The Boule gene , responsible for the production of sperm , is common to most animals and humans. And according to a study published in the journal Plos Genetics, it has been dedicated to this activity for 600 million years.
As confirmed by Dr. Eugene Xu, from Northwestern University in Chicago (USA), this is the first genetic evidence that "our ability to produce sperm is very ancient and probably originated at the dawn of animal evolution, 600 million years ago. years ".
The team led by Xu investigated the sperm of a sea urchin, a chicken, a fruit fly, a fish and a human, and in all of them discovered the presence of the Boule gene. "Our results indicate that all sperm production would have a common origin," says the researcher.
Finding out the key role that the Boule gene plays in reproduction can help the development of a new male contraceptive , as well as finding new ways to combat diseases transmitted by insects or parasites.
