# Sperm Chromatin: Implications on organismal development and fertility

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $150,565

## Abstract

Ancillary reproductive health projects to existing large and/or longitudinal studies
Sperm and egg cells carry genetic and epigenetic information from parents to offspring, serving as a link between
the past, present and future of a species. Unlike oocytes and somatic cells, which package their DNA with
histones, the DNA of mature sperm is bound by protamines, highly basic and rapidly evolving proteins that are
essential for the compaction of paternal chromatin. This differential packaging traces back >500 million years,
but the biological and functional significance of protamine protein packaging remains poorly understood. Here
we identified a functional role for protamine proteins in coordinating proper embryonic development. This
proposal aims to develop additional molecular genetic tools to dissect the role of protamines in fertility, early
development, and evolution. Together, the findings presented here will increase our molecular understanding of
these ancient, yet rapidly evolving proteins and may overturn the long-held dogma of their presumed function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10450995
- **Project number:** 3R01HD104680-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Saher Sue Hammoud
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $150,565
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-07-19 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10450995

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10450995, Sperm Chromatin: Implications on organismal development and fertility (3R01HD104680-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10450995. Licensed CC0.

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