Abstract
The present study was conducted to identify the major sexing sperm protein profile of boar and its association with sperm motility. Semen samples were collected from 10 adult (Durc, age: 12–18 month old) and subjected to evaluation of sperm parameters (motility by CASA). As a method for segregation of semen, X-sperm and Y-sperm were separated by attaching ion-specific material to magnetic beads (Son et al., 2015). Sexing sperm was obtained by magnetic bead method, analyzed by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE, and proteins identified by mass spectrometry (electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight). 87 spots were identified in the X-and Y-bearing sperm, equivalent to 55 different proteins. Total protein content and higher ratio of high molecular weight proteins than those collected from X-sperm. Low quality protein and major seminal plasma glycoprotein PSP-1 precursor, as well as spermadhesin (swine, peptide, 133 aa), protein MENT, fibronectin represented 47.3 ± 7% of the total intensity of all spots in X-bearing sperm. Other proteins expressed in the X-bearing sperm included albumin, hypothetical protein, ATP synthase subunit beta, mitochondrial precursor, fibronectin isoform X8, L-amino acid oxidase isoform X1, mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase 2. On the other hand, proteins expressed in the Y-bearing sperms were represented by three major protein fractions with molecular weights around 24–29 kDa (4.25%), 14–21 kDa (16.4%) and below 10 kDa (79.1%). In conclusion, we presently describe the major proteome of boar sexing sperm and significant associations between X- and Y-bearing sperm proteins and semen parameters. Such relationship will serve as the basic for determination of molecular markers of sperm gender in the swine species.
