For evaluating the boar semen quality, sperm motility (MOT) is an important parameter because the movement of spermatozoa indicates active metabolism, membrane integrity and fertilizing capacity. Phospholipase C zeta (PLCz) is important enzyme in spermatogenesis, but their effect has not been confirmed in pigs yet. Therefore, this study was aimed to analyze their association with sperm motility and kinematic characteristics. DNA samples from 124 Duroc pigs with records of sperm motility and kinematic characteristics [Total motile spermatozoa (MOT), Curvilinear velocity (VCL), Straight-line velocity (VSL), the ratio between VSL and VCL (LIN), Amplitude of Lateral Head displacement (ALH)] were subjected. A SNP in non-coding region of PLCz g.158 A > C was associated with MOT (p < 0.05), VCL (p < 0.01), LIN (p < 0.01) and ALH (p < 0.05) in Duroc population. Therefore, we suggest that the intron region of the porcine PLCz gene may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar semen quality, although its functional effect was not defined yet. Whether the association is due to the candidate gene or not require further verification. Thus, it will be of interest to continue association studies in the regions surrounding those genes.

For evaluating the boar semen quality, sperm motility is an important parameter because the movement of sperm indicates active metabolism, membrane integrity and fertilizing capacity. Phospholipase C zeta (PLCz) is important enzyme in spermatogenesis, but the effect has not been confirmed in pigs yet. Therefore, this study was aimed to analyze their association with sperm motility and kinematic characteristics. DNA samples from 124 Duroc pigs with records of sperm motility and kinematic characteristics [total motile spermatozoa (MOT), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight-line velocity (VSL), the ratio between VSL and VCL (LIN), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH)] were subjected. A SNP in non-coding region of PLCz g.158 A > C was associated with MOT (p < 0.05), VCL (p < 0.01), LIN (p < 0.01) and ALH (p < 0.05) in Duroc population. Therefore, we suggest that the intron region of the porcine PLCz gene may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar semen quality, although its functional effect was not defined yet. Whether the association is due to the candidate gene or not require further verification. Thus, it will be of interest to continue association studies in the regions surrounding those genes.

Cryopreservation of boar semen is continually researched in reproductive technologies and genetic resource banking in breed conservation. For evaluating the boar semen quality, sperm motility (MOT) is an important parameter because the movement of spermatozoa indicates active metabolism, membrane integrity and fertilizing capacity. Various researches have been trying to improve the quality of semen post-thawed in boar. Recently, polymorphism (g.158T>C) of phospholipase C zeta (PLCz) gene reported to be significant association with MOT. This study was conducted to evaluate the PLCz gene as a positional controlling for motility and kinematic characteristics of post-thawed boar semen. To results, The g.158 T>C SNP of PLCz was significantly associated with frozen semen motility and kinematic characteristics. g.158 T>C SNP was high significantly associated with MOT, VCL, VSL and VAP (p<0.0001, p= 0.0002, p<0.0001 and p<0.0001, respectively). Therefore, we suggest that the intron region of the porcine PLCz, may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar post-thawed semen quality, although its functional effect was not defined yet. Whether the association is due to the candidate gene or not require further verification. Thus, it will be of interest to continue association studies in the regions surrounding those genes.

Mature mammalian oocytes are ovulated at the metaphase II stage of meiosis and complete the cell cycle by fertilization with sperm. During fertilization sperm release an egg activation protein, pho-spholipase C zeta (PLCZ) into oocyte cytoplasm, PLCZ hydrolyze PIP2 into IP3 and DAG. The elevation of IP3 concentration induces Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by binding to the IP3 receptor (IP3R) on the membrane of ER. Recent studies have shown that sperm from patients lacking expression of PLCZ1 or expressing mutant forms of PLCZ1 fail to induce [Ca2+]i oscillations or oocyte activation. Purified recombinant human PLCZ1 (hPLCZ1) protein evaluated its [Ca2+]i oscillation activity in mouse and human oocytes. Here we investigated that produced mouse PLCZ-specific antibodyrecognized the PLCZ protein in mouse testes. PLCZ antibody was raised in rabbits against 19-mer sequence at the C-terminus (MENKWFLSMVRDDFKGGKI) of mouse PLCZ protein. Sperm were fixed in 3.7% paraformaldehyde followed by permeabilization. Sperm were incubated in 5% normal goat serum (NGS) and then incubated overnight with anti-mouse PLCZ. Peanut agglutinin (PNA)-lectin was used for detection of the acrosome. Mouse testes from 6~8 weeks old ICR mouse were fixed in 10% formalinand serial sectioned at 5~8um. Testes tissues were immunostained with anti PLCZ antibody and peanut agglutinin(PNA) for acrosome staining. Produced anti mouse PLCZ antibody recognized 74 kDa protein in western and PLCZ is localized to the post-acrosomal region of mouse sperm and to the equatorial region of bull sperm. Mouse PLCZ protein wasdetected on spermatocytes, spermatid, but not on spermatogonia in seminiferous tubules. Some residual bodies on sperm neck and tail showed strong signal of PLCZ, but this staining was still present with antigenic peptide pretreatment to reduce non specific antibody reaction. Also this antibody reacted with the apical region (arrowheads) of principal cells, where secretory vesicles accumulate on the epididymal tissue. But antigenic peptide pretreatment did not remove this apical region staining. This study presents PLCZ protein is localized on the post-acrosomal region or equatorial region of mouse and bull sperm head. Also PLCZ protein in mouse testes expressed from spermatocytes to mature sperm on later stage of spermatogenesis.

Egg activation is a crucial step that initiates embryo development upon breaking the meiotic arrest. In mammalian, egg activation is accomplished by fusion with sperm, which induces the repeated intracellular - increases ( oscillation). Researches in mammals support the view of the oscillation and egg activation is triggered by a protein factor from sperm that causes release from endoplasmic reticulum, intracellular store, by persistently activation of phosphoinositide pathway. It represents that the sperm factor generates production of inositol trisphosphate (). Recently a sperm specific form of phospholipase C zeta, referred to as PLCZ was identified. In this paper, we confer the evidence that PLCZ represent the sperm factor that induces oscillation and egg activation and discuss the correlation of PLCZ and infertility.

Phospholipase C (PLC)는 다양한 세포주에서 세포내 신호전달에 중요한 역할을 한다고 알려져 있으나, 생쥐 난자성숙 과정과 착성전 배아발생 과정에서 PLC의 역할과 발현은 아직 연구된 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 난자성숙과 착상전 배아발생 과정에서 생쥐의 PLC β1과 γ1의 유전자 발현을 조사하기 위하여 한 개의 난자 혹은 배아에서 추출된 total RNA를 사용하여 경쟁적 RT-PCR 방법으로 mRNA를 정량하였다. PL