Spermatozoa Molecules in Relation to Bulls Fertility.

Bull fertility may be defined as the process by which spermatozoa fertilize and activate the ovum and then support embryonic development. Bull fertility is a complex trait having relatively low heritability and plays a vital role for efficient production and reproduction of bovine. Various mechanisms involved in regulating bull fertility associated phenotype and reliable biomarkers are poorly defined. Primary spermatozoa physiology indicators namely sperm molecules and epigenetic factors may play a vital role in predicting sperm physiology and fertility. Spermatozoa and their fingerprints or patterns can play a pivotal role in prediction of fertility in bovine. No reliable tests exist despite genomic selection for evaluating quality of semen and fertility of bull. This review focuses on various molecules related to bull fertility viz., sperm RNAs, seminal plasma proteins, sperm proteins and sperm epigenome. In combination with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), microarrays or sperm molecules and epigenome markers can be used to determine sperm quality and to predict bull fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]