Effect of Y chromosome and H-2 complex derived from Japanese wild mouse on sperm morphology

Abstract

SummarySegregation of sperm abnormality level and H-2 haplotypes was investigated in F2 hybrid males obtained from reciprocal crosses involving two B10.congenic strains carrying H-2 and the Y chromosome of Japanese wild mice: B10.MOL-OHM (H-2ωm4, 23·1% of sperm abnormalities) and B10.MOL-OKB (H-2ωm8, 11·1% of sperm abnormalities). In both types of crosses mean levels of abnormal spermatozoa were significantly higher for males typed as H-2ωm4/H-2ωm4 than for heterozygous H-2ωm4/H-2ωm8 or homozygous H-2ωm8/H-2ωm8. These results suggest that the gene for high sperm abnormality is linked to H-2 complex of the B10.MOL-OHM strain.