Transposon-driven transcription is a conserved feature of vertebrate spermatogenesis and transcript evolution. Characterisation of the murine spermatogenic transcriptome.

In order to better understand the features associated with male germline transcription we profiled the RNA expression in a number of germline cell types. These include spermatogonial stem cells, spermatocytes and round spermatids in mouse and spermatocytes in rat. We also profiled the transcription in zebrafish testes. As a consequence it became apparent that transposable elements are driving considerable lncRNA expression in the later stages of spermatogenesis. This is particularly apparent in the case of endogenous retroviruses in rodents.