Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo proliferation, migration, and sexual differentiation to produce gonocytes, which eventually generate germ cells. The proteasome, which degrades most cellular proteins, is a protein complex with dozens of subunits. The proteasomal ubiquitin receptors Rpn10 and Rpn...

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Main Authors: Wan-Yu Yue, Yi Zhang, Tian-Xia Jiang, Xiao-Bo Qiu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Cells
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/10/696
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author Wan-Yu Yue
Yi Zhang
Tian-Xia Jiang
Xiao-Bo Qiu
author_facet Wan-Yu Yue
Yi Zhang
Tian-Xia Jiang
Xiao-Bo Qiu
author_sort Wan-Yu Yue
collection DOAJ
description Primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo proliferation, migration, and sexual differentiation to produce gonocytes, which eventually generate germ cells. The proteasome, which degrades most cellular proteins, is a protein complex with dozens of subunits. The proteasomal ubiquitin receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 have been shown to play partially overlapping roles in binding ubiquitin chains in vitro and in liver function in vivo. However, the specific role of Rpn10 and Rpn13 in germ cell production remains unclear. We show here that Rpn10 and Rpn13 are each essential for germ cell production and fertility. The conditional deletion of either Rpn10 or Rpn13 in PGCs results in infertility in both male and female mice. Germ cells in testes and ovaries all decreased dramatically in the Rpn13 conditional knockout (<i>cKO</i>) mice. Specifically, the deletion of Rpn13 in PGCs disrupts the assembly of the 26S proteasome, reduces the number of PGCs, and blocks the meiosis of spermatocytes at the zygotene stage during prophase I; on the other hand, the deletion of Rpn10 in PGCs sharply reduces PGC migration. These results are important for understanding the roles of Rpn10 and Rpn13 in germ cell development and related reproductive diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-15c1413ff9b542d7b2d829e353db211e2025-08-20T03:14:41ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092025-05-01141069610.3390/cells14100696Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and FertilityWan-Yu Yue0Yi Zhang1Tian-Xia Jiang2Xiao-Bo Qiu3Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Regulation Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing 100875, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Regulation Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing 100875, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Regulation Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing 100875, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Regulation Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing 100875, ChinaPrimordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo proliferation, migration, and sexual differentiation to produce gonocytes, which eventually generate germ cells. The proteasome, which degrades most cellular proteins, is a protein complex with dozens of subunits. The proteasomal ubiquitin receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 have been shown to play partially overlapping roles in binding ubiquitin chains in vitro and in liver function in vivo. However, the specific role of Rpn10 and Rpn13 in germ cell production remains unclear. We show here that Rpn10 and Rpn13 are each essential for germ cell production and fertility. The conditional deletion of either Rpn10 or Rpn13 in PGCs results in infertility in both male and female mice. Germ cells in testes and ovaries all decreased dramatically in the Rpn13 conditional knockout (<i>cKO</i>) mice. Specifically, the deletion of Rpn13 in PGCs disrupts the assembly of the 26S proteasome, reduces the number of PGCs, and blocks the meiosis of spermatocytes at the zygotene stage during prophase I; on the other hand, the deletion of Rpn10 in PGCs sharply reduces PGC migration. These results are important for understanding the roles of Rpn10 and Rpn13 in germ cell development and related reproductive diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/10/696primordial germ cellRpn13Rpn10ubiquitinproteasomespermatogenesis
spellingShingle Wan-Yu Yue
Yi Zhang
Tian-Xia Jiang
Xiao-Bo Qiu
Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
Cells
primordial germ cell
Rpn13
Rpn10
ubiquitin
proteasome
spermatogenesis
title Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
title_full Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
title_fullStr Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
title_full_unstemmed Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
title_short Non-Redundant Essential Roles of Proteasomal Ubiquitin Receptors Rpn10 and Rpn13 in Germ Cell Formation and Fertility
title_sort non redundant essential roles of proteasomal ubiquitin receptors rpn10 and rpn13 in germ cell formation and fertility
topic primordial germ cell
Rpn13
Rpn10
ubiquitin
proteasome
spermatogenesis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/14/10/696
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