanian, Archana

AU - Sutton, Roger Bryan

AU - Wylie, Benjamin J.

AU - Cornwall, Gail A.

PY - 2017/9

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N2 - Amyloids are traditionally considered pathological protein aggregates that play causative roles in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes and prionopathies. However, increasing evidence indicates that in many biological systems nonpathological amyloids are formed for functional purposes. In this review, we will specifically describe amyloids that carry out biological roles in sexual reproduction including the processes of gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation and fertilization. Several of these functional amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across several taxa, including human, emphasizing the critical role amyloids perform in reproduction. Evidence will also be presented suggesting that, if altered, some functional amyloids may become pathological.

AB - Amyloids are traditionally considered pathological protein aggregates that play causative roles in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes and prionopathies. However, increasing evidence indicates that in many biological systems nonpathological amyloids are formed for functional purposes. In this review, we will specifically describe amyloids that carry out biological roles in sexual reproduction including the processes of gametogenesis, germline specification, sperm maturation and fertilization. Several of these functional amyloids are evolutionarily conserved across several taxa, including human, emphasizing the critical role amyloids perform in reproduction. Evidence will also be presented suggesting that, if altered, some functional amyloids may become pathological.

KW - Amyloid

KW - Cystatins

KW - Epididymis

KW - Fertilization

KW - Germline specification

KW - Reproduction

KW - Semen

KW - Spermatogenesis

KW - Zona pellucida

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DO - 10.3390/biom7030046

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SN - 2218-273X

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JO - Biomolecules

JF - Biomolecules

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Functional amyloids in reproduction

Abstract

Keywords

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