An internal scaffold supports microtubule architectural diversity in Xenopus spermatids
Abstract
During spermiogenesis, early round spermatids differentiate into specialized spermatozoa through an extensive reshaping of the nucleus driven by coordinated cytoskeletal and chromatin-based mechanisms. In mammals, this process critically relies on the transient manchette, a microtubule-based structure that remodels the spermatid nucleus and serves a track to transport material required for flagellum assembly. However, the existence, organization, and molecular composition of such a structure in other vertebrates have remained poorly investigated. Here, we establish that an organized microtubule network is present in Xenopus spermatids and shares key architectural and molecular hallmarks of the mammalian manchette. We further uncover a large structural heterogeneity of spermatid microtubules, with variable protofilament numbers, skew angles, and lattice organizations. We reveal the presence of a Spaca9-Saxo2 internal scaffold in spermatid microtubules suggesting an internal reinforcement mechanism necessary for extensive nuclear reshaping and cytoplasm remodeling.
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BibTeX
@misc{callens2026internal,
title = {{An internal scaffold supports microtubule architectural diversity in Xenopus spermatids}},
author = {Céline Callens and Matthieu P.M.H. Benoit and Florian Berger and Quentin Rouger and Roselyne Viel and Claire Heichette and Charlotte Guyomar and Laurence Duchesne and Blandine Guével and Régis Lavigne and Emmanuelle Com and Charles Pineau and Kévin Macé and Jérôme Jullien and Denis Chrétien and Romain Gibeaux},
howpublished = {HAL},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.28.747525},
url = {https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-05777694v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - An internal scaffold supports microtubule architectural diversity in Xenopus spermatids
AU - Céline Callens
AU - Matthieu P.M.H. Benoit
AU - Florian Berger
AU - Quentin Rouger
AU - Roselyne Viel
AU - Claire Heichette
AU - Charlotte Guyomar
AU - Laurence Duchesne
AU - Blandine Guével
AU - Régis Lavigne
AU - Emmanuelle Com
AU - Charles Pineau
AU - Kévin Macé
AU - Jérôme Jullien
AU - Denis Chrétien
AU - Romain Gibeaux
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/28
PB - HAL
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.28.747525
UR - https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-05777694v1
AB - During spermiogenesis, early round spermatids differentiate into specialized spermatozoa through an extensive reshaping of the nucleus driven by coordinated cytoskeletal and chromatin-based mechanisms. In mammals, this process critically relies on the transient manchette, a microtubule-based structure that remodels the spermatid nucleus and serves a track to transport material required for flagellum assembly. However, the existence, organization, and molecular composition of such a structure in other vertebrates have remained poorly investigated. Here, we establish that an organized microtubule network is present in Xenopus spermatids and shares key architectural and molecular hallmarks of the mammalian manchette. We further uncover a large structural heterogeneity of spermatid microtubules, with variable protofilament numbers, skew angles, and lattice organizations. We reveal the presence of a Spaca9-Saxo2 internal scaffold in spermatid microtubules suggesting an internal reinforcement mechanism necessary for extensive nuclear reshaping and cytoplasm remodeling.
ER -