1
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Mandal M, Maienschein-Cline M, Hu Y, Mohsin A, Veselits ML, Wright NE, Okoreeh MK, Yoon YM, Veselits J, Georgopoulos K, Clark MR. BRWD1 orchestrates small pre-B cell chromatin topology by converting static to dynamic cohesin. Nat Immunol 2024; 25:129-141. [PMID: 37985858 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01666-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Lymphocyte development consists of sequential and mutually exclusive cell states of proliferative selection and antigen receptor gene recombination. Transitions between each state require large, coordinated changes in epigenetic landscapes and transcriptional programs. How this occurs remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that in small pre-B cells, the lineage and stage-specific epigenetic reader bromodomain and WD repeat-containing protein 1 (BRWD1) reorders three-dimensional chromatin topology to affect the transition between proliferative and gene recombination molecular programs. BRWD1 regulated the switch between poised and active enhancers interacting with promoters, and coordinated this switch with Igk locus contraction. BRWD1 did so by converting chromatin-bound static to dynamic cohesin competent to mediate long-range looping. ATP-depletion revealed cohesin conversion to be the main energetic mechanism dictating dynamic chromatin looping. Our findings provide a new mechanism of cohesin regulation and reveal how cohesin function can be dictated by lineage contextual mechanisms to facilitate specific cell fate transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malay Mandal
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | | | - Yeguang Hu
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Azam Mohsin
- Program in Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Margaret L Veselits
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nathaniel E Wright
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael K Okoreeh
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Young Me Yoon
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jacob Veselits
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Katia Georgopoulos
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Marcus R Clark
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology and Gwen Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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2
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Li H, Zhao H, Yang C, Su R, Long M, Liu J, Shi L, Xue Y, Su Y. LSM14B is an Oocyte-Specific RNA-Binding Protein Indispensable for Maternal mRNA Metabolism and Oocyte Development in Mice. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300043. [PMID: 37083226 PMCID: PMC10288277 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian oogenesis features reliance on the mRNAs produced and stored during early growth phase. These are essential for producing an oocyte competent to undergo meiotic maturation and embryogenesis later when oocytes are transcriptionally silent. The fate of maternal mRNAs hence ensures the success of oogenesis and the quality of the resulting eggs. Nevertheless, how the fate of maternal mRNAs is determined remains largely elusive. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are crucial regulators of oogenesis, yet the identity of the full complement of RBPs expressed in oocytes is unknown. Here, a global view of oocyte-expressed RBPs is presented: mRNA-interactome capture identifies 1396 RBPs in mouse oocytes. An analysis of one of these RBPs, LSM family member 14 (LSM14B), demonstrates that this RBP is specific to oocytes and associated with many networks essential for oogenesis. Deletion of Lsm14b results in female-specific infertility and a phenotype characterized by oocytes incompetent to complete meiosis and early embryogenesis. LSM14B serves as an interaction hub for proteins and mRNAs throughout oocyte development and regulates translation of a subset of its bound mRNAs. Therefore, RNP complexes tethered by LSM14B are found exclusively in oocytes and are essential for the control of maternal mRNA fate and oocyte development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjing211126P. R. China
| | - Hailian Zhao
- Institute of BiophysicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Chunhui Yang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
| | - Ruibao Su
- Institute of BiophysicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Min Long
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjing211126P. R. China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
| | - Lanying Shi
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjing211126P. R. China
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- Institute of BiophysicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - You‐Qiang Su
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental BiologySchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdao266237P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjing211126P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and DevelopmentFudan UniversityShanghai200433P. R. China
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3
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Bafleh WS, Abdulsamad HMR, Al-Qaraghuli SM, El Khatib RY, Elbahrawi RT, Abdukadir AM, Alsawae SM, Dimassi Z, Hamdan H, Kashir J. Applications of advances in mRNA-based platforms as therapeutics and diagnostics in reproductive technologies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1198848. [PMID: 37305677 PMCID: PMC10250609 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1198848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but also in science and medicine, marking for the first time when drug regulatory authorities cleared for use mRNA-based vaccines in the fight against this outbreak. However, while indeed representing a novel application of such technology in the context of vaccination medicine, introducing RNA into cells to produce resultant molecules (proteins, antibodies, etc.) is not a novel principle. It has been common practice to introduce/inject mRNA into oocytes and embryos to inhibit, induce, and identify several factors in a research context, while such aspects have also been proposed as potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications to combat infertility in humans. Herein, we describe key areas where mRNA-based platforms have thus far represented potential areas of clinical applications, describing the advantages and limitations of such applications. Finally, we also discuss how recent advances in mRNA-based platforms, driven by the recent pandemic, may stand to benefit the treatment of infertility in humans. We also present brief future directions as to how we could utilise recent and current advancements to enhance RNA therapeutics within reproductive biology, specifically with relation to oocyte and embryo delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wjdan S. Bafleh
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Haia M. R. Abdulsamad
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sally M. Al-Qaraghuli
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Riwa Y. El Khatib
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rawdah Taha Elbahrawi
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Azhar Mohamud Abdukadir
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Zakia Dimassi
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hamdan Hamdan
- Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Junaid Kashir
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Garretson A, Dumont BL, Handel MA. Reproductive genomics of the mouse: implications for human fertility and infertility. Development 2023; 150:dev201313. [PMID: 36779988 PMCID: PMC10836652 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Genetic analyses of mammalian gametogenesis and fertility have the potential to inform about two important and interrelated clinical areas: infertility and contraception. Here, we address the genetics and genomics underlying gamete formation, productivity and function in the context of reproductive success in mammalian systems, primarily mouse and human. Although much is known about the specific genes and proteins required for meiotic processes and sperm function, we know relatively little about other gametic determinants of overall fertility, such as regulation of gamete numbers, duration of gamete production, and gamete selection and function in fertilization. As fertility is not a binary trait, attention is now appropriately focused on the oligogenic, quantitative aspects of reproduction. Multiparent mouse populations, created by complex crossing strategies, exhibit genetic diversity similar to human populations and will be valuable resources for genetic discovery, helping to overcome current limitations to our knowledge of mammalian reproductive genetics. Finally, we discuss how what we know about the genomics of reproduction can ultimately be brought to the clinic, informing our concepts of human fertility and infertility, and improving assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Garretson
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Beth L. Dumont
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Mary Ann Handel
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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5
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Hu T, Meng L, Tan C, Luo C, He WB, Tu C, Zhang H, Du J, Nie H, Lu GX, Lin G, Tan YQ. Biallelic CFAP61 variants cause male infertility in humans and mice with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. J Med Genet 2023; 60:144-153. [PMID: 35387802 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2021-108249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genetic causes for most male infertility due to severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To identify the genetic cause of male infertility characterised by OAT. METHODS Variant screening was performed by whole-exome sequencing from 325 infertile patients with OAT and 392 fertile individuals. In silico and in vitro analyses were performed to evaluate the impacts of candidate disease-causing variants. A knockout mouse model was generated to confirm the candidate disease-causing gene, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was used to evaluate the efficiency of clinical treatment. RESULTS We identified biallelic CFAP61 variants (NM_015585.4: c.1654C>T (p.R552C) and c.2911G>A (p.D971N), c.144-2A>G and c.1666G>A (p.G556R)) in two (0.62%) of the 325 OAT-affected men. In silico bioinformatics analysis predicted that all four variants were deleterious, and in vitro functional analysis confirmed the deleterious effects of the mutants. Notably, H&E staining and electron microscopy analyses of the spermatozoa revealed multiple morphological abnormalities of sperm flagella, the absence of central pair microtubules and mitochondrial sheath malformation in sperm flagella from man with CFAP61 variants. Further immunofluorescence assays revealed markedly reduced CFAP61 staining in the sperm flagella. In addition, Cfap61-deficient mice showed the OAT phenotype, suggesting that loss of function of CFAP61 was the cause of OAT. Two individuals accepted ICSI therapy using their own ejaculated sperm, and one of them succeeded in fathering a healthy baby. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that CFAP61 is essential for spermatogenesis and that biallelic CFAP61 variants lead to male infertility in humans and mice with OAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongyao Hu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Lanlan Meng
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Tan
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Luo
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bin He
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaofeng Tu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Du
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongchuan Nie
- Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Guang-Xiu Lu
- Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Ge Lin
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue-Qiu Tan
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science,Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China .,Genetic Center, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,NHC key laboratory of human stem cell and reproductive engineering, Changsha, People's Republic of China.,College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, People's Republic of China
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6
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Fulton SL, Wenderski W, Lepack AE, Eagle AL, Fanutza T, Bastle RM, Ramakrishnan A, Hays EC, Neal A, Bendl J, Farrelly LA, Al-Kachak A, Lyu Y, Cetin B, Chan JC, Tran TN, Neve RL, Roper RJ, Brennand KJ, Roussos P, Schimenti JC, Friedman AK, Shen L, Blitzer RD, Robison AJ, Crabtree GR, Maze I. Rescue of deficits by Brwd1 copy number restoration in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6384. [PMID: 36289231 PMCID: PMC9606253 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34200-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
With an incidence of ~1 in 800 births, Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal condition linked to intellectual disability worldwide. While the genetic basis of DS has been identified as a triplication of chromosome 21 (HSA21), the genes encoded from HSA21 that directly contribute to cognitive deficits remain incompletely understood. Here, we found that the HSA21-encoded chromatin effector, BRWD1, was upregulated in neurons derived from iPS cells from an individual with Down syndrome and brain of trisomic mice. We showed that selective copy number restoration of Brwd1 in trisomic animals rescued deficits in hippocampal LTP, cognition and gene expression. We demonstrated that Brwd1 tightly binds the BAF chromatin remodeling complex, and that increased Brwd1 expression promotes BAF genomic mistargeting. Importantly, Brwd1 renormalization rescued aberrant BAF localization, along with associated changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression. These findings establish BRWD1 as a key epigenomic mediator of normal neurodevelopment and an important contributor to DS-related phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha L Fulton
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Wendy Wenderski
- Department of Pathology, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ashley E Lepack
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Andrew L Eagle
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Tomas Fanutza
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ryan M Bastle
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Emma C Hays
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Arianna Neal
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Jaroslav Bendl
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Center for Disease Neuroepigenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Lorna A Farrelly
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Amni Al-Kachak
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Yang Lyu
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Bulent Cetin
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Jennifer C Chan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Tina N Tran
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Randall J Roper
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 065109, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Center for Disease Neuroepigenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- J.J. Peters Veterans Affairs Hospital, Bronx, NY, 10468, USA
| | - John C Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Allyson K Friedman
- Department of Biological Sciences, City University of New York-Hunter College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Robert D Blitzer
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Alfred J Robison
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Gerald R Crabtree
- Department of Pathology, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ian Maze
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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7
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Innocenti F, Fiorentino G, Cimadomo D, Soscia D, Garagna S, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Zuccotti M. Maternal effect factors that contribute to oocytes developmental competence: an update. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:861-871. [PMID: 35165782 PMCID: PMC9051001 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02434-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte developmental competence is defined as the capacity of the female gamete to be fertilized and sustain development to the blastocyst stage. Epigenetic reprogramming, a correct cell division pattern, and an efficient DNA damage response are all critical events that, before embryonic genome activation, are governed by maternally inherited factors such as maternal-effect gene (MEG) products. Although these molecules are stored inside the oocyte until ovulation and exert their main role during fertilization and preimplantation development, some of them are already functioning during folliculogenesis and oocyte meiosis resumption. This mini review summarizes the crucial roles played by MEGs during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and preimplantation development with a direct/indirect effect on the acquisition or maintenance of oocyte competence. Our aim is to inspire future research on a topic with potential clinical perspectives for the prediction and treatment of female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Innocenti
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Fiorentino
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
| | - Daria Soscia
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Garagna
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura Rienzi
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. de Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Zuccotti
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Center for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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8
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Qi M, Sun H, Guo Y, Zhou Y, Gu X, Jin J, Chen X, Wang F, Ma H, Guo X, Chen H, Shen B. m 6 A reader protein YTHDF2 regulates spermatogenesis by timely clearance of phase-specific transcripts. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13164. [PMID: 34850470 PMCID: PMC8780898 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Accumulating evidences show that the regulatory network of m6 A modification is essential for mammalian spermatogenesis. However, as an m6 A reader, the roles of YTHDF2 remain enigmatic due to the lack of a proper model. Here, we employed the germ cell conditional knockout mouse model and explored the function of YTHDF2 in spermatogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ythdf2 germ cell conditional knockout mice were obtained by crossing Ythdf2-floxed mice with Vasa-Cre and Stra8-Cre mice. Haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunofluorescent staining and Western blotting were used for phenotyping. CASA, IVF and ICSI were applied for sperm function analysis. RNA-seq, YTHDF2-RIP-seq and quantitative real-time PCR were used to explore transcriptome changes and molecular mechanism analysis. RESULTS Our results showed that YTHDF2 was highly expressed in spermatogenic cells. The germ cell conditional knockout males were sterile, and their sperm displayed malformation, impaired motility, and lost fertilization ability. During differentiated spermatogonia transiting to pachytene spermatocyte, most m6 A-modified YTHDF2 targets that were degraded in control germ cells persisted in pachytene spermatocytes of Ythdf2-vKO mice. These delayed mRNAs were mainly enriched in pathways related to the regulation of transcription, and disturbed the transcriptome of round spermatid and elongated spermatid subsequently. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate that YTHDF2 facilitates the timely turnover of phase-specific transcripts to ensure the proper progression of spermatogenesis, which highlights a critical role of YTHDF2 in spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijie Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
- Center for Reproductive MedicineDivision of Life Sciences and MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of USTCUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Haifeng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yueshuai Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xueying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Jiachuan Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xiaoxu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Fangzhu Wang
- Reproductive Medicine CenterGansu Provincial Maternity and Child‐Care HospitalLanzhouChina
| | - Honghui Ma
- Department of CardiologyShanghai East HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xuejiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Human Cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of MedicineSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Bin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
- Gusu SchoolNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
- Center for Global HealthSchool of Public HealthNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
- Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjing Maternity and Child Health Care HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
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9
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Morgan MAJ, Popova IK, Vaidya A, Burg JM, Marunde MR, Rendleman EJ, Dumar ZJ, Watson R, Meiners MJ, Howard SA, Khalatyan N, Vaughan RM, Rothbart SB, Keogh MC, Shilatifard A. A trivalent nucleosome interaction by PHIP/BRWD2 is disrupted in neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. Genes Dev 2021; 35:1642-1656. [PMID: 34819353 PMCID: PMC8653789 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348766.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the PHIP/BRWD2 chromatin regulator cause the human neurodevelopmental disorder Chung-Jansen syndrome, while alterations in PHIP expression are linked to cancer. Precisely how PHIP functions in these contexts is not fully understood. Here we demonstrate that PHIP is a chromatin-associated CRL4 ubiquitin ligase substrate receptor and is required for CRL4 recruitment to chromatin. PHIP binds to chromatin through a trivalent reader domain consisting of a H3K4-methyl binding Tudor domain and two bromodomains (BD1 and BD2). Using semisynthetic nucleosomes with defined histone post-translational modifications, we characterize PHIPs BD1 and BD2 as respective readers of H3K14ac and H4K12ac, and identify human disease-associated mutations in each domain and the intervening linker region that likely disrupt chromatin binding. These findings provide new insight into the biological function of this enigmatic chromatin protein and set the stage for the identification of both upstream chromatin modifiers and downstream targets of PHIP in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A J Morgan
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | | | - Anup Vaidya
- EpiCypher, Inc., Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | | | | | - Emily J Rendleman
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Zachary J Dumar
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | | | | | | | - Natalia Khalatyan
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Robert M Vaughan
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Minnesota 49503, USA
| | - Scott B Rothbart
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Minnesota 49503, USA
| | | | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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10
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Wang X, Wang HY, Hu GS, Tang WS, Weng L, Zhang Y, Guo H, Yao SS, Liu SY, Zhang GL, Han Y, Liu M, Zhang XD, Cen X, Shen HF, Xiao N, Liu CQ, Wang HR, Huang J, Liu W, Li P, Zhao TJ. DDB1 binds histone reader BRWD3 to activate the transcriptional cascade in adipogenesis and promote onset of obesity. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109281. [PMID: 34161765 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity has become a global pandemic. Identification of key factors in adipogenesis helps to tackle obesity and related metabolic diseases. Here, we show that DDB1 binds the histone reader BRWD3 to promote adipogenesis and diet-induced obesity. Although typically recognized as a component of the CUL4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, DDB1 stimulates adipogenesis independently of CUL4. A DDB1 mutant that does not bind CUL4A or CUL4B fully restores adipogenesis in DDB1-deficient cells. Ddb1+/- mice show delayed postnatal development of white adipose tissues and are protected from diet-induced obesity. Mechanistically, by interacting with BRWD3, DDB1 is recruited to acetylated histones in the proximal promoters of ELK1 downstream immediate early response genes and facilitates the release of paused RNA polymerase II, thereby activating the transcriptional cascade in adipogenesis. Our findings have uncovered a CUL4-independent function of DDB1 in promoting the transcriptional cascade of adipogenesis, development of adipose tissues, and onset of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Disease, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Hao-Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Guo-Sheng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wen-Shuai Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Li Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yuzhu Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Huiling Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Shan-Shan Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Shen-Ying Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Disease, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Liang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yan Han
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiang Cen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Hai-Feng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Nengming Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Chang-Qin Liu
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Hong-Rui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Wen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Peng Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Disease, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Tong-Jin Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Disease, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, and Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
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11
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Azhar M, Altaf S, Uddin I, Cheng J, Wu L, Tong X, Qin W, Bao J. Towards Post-Meiotic Sperm Production: Genetic Insight into Human Infertility from Mouse Models. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:2487-2503. [PMID: 34326689 PMCID: PMC8315030 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.60384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Declined quality and quantity of sperm is currently the major cause of patients suffering from infertility. Male germ cell development is spatiotemporally regulated throughout the whole developmental process. While it has been known that exogenous factors, such as environmental exposure, diet and lifestyle, et al, play causative roles in male infertility, recent progress has revealed abundant genetic mutations tightly associated with defective male germline development. In mammals, male germ cells undergo dramatic morphological change (i.e., nuclear condensation) and chromatin remodeling during post-meiotic haploid germline development, a process termed spermiogenesis; However, the molecular machinery players and functional mechanisms have yet to be identified. To date, accumulated evidence suggests that disruption in any step of haploid germline development is likely manifested as fertility issues with low sperm count, poor sperm motility, aberrant sperm morphology or combined. With the continually declined cost of next-generation sequencing and recent progress of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, growing studies have revealed a vast number of disease-causing genetic variants associated with spermiogenic defects in both mice and humans, along with mechanistic insights partially attained and validated through genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). In this review, we mainly summarize genes that are functional at post-meiotic stage. Identification and characterization of deleterious genetic variants should aid in our understanding of germline development, and thereby further improve the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Azhar
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Saba Altaf
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Islam Uddin
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Jinbao Cheng
- The 901th hospital of Joint logistics support Force of PLA, Anhui, China
| | - Limin Wu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Xianhong Tong
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Weibing Qin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jianqiang Bao
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
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12
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Chavez DR, Lee PC, Comizzoli P. Oocyte Meiotic Competence in the Domestic Cat Model: Novel Roles for Nuclear Proteins BRD2 and NPM1. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:670021. [PMID: 34012967 PMCID: PMC8126674 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.670021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
To participate in fertilization and embryo development, oocytes stored within the mammalian female ovary must resume meiosis as they are arrested in meiotic prophase I. This ability to resume meiosis, known as meiotic competence, requires the tight regulation of cellular metabolism and chromatin configuration. Previously, we identified nuclear proteins associated with the transition from the pre-antral to the antral follicular stage, the time at which oocytes gain meiotic competence. In this study, the objective was to specifically investigate three candidate nuclear factors: bromodomain containing protein 2 (BRD2), nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), and asparaginase-like 1 (ASRGL1). Although these three factors have been implicated with folliculogenesis or reproductive pathologies, their requirement during oocyte maturation is unproven in any system. Experiments were conducted using different stages of oocytes isolated from adult cat ovaries. The presence of candidate factors in developing oocytes was confirmed by immunostaining. While BRD2 and ASRGL1 protein increased between pre-antral and the antral stages, changes in NPM1 protein levels between stages were not observed. Using protein inhibition experiments, we found that most BRD2 or NPM1-inhibited oocytes were incapable of participating in fertilization or embryo development. Further exploration revealed that inhibition of BRD2 and NPM-1 in cumulus-oocyte-complexes prevented oocytes from maturing to the metaphase II stage. Rather, they remained at the germinal vesicle stage or arrested shortly after meiotic resumption. We therefore have identified novel factors playing critical roles in domestic cat oocyte meiotic competence. The identification of these factors will contribute to improvement of domestic cat assisted reproduction and could serve as biomarkers of meiotically competent oocytes in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela R Chavez
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Pei-Chih Lee
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States
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13
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Bi-allelic BRWD1 variants cause male infertility with asthenoteratozoospermia and likely primary ciliary dyskinesia. Hum Genet 2021; 140:761-773. [PMID: 33389130 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02241-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetics-associated asthenoteratozoospermia is often seen in patients with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF). Although 24 causative genes have been identified, these explain only approximately half of patients with MMAF. Since sperm flagella and motile cilia (especially respiratory cilia) have similar axonemal structures, many patients with MMAF also exhibit respiratory symptoms, such as recurrent airway infection, chronic sinusitis, and bronchiectasis, which are frequently associated with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), another recessive disorder. Here, exome sequencing was conducted to evaluate the genetic cause in 53 patients with MMAF and classic PCD/PCD-like symptoms. Two homozygous missense variants and a compound-heterozygous variant in the BRWD1 gene were identified in three unrelated individuals. BRWD1 staining was detected in the whole flagella and respiratory cilia of normal controls but was absent in BRWD1-mutated individuals. Transmission electron microscopy and immunostaining demonstrated that BRWD1 deficiency in human affected respiratory cilia and sperm flagella differently, as the absence of outer and inner dynein arms in sperm flagellum and respiratory cilia, while with a decreased number and outer doublet microtubule defects of respiratory cilia. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a BRWD1-variant-related disease in humans, manifesting as an autosomal recessive form of MMAF and PCD/PCD-like symptoms. Our data provide a basis for further exploring the molecular mechanism of BRWD1 gene during spermatogenesis and ciliogenesis.
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14
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Amoushahi M, Sunde L, Lykke-Hartmann K. The pivotal roles of the NOD-like receptors with a PYD domain, NLRPs, in oocytes and early embryo development†. Biol Reprod 2020; 101:284-296. [PMID: 31201414 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors with a pyrin domain (PYD), NLRPs, are pattern recognition receptors, well recognized for their important roles in innate immunity and apoptosis. However, several NLRPs have received attention for their new, specialized roles as maternally contributed genes important in reproduction and embryo development. Several NLRPs have been shown to be specifically expressed in oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Interestingly, and in line with divergent functions, NLRP genes reveal a complex evolutionary divergence. The most pronounced difference is the human-specific NLRP7 gene, not identified in rodents. However, mouse models have been extensively used to study maternally contributed NLRPs. The NLRP2 and NLRP5 proteins are components of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC), which was recently identified as essential for mouse preimplantation development. The SCMC integrates multiple proteins, including KHDC3L, NLRP5, TLE6, OOEP, NLRP2, and PADI6. The NLRP5 (also known as MATER) has been extensively studied. In humans, inactivating variants in specific NLRP genes in the mother are associated with distinct phenotypes in the offspring, such as biparental hydatidiform moles (BiHMs) and preterm birth. Maternal-effect recessive mutations in KHDC3L and NLRP5 (and NLRP7) are associated with reduced reproductive outcomes, BiHM, and broad multilocus imprinting perturbations. The precise mechanisms of NLRPs are unknown, but research strongly indicates their pivotal roles in the establishment of genomic imprints and post-zygotic methylation maintenance, among other processes. Challenges for the future include translations of findings from the mouse model into human contexts and implementation in therapies and clinical fertility management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lone Sunde
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karin Lykke-Hartmann
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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15
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Mistry BV, Alanazi M, Fitwi H, Al-Harazi O, Rajab M, Altorbag A, Almohanna F, Colak D, Assiri AM. Expression profiling of WD40 family genes including DDB1- and CUL4- associated factor (DCAF) genes in mice and human suggests important regulatory roles in testicular development and spermatogenesis. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:602. [PMID: 32867693 PMCID: PMC7457511 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07016-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The WD40-repeat containing proteins, including DDB1-CUL4-associated factors (DCAFs), are abundant and conserved proteins that play important roles in different cellular processes including spermatogenesis. DCAFs are subset of WD40 family proteins that contain WDxR motif and have been proposed to function as substrate receptor for Cullin4-RING-based E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes to recruit diverse proteins for ubiquitination, a vital process in spermatogenesis. Large number of WD40 genes has been identified in different species including mouse and human. However, a systematic expression profiling of WD40 genes in different tissues of mouse and human has not been investigated. We hypothesize that large number of WD40 genes may express highly or specifically in the testis, where their expression is uniquely regulated during testis development and spermatogenesis. Therefore, the objective of this study is to mine and characterize expression patterns of WD40 genes in different tissues of mouse and human with particular emphasis on DCAF genes expressions during mouse testicular development. RESULTS Publically available RNA sequencing (RNA seq) data mining identified 347 and 349 WD40 genes in mouse and human, respectively. Hierarchical clustering and heat map analyses of RNA seq datasets revealed differential expression patterns of WD40 genes with around 60-73% of the genes were highly or specifically expressed in testis. Similarly, around 74-83% of DCAF genes were predominantly or specifically expressed in testis. Moreover, WD40 genes showed distinct expression patterns during embryonic and postnatal testis development in mice. Finally, different germ cell populations of testis showed specific patterns of WD40 genes expression. Predicted gene ontology analyses revealed more than 80% of these proteins are implicated in cellular, metabolic, biological regulation and cell localization processes. CONCLUSIONS We have identified large number of WD40 family genes that are highly or specifically expressed in the testes of mouse and human. Moreover, WD40 genes have distinct expression patterns during embryonic and postnatal development of the testis in mice. Further, different germ cell populations within the testis showed specific patterns of WD40 genes expression. These results provide foundation for further research towards understanding the functional genomics and molecular mechanisms of mammalian testis development and spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavesh V Mistry
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha Alanazi
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanae Fitwi
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Olfat Al-Harazi
- Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Rajab
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Altorbag
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Falah Almohanna
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dilek Colak
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah M Assiri
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. .,Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. .,Institute for Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
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16
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Wu E, Vastenhouw NL. From mother to embryo: A molecular perspective on zygotic genome activation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2020; 140:209-254. [PMID: 32591075 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In animals, the early embryo is mostly transcriptionally silent and development is fueled by maternally supplied mRNAs and proteins. These maternal products are important not only for survival, but also to gear up the zygote's genome for activation. Over the last three decades, research with different model organisms and experimental approaches has identified molecular factors and proposed mechanisms for how the embryo transitions from being transcriptionally silent to transcriptionally competent. In this chapter, we discuss the molecular players that shape the molecular landscape of ZGA and provide insights into their mode of action in activating the transcription program in the developing embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edlyn Wu
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nadine L Vastenhouw
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
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17
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Hildebrandt MR, Wang Y, Li L, Yasmin L, Glubrecht DD, Godbout R. Cytoplasmic aggregation of DDX1 in developing embryos: Early embryonic lethality associated with Ddx1 knockout. Dev Biol 2019; 455:420-433. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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18
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Genetic Factors Affecting Sperm Chromatin Structure. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1166:1-28. [PMID: 31301043 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-21664-1_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Spermatozoa genome has unique features that make it a fascinating field of investigation: first, because, with oocyte genome, it can be transmitted generation after generation; second, because of genetic shuffling during meiosis, each spermatozoon is virtually unique in terms of genetic content, with consequences for species evolution; and finally, because its chromatin organization is very different from that of somatic cells or oocytes, as it is not based on nucleosomes but on nucleoprotamines which confer a higher order of packaging. Histone-to-protamine transition involves many actors, such as regulators of spermatid gene expression, components of the nuclear envelop, histone-modifying enzymes and readers, chaperones, histone variants, transition proteins, protamines, and certainly many more to be discovered.In this book chapter, we will present what is currently known about sperm chromatin structure and how it is established during spermiogenesis, with the aim to list the genetic factors that regulate its organization.
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19
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Unpackaging the genetics of mammalian fertility: strategies to identify the “reproductive genome”†. Biol Reprod 2018; 99:1119-1128. [DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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20
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Conti M, Franciosi F. Acquisition of oocyte competence to develop as an embryo: integrated nuclear and cytoplasmic events. Hum Reprod Update 2018; 24:245-266. [PMID: 29432538 PMCID: PMC5907346 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmx040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility affects ~7% of couples of reproductive age with little change in incidence in the last two decades. ART, as well as other interventions, have made major strides in correcting this condition. However, and in spite of advancements in the field, the age of the female partner remains a main factor for a successful outcome. A better understanding of the final stages of gamete maturation yielding an egg that can sustain embryo development and a pregnancy to term remains a major area for improvement in the field. This review will summarize the major cellular and molecular events unfolding at the oocyte-to-embryo transition. We will provide an update on the most important processes/pathways currently understood as the basis of developmental competence, including the molecular processes involved in mRNA storage, its recruitment to the translational machinery, and its degradation. We will discuss the hypothesis that the translational programme of maternal mRNAs plays a key role in establishing developmental competence. These regulations are essential to assemble the machinery that is used to establish a totipotent zygote. This hypothesis further supports the view that embryogenesis begins during oogenesis. A better understanding of the events required for developmental competence will guide the development of novel strategies to monitor and improve the success rate of IVF. Using this information, it will be possible to develop new biomarkers that may be used to better predict oocyte quality and in selection of the best egg for IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Conti
- Department of OBGYN-RS, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0556, USA
| | - Federica Franciosi
- Department of OBGYN-RS, University of California San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0556, USA
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21
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Eckersley-Maslin MA, Alda-Catalinas C, Reik W. Dynamics of the epigenetic landscape during the maternal-to-zygotic transition. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2018; 19:436-450. [DOI: 10.1038/s41580-018-0008-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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22
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Morgan MAJ, Rickels RA, Collings CK, He X, Cao K, Herz HM, Cozzolino KA, Abshiru NA, Marshall SA, Rendleman EJ, Sze CC, Piunti A, Kelleher NL, Savas JN, Shilatifard A. A cryptic Tudor domain links BRWD2/PHIP to COMPASS-mediated histone H3K4 methylation. Genes Dev 2017; 31:2003-2014. [PMID: 29089422 PMCID: PMC5710144 DOI: 10.1101/gad.305201.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In this study, Morgan et al. identify an evolutionarily conserved factor, BRWD2/PHIP, that localizes with histone H3K4 methylation genome-wide in human cells, mouse embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Depletion of the Drosophila sole homolog dBRWD3 results in altered histone H3 Lys27 acetylation patterns at enhancers and promoters and changes in gene expression, suggesting a cross-talk between these epigenetic modifications and transcription through the BRWD family. Histone H3 Lys4 (H3K4) methylation is a chromatin feature enriched at gene cis-regulatory sequences such as promoters and enhancers. Here we identify an evolutionarily conserved factor, BRWD2/PHIP, which colocalizes with histone H3K4 methylation genome-wide in human cells, mouse embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Biochemical analysis of BRWD2 demonstrated an association with the Cullin-4–RING ubiquitin E3 ligase-4 (CRL4) complex, nucleosomes, and chromatin remodelers. BRWD2/PHIP binds directly to H3K4 methylation through a previously unidentified chromatin-binding module related to Royal Family Tudor domains, which we named the CryptoTudor domain. Using CRISPR–Cas9 genetic knockouts, we demonstrate that COMPASS H3K4 methyltransferase family members differentially regulate BRWD2/PHIP chromatin occupancy. Finally, we demonstrate that depletion of the single Drosophila homolog dBRWD3 results in altered gene expression and aberrant patterns of histone H3 Lys27 acetylation at enhancers and promoters, suggesting a cross-talk between these chromatin modifications and transcription through the BRWD protein family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A J Morgan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Ryan A Rickels
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Clayton K Collings
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Xiaolin He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Kaixiang Cao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Hans-Martin Herz
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA
| | | | - Nebiyu A Abshiru
- Department of Chemistry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Stacy A Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Emily J Rendleman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Christie C Sze
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Andrea Piunti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | | | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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23
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The Role of Maternal-Effect Genes in Mammalian Development: Are Mammalian Embryos Really an Exception? Stem Cell Rev Rep 2017; 12:276-84. [PMID: 26892267 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-016-9648-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The essential contribution of multiple maternal factors to early mammalian development is rapidly altering the view that mammals have a unique pattern of development compared to other species. Currently, over 60 maternal-effect mutations have been described in mammalian systems, including critical determinants of pluripotency. This data, combined with the evidence for lineage bias and differential gene expression in early blastomeres, strongly suggests that mammalian development is to some extent mosaic from the four-cell stage onward.
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24
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Ferrero E, Dunham I, Sanseau P. In silico prediction of novel therapeutic targets using gene-disease association data. J Transl Med 2017; 15:182. [PMID: 28851378 PMCID: PMC5576250 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-017-1285-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Target identification and validation is a pressing challenge in the pharmaceutical industry, with many of the programmes that fail for efficacy reasons showing poor association between the drug target and the disease. Computational prediction of successful targets could have a considerable impact on attrition rates in the drug discovery pipeline by significantly reducing the initial search space. Here, we explore whether gene-disease association data from the Open Targets platform is sufficient to predict therapeutic targets that are actively being pursued by pharmaceutical companies or are already on the market. METHODS To test our hypothesis, we train four different classifiers (a random forest, a support vector machine, a neural network and a gradient boosting machine) on partially labelled data and evaluate their performance using nested cross-validation and testing on an independent set. We then select the best performing model and use it to make predictions on more than 15,000 genes. Finally, we validate our predictions by mining the scientific literature for proposed therapeutic targets. RESULTS We observe that the data types with the best predictive power are animal models showing a disease-relevant phenotype, differential expression in diseased tissue and genetic association with the disease under investigation. On a test set, the neural network classifier achieves over 71% accuracy with an AUC of 0.76 when predicting therapeutic targets in a semi-supervised learning setting. We use this model to gain insights into current and failed programmes and to predict 1431 novel targets, of which a highly significant proportion has been independently proposed in the literature. CONCLUSIONS Our in silico approach shows that data linking genes and diseases is sufficient to predict novel therapeutic targets effectively and confirms that this type of evidence is essential for formulating or strengthening hypotheses in the target discovery process. Ultimately, more rapid and automated target prioritisation holds the potential to reduce both the costs and the development times associated with bringing new medicines to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Ferrero
- Computational Biology and Stats, Target Sciences, GSK Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, SG1 2NY UK
| | - Ian Dunham
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
| | - Philippe Sanseau
- Computational Biology and Stats, Target Sciences, GSK Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, SG1 2NY UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
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25
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Zhang K, Smith GW. Maternal control of early embryogenesis in mammals. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 27:880-96. [PMID: 25695370 DOI: 10.1071/rd14441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte quality is a critical factor limiting the efficiency of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and pregnancy success in farm animals and humans. ART success is diminished with increased maternal age, suggesting a close link between poor oocyte quality and ovarian aging. However, the regulation of oocyte quality remains poorly understood. Oocyte quality is functionally linked to ART success because the maternal-to-embryonic transition (MET) is dependent on stored maternal factors, which are accumulated in oocytes during oocyte development and growth. The MET consists of critical developmental processes, including maternal RNA depletion and embryonic genome activation. In recent years, key maternal proteins encoded by maternal-effect genes have been determined, primarily using genetically modified mouse models. These proteins are implicated in various aspects of early embryonic development, including maternal mRNA degradation, epigenetic reprogramming, signal transduction, protein translation and initiation of embryonic genome activation. Species differences exist in the number of cell divisions encompassing the MET and maternal-effect genes controlling this developmental window. Perturbations of maternal control, some of which are associated with ovarian aging, result in decreased oocyte quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- Laboratory of Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Genomics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - George W Smith
- Laboratory of Mammalian Reproductive Biology and Genomics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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26
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Sudhamalla B, Dey D, Breski M, Nguyen T, Islam K. Site-specific azide-acetyllysine photochemistry on epigenetic readers for interactome profiling. Chem Sci 2017. [PMID: 28626565 PMCID: PMC5468995 DOI: 10.1039/c7sc00284j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrophobic pocket of the epigenetic reader protein BRD4 has been engineered to carry a photosensitive amino acid to identify novel interacting partners, providing mechanistic insights into BRD4’s function in transcription and beyond.
Chemical modifications on DNA, RNA and histones are recognized by an array of ‘reader’ modules to regulate transcriptional programming and cell fate. However, identification of reader-specific interacting partners in a dynamic cellular environment remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report a chemoproteomic approach termed ‘interaction-based protein profiling’ (IBPP) to characterize novel interacting partners of potentially any reader protein. IBPP harnesses a photosensitive amino acid introduced into the hydrophobic pocket of a reader module to crosslink and enrich transient interacting partners that are inaccessible to traditional methods. Using bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) as a paradigm, we engineer an ‘aromatic cage’ of the bromodomain to introduce 4-azido-l-phenylalanine (pAzF) without compromising its ability to recognize acetylated lysine residues in histone proteins. We establish the binding efficiency, substrate specificity and crosslinking ability of the engineered ‘reader’ module in biochemical assays. Applying IBPP, we uncovered novel acetylated interacting partners of BRD4, such as transcription factors, expanding on its previously unappreciated role in diverse biological processes. By setting up an azide-acetyllysine photoreaction deep inside the bromodomain aromatic cage as a means to detect protein acetylation, our approach provides a potentially general platform for rapid and unbiased profiling of interacting partners of diverse epigenetic readers whose functions in eukaryotic gene regulation remain convoluted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babu Sudhamalla
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15260 , USA .
| | - Debasis Dey
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15260 , USA .
| | - Megan Breski
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15260 , USA .
| | - Tiffany Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15260 , USA .
| | - Kabirul Islam
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15260 , USA .
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27
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OOgenesis_Pred: A sequence-based method for predicting oogenesis proteins by six different modes of Chou's pseudo amino acid composition. J Theor Biol 2017; 414:128-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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28
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Fujisawa T, Filippakopoulos P. Functions of bromodomain-containing proteins and their roles in homeostasis and cancer. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2017; 18:246-262. [PMID: 28053347 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2016.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 372] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomains (BRDs) are evolutionarily conserved protein-protein interaction modules that are found in a wide range of proteins with diverse catalytic and scaffolding functions and are present in most tissues. BRDs selectively recognize and bind to acetylated Lys residues - particularly in histones - and thereby have important roles in the regulation of gene expression. BRD-containing proteins are frequently dysregulated in cancer, they participate in gene fusions that generate diverse, frequently oncogenic proteins, and many cancer-causing mutations have been mapped to the BRDs themselves. Importantly, BRDs can be targeted by small-molecule inhibitors, which has stimulated many translational research projects that seek to attenuate the aberrant functions of BRD-containing proteins in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Fujisawa
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford
| | - Panagis Filippakopoulos
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford.,Structural Genomics Consortium, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
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29
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Cao J, Wei C, Zhang S, Capellini TD, Zhang L, Zhao F, Li L, Zhong T, Wang L, Du L, Zhang H. Screening of reproduction-related single-nucleotide variations from MeDIP-seq data in sheep. Mol Reprod Dev 2016; 83:958-967. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxue Cao
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chengdu China
- Chengdu JDK Biotechnology LTD; Chengdu China
| | - Caihong Wei
- National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animal, Institute of Animal Sciences; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Shuzhen Zhang
- National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animal, Institute of Animal Sciences; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Terence D. Capellini
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts
| | - Li Zhang
- National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animal, Institute of Animal Sciences; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Fuping Zhao
- National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animal, Institute of Animal Sciences; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Li Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chengdu China
| | - Tao Zhong
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chengdu China
| | - Linjie Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chengdu China
| | - Lixin Du
- National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animal, Institute of Animal Sciences; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Beijing China
| | - Hongping Zhang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chengdu China
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30
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Histone reader BRWD1 targets and restricts recombination to the Igk locus. Nat Immunol 2015; 16:1094-103. [PMID: 26301565 PMCID: PMC4575638 DOI: 10.1038/ni.3249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
B lymphopoiesis requires that immunoglobulin genes be accessible to the RAG1-RAG2 recombinase. However, the RAG proteins bind widely to open chromatin suggesting that additional mechanisms must restrict RAG-mediated DNA cleavage. Here, we demonstrate developmental downregulation of interleukin 7 (IL-7) receptor signaling in small pre-B cells induced expression of the bromodomain family member BRWD1, which was recruited to a specific epigenetic landscape at Igk dictated by pre-BCR-dependent Erk activation. BRWD1 enhanced RAG recruitment, increased gene accessibility and positioned nucleosomes 5′ to each Jκ recombination signal sequence. BRWD1 thus targets recombination to Igk and places recombination within the context of signaling cascades that control B cell development. Our findings provide a paradigm in which, at any particular antigen receptor locus, specialized mechanisms enforce lineage and stage specific recombination.
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31
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Darnet S, Moreira FC, Hamoy IG, Burbano R, Khayat A, Cruz A, Magalhães L, Silva A, Santos S, Demachki S, Assumpção M, Assumpção P, Ribeiro-Dos-Santos Â. High-Throughput Sequencing of miRNAs Reveals a Tissue Signature in Gastric Cancer and Suggests Novel Potential Biomarkers. Bioinform Biol Insights 2015; 9:1-8. [PMID: 26157332 PMCID: PMC4485834 DOI: 10.4137/bbi.s23773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide; however, the use of biomarkers for its clinical diagnosis remains limited. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are biomarkers with the potential to identify the risk and prognosis as well as therapeutic targets. We performed the ultradeep miRnomes sequencing of gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric antrum without tumor samples. We observed that a small set of those samples were responsible for approximately 80% of the total miRNAs expression, which might represent a miRNA tissue signature. Additionally, we identified seven miRNAs exhibiting significant differences, and, of these, hsa-miR-135b and hsa-miR-29c were able to discriminate antrum without tumor from gastric cancer regardless of the histological type. These findings were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that hsa-miR-135b and hsa-miR-29c are potential gastric adenocarcinoma occurrence biomarkers with the ability to identify individuals at a higher risk of developing this cancer, and could even be used as therapeutic targets to allow individualized clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Darnet
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Fabiano C Moreira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Área de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Centro Universitário do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Igor G Hamoy
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Campus de Capanema, PA, Brazil
| | - Rommel Burbano
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - André Khayat
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Aline Cruz
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Leandro Magalhães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Artur Silva
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Sidney Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Samia Demachki
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Monica Assumpção
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Paulo Assumpção
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Ândrea Ribeiro-Dos-Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. ; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
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32
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Moussa M, Shu J, Zhang X, Zeng F. Maternal control of oocyte quality in cattle “a review”. Anim Reprod Sci 2015; 155:11-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2015.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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33
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Li Z, Huang Y, Li H, Hu J, Liu X, Jiang T, Sun G, Tang A, Sun X, Qian W, Zeng Y, Xie J, Zhao W, Xu Y, He T, Dong C, Liu Q, Mou L, Lu J, Lin Z, Wu S, Gao S, Guo G, Feng Q, Li Y, Zhang X, Wang J, Yang H, Wang J, Xiong C, Cai Z, Gui Y. Excess of rare variants in genes that are key epigenetic regulators of spermatogenesis in the patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8785. [PMID: 25739334 PMCID: PMC4350091 DOI: 10.1038/srep08785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), a severe form of male infertility, is often suspected to be linked to currently undefined genetic abnormalities. To explore the genetic basis of this condition, we successfully sequenced ~650 infertility-related genes in 757 NOA patients and 709 fertile males. We evaluated the contributions of rare variants to the etiology of NOA by identifying individual genes showing nominal associations and testing the genetic burden of a given biological process as a whole. We found a significant excess of rare, non-silent variants in genes that are key epigenetic regulators of spermatogenesis, such as BRWD1, DNMT1, DNMT3B, RNF17, UBR2, USP1 and USP26, in NOA patients (P = 5.5 × 10(-7)), corresponding to a carrier frequency of 22.5% of patients and 13.7% of controls (P = 1.4 × 10(-5)). An accumulation of low-frequency variants was also identified in additional epigenetic genes (BRDT and MTHFR). Our study suggested the potential associations of genetic defects in genes that are epigenetic regulators with spermatogenic failure in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zesong Li
- 1] Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China [2] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [3] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Yi Huang
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Honggang Li
- Family Planning Research Institute/The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | | | - Xiao Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | - Aifa Tang
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Xiaojuan Sun
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Weiping Qian
- The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Yong Zeng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Jun Xie
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Yu Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | | | - Qunlong Liu
- The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Lisha Mou
- 1] Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China [2] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [3] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Jingxiao Lu
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Zheguang Lin
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Song Wu
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jun Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | - Jian Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Chengliang Xiong
- Family Planning Research Institute/The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Zhiming Cai
- 1] Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Cancer, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China [2] National-Regional Engineering Laboratory for Clinical Application of Cancer Genomics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Yaoting Gui
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China
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Leslie M. BRWD1 shows its gender bias. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2015. [PMCID: PMC4284229 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.2081if] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein necessary for fertility has distinct roles in sperm and eggs.
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Pattabiraman S, Baumann C, Guisado D, Eppig JJ, Schimenti JC, De La Fuente R. Mouse BRWD1 is critical for spermatid postmeiotic transcription and female meiotic chromosome stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 208:53-69. [PMID: 25547156 PMCID: PMC4284233 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201404109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Exhibiting sexually dimorphic roles in mice, BRWD1 is essential for proper meiotic chromosome condensation and telomere structure during oogenesis and for haploid-specific gene transcription during postmeiotic sperm differentiation. Postmeiotic gene expression is essential for development and maturation of sperm and eggs. We report that the dual bromodomain-containing protein BRWD1, which is essential for both male and female fertility, promotes haploid spermatid–specific transcription but has distinct roles in oocyte meiotic progression. Brwd1 deficiency caused down-regulation of ∼300 mostly spermatid-specific transcripts in testis, including nearly complete elimination of those encoding the protamines and transition proteins, but was not associated with global epigenetic changes in chromatin, which suggests that BRWD1 acts selectively. In females, Brwd1 ablation caused severe chromosome condensation and structural defects associated with abnormal telomere structure but only minor changes in gene expression at the germinal vesicle stage, including more than twofold overexpression of the histone methyltransferase MLL5 and LINE-1 elements transposons. Thus, loss of BRWD1 function interferes with the completion of oogenesis and spermatogenesis through sexually dimorphic mechanisms: it is essential in females for epigenetic control of meiotic chromosome stability and in males for haploid gene transcription during postmeiotic sperm differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrivatsav Pattabiraman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Claudia Baumann
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Daniela Guisado
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | | | - John C Schimenti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Rabindranath De La Fuente
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602
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de Boer P, de Vries M, Ramos L. A mutation study of sperm head shape and motility in the mouse: lessons for the clinic. Andrology 2014; 3:174-202. [PMID: 25511638 DOI: 10.1111/andr.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mouse mutants that show effects on sperm head shape, the sperm tail (flagellum), and motility were analysed in a systematic way. This was achieved by grouping mutations in the following classes: manchette, acrosome, Sertoli cell contact, chromatin remodelling, and mutations involved in complex regulations such as protein (de)phosphorylation and RNA stability, and flagellum/motility mutations. For all mutant phenotypes, flagellum function (motility) was affected. Head shape, including the nucleus, was also affected in spermatozoa of most mouse models, though with considerable variation. For the mutants that were categorized in the flagellum/motility group, generally normal head shapes were found, even when the flagellum did not develop or only poorly so. Most mutants are sterile, an occasional one semi-sterile. For completeness, the influence of the sex chromosomes on sperm phenotype is included. Functionally, the genes involved can be categorized as regulators of spermiogenesis. When extrapolating these data to human sperm samples, in vivo selection for motility would be the tool for weeding out the products of suboptimal spermiogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation. The striking dependency of motility on proper sperm head development is not easy to understand, but likely is of evolutionary benefit. Also, sperm competition after mating can never act against the long-term multi-generation interest of genetic integrity. Hence, it is plausible to suggest that short-term haplophase fitness i.e., motility, is developmentally integrated with proper nucleus maturation, including genetic integrity to protect multi-generation fitness. We hypothesize that, when the prime defect is in flagellum formation, apparently a feedback loop was not necessary as head morphogenesis in these mutants is mostly normal. Extrapolating to human-assisted reproductive techniques practice, this analysis would supply the arguments for the development of tools to select for motility as a continuous (non-discrete) parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- P de Boer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Marmorstein R, Zhou MM. Writers and readers of histone acetylation: structure, mechanism, and inhibition. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 6:a018762. [PMID: 24984779 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a018762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 364] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Histone acetylation marks are written by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and read by bromodomains (BrDs), and less commonly by other protein modules. These proteins regulate many transcription-mediated biological processes, and their aberrant activities are correlated with several human diseases. Consequently, small molecule HAT and BrD inhibitors with therapeutic potential have been developed. Structural and biochemical studies of HATs and BrDs have revealed that HATs fall into distinct subfamilies containing a structurally related core for cofactor binding, but divergent flanking regions for substrate-specific binding, catalysis, and autoregulation. BrDs adopt a conserved left-handed four-helix bundle to recognize acetyllysine; divergent loop residues contribute to substrate-specific acetyllysine recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Marmorstein
- Program in Gene Expression and Regulation, Wistar Institute, and Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
| | - Ming-Ming Zhou
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10065
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Condic ML. Totipotency: what it is and what it is not. Stem Cells Dev 2014; 23:796-812. [PMID: 24368070 PMCID: PMC3991987 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There is surprising confusion surrounding the concept of biological totipotency, both within the scientific community and in society at large. Increasingly, ethical objections to scientific research have both practical and political implications. Ethical controversy surrounding an area of research can have a chilling effect on investors and industry, which in turn slows the development of novel medical therapies. In this context, clarifying precisely what is meant by "totipotency" and how it is experimentally determined will both avoid unnecessary controversy and potentially reduce inappropriate barriers to research. Here, the concept of totipotency is discussed, and the confusions surrounding this term in the scientific and nonscientific literature are considered. A new term, "plenipotent," is proposed to resolve this confusion. The requirement for specific, oocyte-derived cytoplasm as a component of totipotency is outlined. Finally, the implications of twinning for our understanding of totipotency are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen L Condic
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah
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Moreira FC, Assumpção M, Hamoy IG, Darnet S, Burbano R, Khayat A, Gonçalves AN, Alencar DO, Cruz A, Magalhães L, Araújo Jr. W, Silva A, Santos S, Demachki S, Assumpção P, Ribeiro-dos-Santos Â. MiRNA expression profile for the human gastric antrum region using ultra-deep sequencing. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92300. [PMID: 24647245 PMCID: PMC3960242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs are small non-coding nucleotide sequences that regulate gene expression. These structures are fundamental to several biological processes, including cell proliferation, development, differentiation and apoptosis. Identifying the expression profile of microRNAs in healthy human gastric antrum mucosa may help elucidate the miRNA regulatory mechanisms of the human stomach. Methodology/Principal Findings A small RNA library of stomach antrum tissue was sequenced using high-throughput SOLiD sequencing technology. The total read count for the gastric mucosa antrum region was greater than 618,000. After filtering and aligning using with MirBase, 148 mature miRNAs were identified in the gastric antrum tissue, totaling 3,181 quality reads; 63.5% (2,021) of the reads were concentrated in the eight most highly expressed miRNAs (hsa-mir-145, hsa-mir-29a, hsa-mir-29c, hsa-mir-21, hsa-mir-451a, hsa-mir-192, hsa-mir-191 and hsa-mir-148a). RT-PCR validated the expression profiles of seven of these highly expressed miRNAs and confirmed the sequencing results obtained using the SOLiD platform. Conclusions/Significance In comparison with other tissues, the antrum’s expression profile was unique with respect to the most highly expressed miRNAs, suggesting that this expression profile is specific to stomach antrum tissue. The current study provides a starting point for a more comprehensive understanding of the role of miRNAs in the regulation of the molecular processes of the human stomach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monica Assumpção
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Igor G. Hamoy
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Capanema, PA, Brasil
| | - Sylvain Darnet
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Rommel Burbano
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - André Khayat
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | | | - Dayse O. Alencar
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Aline Cruz
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Secretaria Estadual de Saúde do Estado do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Leandro Magalhães
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Wilson Araújo Jr.
- Centro Regional de Hemoterapia, Faculdade Medicina Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Artur Silva
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Sidney Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Samia Demachki
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Paulo Assumpção
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
| | - Ândrea Ribeiro-dos-Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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Yang J, Hong Y, Yuan C, Fu Z, Shi Y, Zhang M, Shen L, Han Y, Zhu C, Li H, Lu K, Liu J, Feng X, Lin J. Microarray analysis of gene expression profiles of Schistosoma japonicum derived from less-susceptible host water buffalo and susceptible host goat. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70367. [PMID: 23940568 PMCID: PMC3734127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Water buffalo and goats are natural hosts for S. japonicum in endemic areas of China. The susceptibility of these two hosts to schistosome infection is different, as water buffalo are less conducive to S. japonicum growth and development. To identify genes that may affect schistosome development and survival, we compared gene expression profiles of schistosomes derived from these two natural hosts using high-throughput microarray technology. Results The worm recovery rate was lower and the length and width of worms from water buffalo were smaller compared to those from goats following S. japonicum infection for 7 weeks. Besides obvious morphological difference between the schistosomes derived from the two hosts, differences were also observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Microarray analysis showed differentially expressed gene patterns for parasites from the two hosts, which revealed that genes related to lipid and nucleotide metabolism, as well as protein folding, sorting, and degradation were upregulated, while others associated with signal transduction, endocrine function, development, immune function, endocytosis, and amino acid/carbohydrate/glycan metabolism were downregulated in schistosomes from water buffalo. KEGG pathway analysis deduced that the differentially expressed genes mainly involved lipid metabolism, the MAPK and ErbB signaling pathways, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, dorso-ventral axis formation, reproduction, and endocytosis, etc. Conclusion The microarray gene analysis in schistosomes derived from water buffalo and goats provide a useful platform to disclose differences determining S. japonicum host compatibility to better understand the interplay between natural hosts and parasites, and identify schistosome target genes associated with susceptibility to screen vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmei Yang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Hong
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxiu Yuan
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Fu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaojun Shi
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Liuhong Shen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhui Han
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuangang Zhu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Lu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinming Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingang Feng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail: (JL); (XF)
| | - Jiaojiao Lin
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail: (JL); (XF)
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41
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Li L, Lu X, Dean J. The maternal to zygotic transition in mammals. Mol Aspects Med 2013; 34:919-38. [PMID: 23352575 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Prior to activation of the embryonic genome, the initiating events of mammalian development are under maternal control and include fertilization, the block to polyspermy and processing sperm DNA. Following gamete union, the transcriptionally inert sperm DNA is repackaged into the male pronucleus which fuses with the female pronucleus to form a 1-cell zygote. Embryonic transcription begins during the maternal to zygotic transfer of control in directing development. This transition occurs at species-specific times after one or several rounds of blastomere cleavage and is essential for normal development. However, even after activation of the embryonic genome, successful development relies on stored maternal components without which embryos fail to progress beyond initial cell divisions. Better understanding of the molecular basis of maternal to zygotic transition including fertilization, the activation of the embryonic genome and cleavage-stage development will provide insight into early human development that should translate into clinical applications for regenerative medicine and assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- Division of Molecular Embryonic Development, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
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42
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MacLeod G, Varmuza S. Tandem affinity purification in transgenic mouse embryonic stem cells identifies DDOST as a novel PPP1CC2 interacting protein. Biochemistry 2012; 51:9678-88. [PMID: 23140390 DOI: 10.1021/bi3010158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Members of the PP1 family of protein phosphatases achieve functional diversity through numerous and varied protein-protein interactions. In mammals, there are four PP1 isoforms, the ubiquitously expressed PPP1CA, PPP1CB, and PPP1CC1, and the testis specific splice isoform PPP1CC2. When the mouse Ppp1cc gene is deleted, the only phenotypic consequence is a failure of spermatogenesis in homozygous males. To elucidate the function of the Ppp1cc gene, we sought to identify novel protein-protein interactions. To this end, we have created SBP-3XFLAG-PPP1CC1 and SBP-3XFLAG-PPP1CC2 knock-in mouse embryonic stem cell lines using a gene-trap-based system. Tandem affinity purification using our knock-in cell lines identified 11 significant protein-protein interactions, including nine known PP1 interacting proteins and two additional proteins (ATP5C1 and DDOST). Reciprocal in vitro sedimentation assays confirmed the interaction between PPP1CC2 and DDOST that may have physiological implications in spermatogenesis. Immunolocalization studies revealed that DDOST localized to the nuclear envelope in dissociated spermatogenic cells and persists throughout spermatogenesis. The knock-in system described in this paper can be applied in creating tandem affinity-tagged knock-in embryonic stem cell lines with any gene for which a compatible gene-trap line is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham MacLeod
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Weiss J, Hurley LA, Harris RM, Finlayson C, Tong M, Fisher LA, Moran JL, Beier DR, Mason C, Jameson JL. ENU mutagenesis in mice identifies candidate genes for hypogonadism. Mamm Genome 2012; 23:346-55. [PMID: 22258617 PMCID: PMC3358541 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-011-9388-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Accepted: 12/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide mutagenesis was performed in mice to identify candidate genes for male infertility, for which the predominant causes remain idiopathic. Mice were mutagenized using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), bred, and screened for phenotypes associated with the male urogenital system. Fifteen heritable lines were isolated and chromosomal loci were assigned using low-density genome-wide SNP arrays. Ten of the 15 lines were pursued further using higher-resolution SNP analysis to narrow the candidate gene regions. Exon sequencing of candidate genes identified mutations in mice with cystic kidneys (Bicc1), cryptorchidism (Rxfp2), restricted germ cell deficiency (Plk4), and severe germ cell deficiency (Prdm9). In two other lines with severe hypogonadism, candidate sequencing failed to identify mutations, suggesting defects in genes with previously undocumented roles in gonadal function. These genomic intervals were sequenced in their entirety and a candidate mutation was identified in SnrpE in one of the two lines. The line harboring the SnrpE variant retains substantial spermatogenesis despite small testis size, an unusual phenotype. In addition to the reproductive defects, heritable phenotypes were observed in mice with ataxia (Myo5a), tremors (Pmp22), growth retardation (unknown gene), and hydrocephalus (unknown gene). These results demonstrate that the ENU screen is an effective tool for identifying potential causes of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Weiss
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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Abstract
This commentary provides a summary of existing meiotic mutants affecting the synaptonemal complex and meiotic recombination in order to contextualize the recent discovery of SPATA22/repro42 through ENU mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Buchold
- Gamete Biology Group, Laboratory of Reproduction and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
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Massart A, Lissens W, Tournaye H, Stouffs K. Genetic causes of spermatogenic failure. Asian J Androl 2012; 14:40-8. [PMID: 22138898 PMCID: PMC3735159 DOI: 10.1038/aja.2011.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2011] [Revised: 08/01/2011] [Accepted: 08/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 10%-15% of couples are infertile, and a male factor is involved in almost half of these cases. This observation is due in part to defects in spermatogenesis, and the underlying causes, including genetic abnormalities, remain largely unknown. Until recently, the only genetic tests used in the diagnosis of male infertility were aimed at detecting the presence of microdeletions of the long arm of the Y chromosome and/or chromosomal abnormalities. Various other single-gene or polygenic defects have been proposed to be involved in male fertility. However, their causative effects often remain unproven. The recent evolution in the development of whole-genome-based techniques and the large-scale analysis of mouse models might help in this process. Through knockout mouse models, at least 388 genes have been shown to be associated with spermatogenesis in mice. However, problems often arise when translating this information from mice to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelien Massart
- Center for Medical Genetics, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Abstract
Acetylation of lysine residues is a post-translational modification with broad relevance
to cellular signalling and disease biology. Enzymes that ‘write’
(histone acetyltransferases, HATs) and ‘erase’ (histone deacetylases,
HDACs) acetylation sites are an area of extensive research in current drug development,
but very few potent inhibitors that modulate the ‘reading process’
mediated by acetyl lysines have been described. The principal readers of
ɛ-N-acetyl lysine (Kac) marks are
bromodomains (BRDs), which are a diverse family of evolutionary conserved
protein-interaction modules. The conserved BRD fold contains a deep, largely hydrophobic
acetyl lysine binding site, which represents an attractive pocket for the development of
small, pharmaceutically active molecules. Proteins that contain BRDs have been implicated
in the development of a large variety of diseases. Recently, two highly potent and
selective inhibitors that target BRDs of the BET (bromodomains and extra-terminal) family
provided compelling data supporting targeting of these BRDs in inflammation and in an
aggressive type of squamous cell carcinoma. It is likely that BRDs will emerge alongside
HATs and HDACs as interesting targets for drug development for the large number of
diseases that are caused by aberrant acetylation of lysine residues.
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Aanes H, Winata CL, Lin CH, Chen JP, Srinivasan KG, Lee SGP, Lim AYM, Hajan HS, Collas P, Bourque G, Gong Z, Korzh V, Aleström P, Mathavan S. Zebrafish mRNA sequencing deciphers novelties in transcriptome dynamics during maternal to zygotic transition. Genome Res 2011; 21:1328-38. [PMID: 21555364 DOI: 10.1101/gr.116012.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Maternally deposited mRNAs direct early development before the initiation of zygotic transcription during mid-blastula transition (MBT). To study mechanisms regulating this developmental event in zebrafish, we applied mRNA deep sequencing technology and generated comprehensive information and valuable resources on transcriptome dynamics during early embryonic (egg to early gastrulation) stages. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis documented at least 8000 maternal genes and identified the earliest cohort of zygotic transcripts. We determined expression levels of maternal and zygotic transcripts with the highest resolution possible using mRNA-seq and clustered them based on their expression pattern. We unravel delayed polyadenylation in a large cohort of maternal transcripts prior to the MBT for the first time in zebrafish. Blocking polyadenylation of these transcripts confirms their role in regulating development from the MBT onward. Our study also identified a large number of novel transcribed regions in annotated and unannotated regions of the genome, which will facilitate reannotation of the zebrafish genome. We also identified splice variants with an estimated frequency of 50%-60%. Taken together, our data constitute a useful genomic information and valuable transcriptome resource for gene discovery and for understanding the mechanisms of early embryogenesis in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Håvard Aanes
- BasAM, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, 0033 Oslo, Norway
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Post-transcriptional control of gene expression in mouse early embryo development: a view from the tip of the iceberg. Genes (Basel) 2011; 2:345-59. [PMID: 24710195 PMCID: PMC3924817 DOI: 10.3390/genes2020345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2011] [Revised: 02/22/2011] [Accepted: 04/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertilization is a very complex biological process that requires the perfect cooperation between two highly specialized cells: the male and female gametes. The oocyte provides the physical space where this process takes place, most of the energetic need, and half of the genetic contribution. The spermatozoon mostly contributes the other half of the chromosomes and it is specialized to reach and to penetrate the oocyte. Notably, the mouse oocyte and early embryo are transcriptionally inactive. Hence, they fully depend on the maternal mRNAs and proteins stored during oocyte maturation to drive the onset of development. The new embryo develops autonomously around the four-cell stage, when maternal supplies are exhausted and the zygotic genome is activated in mice. This oocyte-to-embryo transition needs an efficient and tightly regulated translation of the maternally-inherited mRNAs, which likely contributes to embryonic genome activation. Full understanding of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in early embryos is crucial to understand the reprogramming of the embryonic genome, it might help driving reprogramming of stem cells in vitro and will likely improve in vitro culturing of mammalian embryos for assisted reproduction. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the mechanism(s) underlying this fundamental step in embryogenesis is still scarce, especially if compared to other model organisms. We will review here the current knowledge on the post-transcriptional control of gene expression in mouse early embryos and discuss some of the unanswered questions concerning this fascinating field of biology.
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Kim HG, Ahn JW, Kurth I, Ullmann R, Kim HT, Kulharya A, Ha KS, Itokawa Y, Meliciani I, Wenzel W, Lee D, Rosenberger G, Ozata M, Bick DP, Sherins RJ, Nagase T, Tekin M, Kim SH, Kim CH, Ropers HH, Gusella JF, Kalscheuer V, Choi CY, Layman LC. WDR11, a WD protein that interacts with transcription factor EMX1, is mutated in idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and Kallmann syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2010; 87:465-79. [PMID: 20887964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2010.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Revised: 08/10/2010] [Accepted: 08/31/2010] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
By defining the chromosomal breakpoint of a balanced t(10;12) translocation from a subject with Kallmann syndrome and scanning genes in its vicinity in unrelated hypogonadal subjects, we have identified WDR11 as a gene involved in human puberty. We found six patients with a total of five different heterozygous WDR11 missense mutations, including three alterations (A435T, R448Q, and H690Q) in WD domains important for β propeller formation and protein-protein interaction. In addition, we discovered that WDR11 interacts with EMX1, a homeodomain transcription factor involved in the development of olfactory neurons, and that missense alterations reduce or abolish this interaction. Our findings suggest that impaired pubertal development in these patients results from a deficiency of productive WDR11 protein interaction.
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50
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Good JM, Giger T, Dean MD, Nachman MW. Widespread over-expression of the X chromosome in sterile F₁hybrid mice. PLoS Genet 2010; 6:e1001148. [PMID: 20941395 PMCID: PMC2947990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2010] [Accepted: 09/02/2010] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The X chromosome often plays a central role in hybrid male sterility between species, but it is unclear if this reflects underlying regulatory incompatibilities. Here we combine phenotypic data with genome-wide expression data to directly associate aberrant expression patterns with hybrid male sterility between two species of mice. We used a reciprocal cross in which F1 males are sterile in one direction and fertile in the other direction, allowing us to associate expression differences with sterility rather than with other hybrid phenotypes. We found evidence of extensive over-expression of the X chromosome during spermatogenesis in sterile but not in fertile F1 hybrid males. Over-expression was most pronounced in genes that are normally expressed after meiosis, consistent with an X chromosome-wide disruption of expression during the later stages of spermatogenesis. This pattern was not a simple consequence of faster evolutionary divergence on the X chromosome, because X-linked expression was highly conserved between the two species. Thus, transcriptional regulation of the X chromosome during spermatogenesis appears particularly sensitive to evolutionary divergence between species. Overall, these data provide evidence for an underlying regulatory basis to reproductive isolation in house mice and underscore the importance of transcriptional regulation of the X chromosome to the evolution of hybrid male sterility. The X chromosome plays an important role in the development of reproductive isolation between species, but the basis for this has remained unclear. One possible explanation is that sperm development is sensitive to disruption of X-linked gene regulation. In mice, evidence linking abnormal gene expression on the X chromosome with reproductive isolation has been lacking until now. Here we use experimental crosses within and between species of mice and genome-wide expression data to identify aberrant expression patterns associated with hybrid male sterility. We observed chromosome-wide over-expression of the X chromosome during spermatogenesis in sterile hybrid males and developmentally localized this breakdown to an apparent disruption of X-inactivation. Collectively, these results highlight the importance of gene regulation to the evolution of reproductive isolation and support the hypothesis that improper expression of the X chromosome during spermatogenesis is an important mechanism contributing to the rapid evolution of hybrid male sterility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Good
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America.
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