Biology subjects

Schon, S. B.

Publications and source records attributed to Schon, S. B..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A high-resolution spatial map of cilia-associated proteins in the human fallopian tube

Molecular alterations in the fallopian tubes play a pivotal role in the development of cancer and reproductive disorders, yet their molecular landscape at the protein level remains poorly defined. Here, we map key fallopian tube proteins at single-cell resolution utilizing an integrated transcriptomics and proteomics approach. Based on RNA-seq analysis we identify 310 genes with elevated expression in fallopian tube, the majority of which are associated with motile cilia function. We spatially characterize 133 of the corresponding proteins in fallopian tube and other human tissues with motile cilia to subcellular structures of ciliated cells, validating the findings with single-cell RNA-seq and mass-spectrometry data. Eleven proteins previously only studied on the transcript level without information in cilia databases are further analyzed in a hydrosalpinx patient, showing a thinner epithelium, lower density of FOXJ1 expression, and reduced expression of FHAD1, RIIAD1, and C2orf81. Our high-resolution spatial map aids in dissecting the pathways underlaying infertility and diseases linked to cilia-specific functions.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2025

A hidden protamine PTM code in sperm generates heterogeneous chromatin states and finetunes reproductive fitness

Traditionally, the sperm genome is thought to be packaged by protamines into a uniformly compact and inert chromatin structure. Here, we challenge this long-standing view by demonstrating that protamine post-translational modifications (PTMs) present on distinct protamine molecules create discrete protamine-DNA chromatin states, ranging from weak to tightly associated chromatin configurations. Loss of these modifications alters protamine-DNA interactions in vitro and in vivo, compromising sperm chromatin integrity and impairing fertility. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that protamines do not merely serve as inert packaging proteins; rather protamine PTMs establish functional heterogeneity within sperm chromatin, creating compartment-like domains analogous to those in somatic cells. Thus, PTMs allow protamines to do more than simply compact the paternal genome--they likely encode a molecular blueprint that orchestrates the timely unpacking and reorganization of the paternal genome after fertilization.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Cellular heterogeneity of human fallopian tubes in normal and hydrosalpinx disease states identified by scRNA-seq

Fallopian tube (FT) homeostasis requires dynamic regulation of heterogeneous cell populations and is disrupted in infertility and ovarian cancer. Here we applied single-cell RNAseq to profile 53,376 FT cells from 3 healthy pre-menopausal subjects. The resulting cell atlas contains 12 major cell types representing epithelial, stromal and immune compartments. Re-clustering of epithelial cells identified 4 ciliated and 6 non-ciliated secretory epithelial subtypes, two of which represent potential progenitor pools: one leading to mature secretory cells, while the other contributing to either ciliated cells or one of the stromal cell types. To understand how FT cell numbers and states change in a disease state, we analyzed ~15,000 cells from a hydrosalpinx sample and observed shifts in epithelial and stromal populations, and cell type-specific changes in extracellular matrix and TGF-{beta} signaling, underscoring fibrosis pathophysiology. This resource is expected to facilitate future studies to understand fallopian tube homeostasis in normal development and disease.

systems biology↗