FIGURE 5.

Endogenous ROS drives changes in mitochondria dynamics leading to sperm defects. (a–f) Representative images of JC‐1 dye‐stained mitochondria of WT (a, b), alh‐6 mutant (c, d), alh‐6;prdh‐1 mutant (e, f) spermatids from dissected males. White dashed lines marked the outside of spermatids. Yellow outlines the individual mitochondria in the spermatids. (g) Quantification of fused mitochondria in images (a–f) shows that alh‐6 mutant male spermatids have increased number of fused mitochondria, which is restored to WT levels in alh‐6;prdh‐1 mutants. (h) Antioxidant treatment with NAC restores mitochondrial dynamics to wild‐type levels in alh‐6 mutant spermatids. (i) Treatment with NAC does not change mitochondria dynamics of WT spermatids. Comparisons of % fused mitochondria between strains were analyzed using ANOVA, while comparisons for alh‐6 mutant fed control diet to those that are fed on NAC supplemented diet were done using unpaired t test *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001; ****, p < 0.0001. All studies performed in minimum of three biological replicates; refer to Table S1 for n for each comparison