PRKCQ Is Dispensable for Spermatogenesis in Mice

Protein kinase C (PKC) family is evolutionally conserved and involved in various signaling cascades in all cells. Of the family, PRKCQ is dominatingly expressed in testis, however, its molecular functionality in spermatogenesis and male fertility remains unclear. To evaluate the role of PRKCQ in spermatogenesis, Prkcq knockout mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 system. Histological and immunofluorescence assays by different markers were employed to assess the testicular cells variation. Sperm parameters were analyzed by computer-assisted sperm analyzer. qPCR assay was used to examine the expression levels of other PKC family genes. We found that PRKCQ was conserved throughout evolution and highly expressed in testis. Prkcq^-/- mice were successfully generated and developed viably. Normal fertility was observed in Prkcq^-/- males. Prkcq^-/- mice exhibited no defects in spermatogenic cells and mature sperm were full in epididymis. Furthermore, there were no differences in sperm motility and progressive motility between Prkcq^-/- males and controls. Our findings report a detailed phenotypic analysis of Prkcq^-/- males and indicate that PRKCQ is not required for spermatogenesis in male mice, which can provide basic information for other researchers.