Biomaterial Database

DNA attachment to the hamster sperm nuclear matrix and nuclear annulus. 1991

J E Farrington, and R Patel, and W S Ward

Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

Hamster sperm DNA is packaged so tightly that it is the most highly condensed eukaryotic DNA known. Nevertheless, the sperm genome is also organized in a very specific fashion by two nuclear structures, the nuclear matrix and the nuclear annulus. The nuclear matrix organizes sperm DNA into loop domains approximately 46 Kb in length by specific attachment sequences. When the sperm nucleus is induced to decondense, the nuclear matrix almost completely dissipates, leaving only the nuclear annulus, a structure located at the implantation fossa within the nucleus. All the DNA remains anchored to the annulus during decondensation. Rotary shadowing transmission electron microscopy of isolated nuclear annuli retaining only a small portion of this anchored DNA suggests that the DNA is anchored to the annulus in a series of mini-loops, 5-10 Kb in length. These data support our previous suggestions that sperm DNA is organized in a very specific manner.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013094	Spermatozoa	Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility.	Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms
D015530	Nuclear Matrix	The residual framework structure of the CELL NUCLEUS that maintains many of the overall architectural features of the cell nucleus including the nuclear lamina with NUCLEAR PORE complex structures, residual CELL NUCLEOLI and an extensive fibrogranular structure in the nuclear interior. (Advan. Enzyme Regul. 2002; 42:39-52)	Nuclear Scaffold,Nucleoskeleton,Matrices, Nuclear,Matrix, Nuclear,Nuclear Matrices,Nuclear Scaffolds,Nucleoskeletons,Scaffold, Nuclear,Scaffolds, Nuclear