Etoposide interferes with the process of chromatin condensation during alga Chara vulgaris spermiogenesis

DNA topoisomerase II plays an essential role in animal spermiogenesis, where changes of chromatin structure are connected with appearance of transient DNA breaks. Such topo II activity can be curtailed by inhibitors such as etoposide and suramine. The aim of the present study was to investigate, for the first time, the effect of etoposide on spermatid chromatin remodeling in the green alga Chara vulgaris. This inhibitor prolonged the early spermiogenesis stages and blocked the formation of the phosphorylated form of histone H2AX at stages VI-VII. The lack of transient DSBs at these stages impairs the elimination of supercoils containing nucleosomes which lead to disturbances in nucleoprotein exchange and the pattern of spermatid chromatin fibrils at stages VI-VIII. Immunofluorescent and ultrastructural observations revealed that during C. vulgaris spermiogenesis topo II played an important role similar to that in mammals. Some corresponding features had been pointed out before, the present studies showed further similarities.