REVIEW: Biochemical Features of X or Y Chromosome-Bearing Spermatozoa for Sperm Sexing

---

Denis V. Pozdyshev^1,a*, Nina A. Kombarova², and Vladimir I. Muronetz^1,3

¹Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia

²Head Center for Reproduction of Agricultural Animals, 142143 Bykovo, Moscow Region, Russia

³Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received December 15, 2022; Revised February 10, 2023; Accepted February 20, 2023

---

This review presents information on biochemical features of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome, enabling production of a sperm fraction with pre-defined sex chromosome. The almost only technology currently used for such separation (called sexing) is based on the fluorescence-activated cell sorting of sperm depending on DNA content. In addition to the applied aspects, this technology made it possible to analyze properties of the isolated populations of spermatozoa bearing X or Y chromosome. In recent years, existence of the differences between these populations at the transcriptome and proteome level have been reported in a number of studies. It is noteworthy that these differences are primarily related to the energy metabolism and flagellar structural proteins. New methods of sperm enrichment with X or Y chromosome cells are based on the differences in motility between the spermatozoa with different sex chromosomes. Sperm sexing is a part of the widespread protocol of artificial insemination of cows with cryopreserved semen, it allows to increase proportion of the offspring with the required sex. In addition, advances in the separation of X and Y spermatozoa may allow this approach to be applied in clinical practice to avoid sex-linked diseases.

---

KEY WORDS: X/Y spermatozoa, sperm motility, sexing

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297923050085

---