The gene responsible for the production of human sperm cells is 600 million years old

The gene, known as Boule, is responsible for the production of sperm. The Northwestern scientists also discovered that Boule is likely the only gene required exclusively for sperm production from insects to mammals, say researchers at Northwestern University who compared animals from different lines of evolution

The genes associated with sex change frequently, but there is one gene that is so essential that its function has remained unchanged during evolution and is found in almost all animals. This is according to a study by the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

The gene, known as Boule, is responsible for the production of sperm. The Northwestern scientists also discovered that Boule is likely the only gene required exclusively for sperm production from insects to mammals.
"This is the first evidence showing that our ability to produce sperm is very ancient, possibly originating at the dawn of animal evolution, 600 million years ago," says Prof. Eugene Zhu (Xu) of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Feinberg. "This finding suggests that all sperm production in living things comes from a common prototype."
Zhu is the senior researcher on the study published July 15 in PLoS Genetics.

Discovering the important role of Boule in the sexual continuity of life enables a better understanding of male fertility problems, and will be a target site for chemical contraceptives for men and will point the way for the future development of insecticides and other pests that also carry the gene. "Our findings show that humans, despite their complexity, across the lines of evolution all the way to flies, which are simple creatures, still share one basic component," Zhu said.

"This is surprising because sperm production is a trait selected by natural selection," he said. "The gene is supposed to change in light of secretory pressures that may create sperm-specific genes. There is greater pressure on nature to develop a superman to improve his reproductive success. This is one sex-related component that does not change throughout the species. Therefore, it should be very important," he said. Boule therefore appears to be the specific gene involved in the oldest human sperm ever discovered. Zhu deals in the field of the human genome and was a partner in its discovery in 2001.

"Before the new findings, it was not known whether the sperm produced in different animal species came from the same prototype. Birds and insects can both fly, for example, but the wings of the fly and the wings of the chicken evolved independently.

For the purpose of the research, Zhou looked for the presence of the Boule gene in the sperm of animals in different branches of the evolutionary lines: humans, mammals, fish, insects, worms and marine invertebrates. Joe had an interesting shopping list. It required sperm from a sea urchin, a rooster, a fruit fly, a human and a fish. It turns out that producing the fish sperm was the most difficult. Joe purchased a rainbow trout at the Chicago Fish Market, skinned the fish to find that the internal organs had been removed. "I need testicles" he explained to the fishmonger. Jean therefore decided to catch him a fish himself. He spread a fishing rod into a fish pond full of trout fish and pulled one fish out of the water."

The discovery of the common gene involved in sperm production may have practical implications for human health, including the development of male contraceptives. When Zhu's research group discovered the Boule gene in mice, the mouse appeared to be healthy but did not produce sperm.

"A gene specific for sperm production such as Boule is an ideal target for male contraceptive drugs," said Zhou. This gene also has the potential to reduce diseases caused by mosquitoes and parasites such as worms. "We have an important candidate for their reproductive control," Zhou said. "Our work suggests that Boule dysfunction in animals will most likely disrupt their ability to reproduce and allow the parasites or pests to be attacked. This can serve as a new direction for the future development of pesticides or drugs against infectious parasites or carriers of bacteria or spores.

To complete the picture, Zhou also looked for the Boule gene in sea anemones, but these animals are difficult to locate, and few laboratories study them. Finally, he took the help of one of these laboratories and discovered the gene there, which completed the puzzle and strengthened his theory.

The research of Zhu and his labmates was supported by the National Laboratories of Health and the Northwestern Memorial Foundation.

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