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Sperm chromatin protamination influences embryo development in unsexed and sexed bull semen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2021

Thiago Velasco Guimarães Silva*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Priscila Di Paula Bessa Santana
Affiliation:
Federal Rural University of Amazon, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Eduardo Baia de Souza
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Ana Júlia Mota de Lima
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Caroline de Araújo Santos
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Nathália Nogueira da Costa Almeida
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Vanessa Cunha de Brito
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Arnaldo Algaranhar Gonçalves
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Sebastião Tavares Rolim Filho
Affiliation:
Federal Rural University of Amazon, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Marcela da Silva Cordeiro
Affiliation:
Federal Institute of Pará, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
Simone do Socorro Damasceno Santos
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Moysés dos Santos Miranda
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
Otávio Mitio Ohashi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of In Vitro Fertilization, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
*
Author for correspondence: Thiago Velasco Guimarães Silva. Federal University of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil. Tel: +55 91988823358. E-mail: velascotvgs@hotmail.com

Summary

Sex selection through sperm sorting offers advantages in regards selection pressure in high-producing livestock. However, the sex-sorting process results in sperm membrane and DNA damage that ultimately decrease fertility. We hypothesized that given the role of protamines in DNA packaging, protamine deficiency could account, at least partially, for the DNA damage observed following sperm sex sorting. To test this, we compared protamine status between unsexed and sexed spermatozoa from two bulls using the fluorochrome chromomycin A3 (CMA3) and flow cytometry. Then, we assessed embryo development following in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the same sperm treatments. Overall, sperm protamination was not different between sexed and unsexed semen. However, one of the two bulls displayed higher rates of protamine deficiency for both unsexed and sexed semen (P < 0.05). Moreover, unsexed semen from this bull yielded lower blastocyst (P < 0.05) and blastocyst hatching rates than unsexed sperm from the other bull. CMA3-positive staining was negatively correlated with cleavage (R2 85.1, P = 0.003) and blastocyst hatching (R2 87.6, P = 0.006) rates in unsexed semen. In conclusion, while the sex-sorting process had no effect on sperm protamine content, we observed a bull effect for sperm protamination, which correlated to embryo development rates following IVF.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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