SUN5 forms a regular protein lattice reinforcing the sperm head-tail junction

Abstract

Linker of nucleo- and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes reside in the nuclear envelope, the double-membrane surrounding the nucleus, where they establish a physical bridge between nucleus and cytoplasm. LINC complexes are conserved throughout the tree of life and are present in most nucleated cell types in the human body. They play a major role in signal transduction across the nuclear envelope and in regulating nuclear morphology. One of the most drastic nuclear remodeling events occurs during sperm maturation. Multiple sperm-specific LINC complexes are essential for the sperm cell to adapt its highly streamlined nuclear shape and to secure a stable connection between sperm head and tail. Importantly, mutations in the LINC protein SUN5 result in head-tail detachment, also referred to as acephalic spermatozoa syndrome, rendering affected individuals infertile. Here, using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy we find that sperm-specific SUN5 localizes to the base of the human sperm head and by applying in situ cryo-electron tomography we find an extensive two-dimensional lattice in the nuclear envelope at this region. Moreover, this lattice appears to maintain a consistent close apposition between the inner and outer nuclear membranes. Further structural analysis supports a model in which SUN5 forms trimers that laterally interact at the outer nuclear membrane. Overall, this study sheds light on nuclear envelope organization in the highly streamlined sperm cell, providing mechanistic insights into uniform nuclear envelope spacing maintained by a LINC lattice and rationalizing disruptive effects of SUN5 mutations on the sperm head-tail junction.