ArticleBMC genomics2022
Sperm DNA methylation patterns at discrete CpGs and genes involved in embryonic development are related to bull fertility.
Article in BMC genomics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Meta-GWAS of Pig Semen Quality Traits Reveals Conserved Genes Regulating Mammalian Fertility.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- The bull sperm epigenome: role in male fertility and transmission to the offspring.The Journal of reproduction and development · 2026Review
- CHAtRF Modulates Cardiac Hypertrophy via SRSF5-Dependent Regulation of Psmg4 Alternative Splicing.Research (Washington, D.C.) · 2026Article
- Impact of Cryopreservation Extenders on Epigenetic Changes in Bull Sperm: H19 and MEG3 Methylation.Veterinary medicine and science · 2025Article
- Guilu erxian glue improves sperm quality in oligasthenospermia mice by promoting TDRP methylation and regulating the cAMP/PKA pathway.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Harnessing the power of miRNAs for precision diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2025Review
- Impact of β-defensin 103 (DEFB103) copy number variation on bull sperm parameters and post-insemination uterine gene expression.PloS one · 2025Article
- Cold exposure impacts DNA methylation patterns in cattle sperm.Frontiers in genetics · 2024Article
- Multi-omics data integration for the identification of biomarkers for bull fertility.PloS one · 2024Article
- Determinant genetic markers of semen quality in livestock.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Review
- Epigenetic changes to gene pathways linked to male fertility in ex situ black-footed ferrets.Evolutionary applications · 2024Article
- Article
- Maternal restricted- and over- feeding during gestation perturb offspring sperm epigenome in sheep.Reproduction (Cambridge, England) · 2023Article
- Harnessing male germline epigenomics for the genetic improvement in cattle.Journal of animal science and biotechnology · 2023Review
- Influence of sire fertility status on conceptus-induced transcriptomic response of the bovine endometrium.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite a multifactorial approach being taken for the evaluation of bull semen quality in many animal breeding centres worldwide, reliable prediction of bull fertility is still a challenge. Recently, attention has turned to molecular mechanisms, which could uncover potential biomarkers of fertility. One of these mechanisms is DNA methylation, which together with other epigenetic mechanisms is essential for the fertilising sperm to drive normal embryo development and establish a viable pregnancy. In this study, we hypothesised that bull sperm DNA methylation patterns are related to bull fertility. We therefore investigated DNA methylation patterns from bulls used in artificial insemination with contrasting fertility scores.
resultsThe DNA methylation patterns were obtained by reduced representative bisulphite sequencing from 10 high-fertility bulls and 10 low-fertility bulls, having average fertility scores of - 6.6 and + 6.5%, respectively (mean of the population was zero). Hierarchical clustering analysis did not distinguish bulls based on fertility but did highlight individual differences. Despite this, using stringent criteria (DNA methylation difference ≥ 35% and a q-value < 0.001), we identified 661 differently methylated cytosines (DMCs). DMCs were preferentially located in intergenic regions, introns, gene downstream regions, repetitive elements, open sea, shores and shelves of CpG islands. We also identified 10 differently methylated regions, covered by 7 unique genes (SFRP1, STXBP4, BCR, PSMG4, ARSG, ATP11A, RXRA), which are involved in spermatogenesis and early embryonic development.
conclusionThis study demonstrated that at specific CpG sites, sperm DNA methylation status is related to bull fertility, and identified seven differently methylated genes in sperm of subfertile bulls that may lead to altered gene expression and potentially influence embryo development.
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