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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
In mammals, the zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (ZP3) is considered a primary sperm
receptor of the oocyte and is hypothesized to be involved in reproductive isolation. We investigated
patterns of diversity and selection in the putative sperm-binding region (pSBR) of mouse ZP3 across
Cricetidae and Murinae, two hyperdiverse taxonomic groups within muroid rodents. In murines,
the pSBR is fairly conserved, in particular the serine-rich stretch containing the glycosylation sites
proposed as essential for sperm binding. In contrast, cricetid amino acid sequences of the pSBR
were much more variable and the serine-rich motif, typical of murines, was generally substantially
modified. Overall, our results suggest a general lack of species specificity of the pSBR across the two
muroid families. We document statistical evidence of positive selection acting on exons 6 and 7 of
ZP3 and identified several amino acid sites that are likely targets of selection, with most positively
selected sites falling within or adjacent to the pSBR.
Description
Keywords
zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 sperm receptor female fertilization protein positive selection Cricetidae Murinae
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Duarte, M.A.; Fernandes, C.R.; Heckel, G.; da Luz Mathias, M.; Bastos-Silveira, C. Variation and Selection in the Putative Sperm-Binding Region of ZP3 in Muroid Rodents: A Comparison between Cricetids and Murines. Genes 2021, 12, 1450. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/genes12091450
Publisher
MDPI