Comparative analysis of the testes from wild-type and Alkbh5-knockout mice using single-cell RNA sequencing

Abstract

The RNA demethylase ALKBH5 is regarded as the “eraser” in N6-methyladenosine modification. ALKBH5 deficiency causes male infertility in mice; however, the mechanisms that confer disruption of spermatogenesis are not completely clear. In this study, we profiled testis samples from wild-type and Alkbh5-knockout mice using single-cell RNA sequencing. We obtained single-cell RNA sequencing data of 5,596 and 6,816 testis cells from a wild-type and a knockout mouse, respectively. There were differences detected between the transcriptional profiles of the groups at various germ cell developmental stages. This ranged from the development of spermatogonia to sperm cells, in macrophages, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells. We identified the differentially expressed genes related to spermatogenesis in germ cells and somatic cells (Sertoli cells and Leydig cells) and evaluated their functions and associated pathways, such as chromatin-related functional pathways, through gene ontology enrichment analysis. This study provides the first single-cell RNA sequencing profile of the testes of ALKBH5-deficient mice. This highlights that ALKBH5 is an important gene for germ cell development and spermatogenesis and offers new molecular mechanistic insights. These findings could provide the basis for further research into the causes and treatment of male infertility.