GSK3β is involved in the spermatogenesis of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase3β (GSK3β) is a Serine/Threonine kinase involved in metabolic reactions, and the Wnt, Akt, Hedgehog and BMP/Smad1 signalling pathways. It regulates cell metabolism, the cell cycle and cell fate through the phosphorylation of a diverse array of substrates. Its disorders lead to testicular degeneration, testicular cord disruption and many other reproductive diseases that often lead to infertility. In mammals, GSK3β plays an important role in the regulation of spermatogenesis. To explore functions of GSK3β during spermatogenesis inEriocheir sinensiswe cloned the full-lengthGSK3β cDNA sequence from the testis ofE. sinensis(EsGSK3β). The 1161-nucleotide open reading frame encodes a 386-amino-acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 43 kDa. Additionally, we examined the expression pattern of EsGSK3β in different tissues and testis developmental stages using real-time PCR and Western blotting. Localization analysis ofEsGSK3β RNA and protein by in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence, respectively, showed that molecules translocated from the cytoplasm and nucleus to the regions of the acrosomal tubule and apical cap during spermatogenesis. The results indicated that EsGSK3β might play an important role duringE. sinensisspermatogenesis.