Male reproductive aging arises via multifaceted mating-dependent sperm and seminal proteome declines, but is postponable in <i>Drosophila</i>
Irem Sepil, Ben R. Hopkins, Rebecca Dean, Eleanor Bath, Solomon Friedman, B.F. Swanson, Harrison J. Ostridge, Lucy Harper, Norene A. Buehner, Mariana F. Wolfner, Rebecca Konietzny, Marie‐Laëtitia Thézénas, Elizabeth Sandham, Philip D. Charles, Román Fischer, Josefa Steinhauer, Benedikt M. Kessler, Stuart Wigby
Abstract
We demonstrate that seminal fluid deterioration contributes to male reproductive decline via mating-dependent mechanisms that include posttranslational modifications to seminal proteins and altered seminal proteome composition and transfer. Additionally, we find that sperm production declines chronologically with age, invariant to mating activity such that older multiply mated males become infertile principally via reduced sperm transfer and viability. Our data, therefore, support the idea that both germline and soma components of the ejaculate contribute to male reproductive aging but reveal a mismatch in their aging patterns. Our data do not generally support the idea that the germline is prioritized over soma, at least, within the ejaculate. Moreover, we find that lifespan-extending systemic down-regulation of insulin signaling results in improved late-life ejaculate performance, indicating simultaneous amelioration of both somatic and reproductive aging.