CV Science

Aminata TOURE PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology

Course and current status

Current Position

Research Director - CNRS (DR2). 

Institut pour l'Avancée des Biosciences (IAB).

INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES.

Team 'Physiology and Pathophysiology of Sperm cells' (PPS). https://tourelab.fr/

Education & Degrees

2008    HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches).

2000    PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology. Université Paris V

1996    DEA (Master 2) Molecular Biology-Development-Pathology. Université Paris V

1995    Maitrise (Master 1) Genetics. Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI

Scientific career

2020 – present     Directrice de Recherche CNRS (DR2). IAB, Grenoble

2013 – 2020         Directrice de Recherche CNRS (DR2). Institut Cochin, Paris

2004 – 2012         Chargée de Recherche CNRS (CR1,2). Institut Cochin, Paris

2000 – 2004         Post-Doctoral Researcher. Laboratory P. Burgoyne. MRC. London. UK

1996 – 2000         PhD. Laboratory G. Gacon. INSERM U257, Paris.

Scientific summary

My research program is focused on the characterization of the molecular and cellular processes, which control the biogenesis of the sperm flagellum together with the signaling pathways, which regulate sperm motility and metabolism, overall conferring the fertilization potential. For this purpose we combine biochemistry, proteomic analysis, cell biology, molecular biology and genetics. In addition, in collaboration with national and international departments specialised in Reproductive Biology, we develop several programs aiming at defining the enetics and pathophysiological mechanisms associated with human male infertility. In parallel, we establish therapeutical strategies of male infertility and investigate novel contraceptive strategies targeting sperm cells.

Selection of recent publications:

Cavarocchi E, Sayou C, Lorès P, Cazin C, Stouvenel L, El Khouri E, Coutton C, Kherraf ZE, Patrat C, Govin J, Thierry-Mieg N, Whitfield M, Ray PF, Dulioust E, Touré A*. Identification of IQCH as a calmodulin-associated protein required for sperm motility in humans. iScience. 2023

E. Cavarocchi, M. Whitfield, A. Chargui, L. Stouvenel, P. Lorès, C. Coutton, C. Arnoult, P. Santulli, C. Patrat, N. Thierry-Mieg, P. Ray, E. Dulioust and A. Touré*. The sodium/proton exchanger SLC9C1 (sNHE) is essential for human sperm motility and fertility. Clin Genet 2021.

Gadadhar S, Alvarez Viar G, Hansen JN, Gong A, Kostarev A, Ialy-Radio C, Leboucher S, Whitfield M, Ziyyat A, Touré A, Alvarez L, Pigino G, Janke C. Tubulin glycylation controls axonemal dynein activity, flagellar beat, and male fertility. Science. 2021 Jan 8;371(6525):eabd4914. doi: 10.1126/science.abd4914. PMID: 33414192

Touré A, Martinez G, Kherraf ZE, Cazin C, Beurois J, Arnoult C, Ray PF, Coutton C. The genetic architecture of morphological abnormalities of the sperm tail (Review).  Hum Genet. 2020. PMID: 31950240.

Lorès P, Dacheux D, Kherraf ZE, Nsota Mbango JF, Coutton C, Stouvenel L, Ialy-Radio C, Amiri-Yekta A, Whitfield M, Schmitt A, Cazin C, Givelet M, Ferreux L, Fourati Ben Mustapha S, Halouani L, Marrakchi O, Daneshipour A, El Khouri E, Do Cruzeiro M, Favier M, Guillonneau F, Chaudhry M, Sakheli Z, Wolf JP, Patrat C, Gacon G, Savinov SN, Hosseini SH, Robinson DR, Zouari R, Ziyyat A, Arnoult C, Dulioust E, Bonhivers M*, Ray PF*, Touré A*. Mutations in TTC29, Encoding an Evolutionarily Conserved Axonemal Protein, Result in Asthenozoospermia and Male Infertility. Am J Hum Genet. 2019. PMID: 31735292.

Touré A. Importance of SLC26 Transmembrane Anion Exchangers in Sperm Post-testicular Maturation and Fertilization Potential (Review). Front Cell Dev Biol. 2019. PMID: 31681763.

Whitfield M*, Thomas L*, Bequignon E, Schmitt A, Stouvenel L, Montantin G, Tissier S, Duquesnoy P, Copin B, Chantot S, Dastot F, Faucon C, Barbotin AL, Loyens A, Siffroi JP, Papon JF, Escudier E, Amselem S, Mitchell V*, Touré A* and Legendre M*. Mutations in DNAH17, encoding a sperm-specific axonemal outer dynein arm heavy chain, cause isolated male infertility due to asthenozoospermia. Am J Hum Genet. 2019. PMID: 31178125

Lorès P*, Coutton C*, El Khouri E*, Stouvenel L, Givelet M, Thomas L, Rode B, Schmitt A, Louis B, Sakheli Z, Chaudhry M, Fernandez-Gonzales A, Mitsialis A, Dacheux D, Wolf JP, Papon JF, Gacon G, Escudier E, Arnoult C, Bonhivers M, Savinov SN, Amselem S, Ray PF*, Dulioust E*, Touré A*. Homozygous missense mutation L673P in adenylate kinase 7 (AK7) leads to primary male infertility and multiple morphological anomalies of the flagella but not to primary ciliary dyskinesia. Hum Mol Genet. 2018. PMID: 30517620.