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Dai P, Ma C, Chen C, Liang M, Dong S, Chen H, Zhang X. Unlocking Genetic Mysteries during the Epic Sperm Journey toward Fertilization: Further Expanding Cre Mouse Lines. Biomolecules 2024; 14:529. [PMID: 38785936 PMCID: PMC11117649 DOI: 10.3390/biom14050529] [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] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The spatiotemporal expression patterns of genes are crucial for maintaining normal physiological functions in animals. Conditional gene knockout using the cyclization recombination enzyme (Cre)/locus of crossover of P1 (Cre/LoxP) strategy has been extensively employed for functional assays at specific tissue or developmental stages. This approach aids in uncovering the associations between phenotypes and gene regulation while minimizing interference among distinct tissues. Various Cre-engineered mouse models have been utilized in the male reproductive system, including Dppa3-MERCre for primordial germ cells, Ddx4-Cre and Stra8-Cre for spermatogonia, Prm1-Cre and Acrv1-iCre for haploid spermatids, Cyp17a1-iCre for the Leydig cell, Sox9-Cre for the Sertoli cell, and Lcn5/8/9-Cre for differentiated segments of the epididymis. Notably, the specificity and functioning stage of Cre recombinases vary, and the efficiency of recombination driven by Cre depends on endogenous promoters with different sequences as well as the constructed Cre vectors, even when controlled by an identical promoter. Cre mouse models generated via traditional recombination or CRISPR/Cas9 also exhibit distinct knockout properties. This review focuses on Cre-engineered mouse models applied to the male reproductive system, including Cre-targeting strategies, mouse model screening, and practical challenges encountered, particularly with novel mouse strains over the past decade. It aims to provide valuable references for studies conducted on the male reproductive system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiaoning Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China; (P.D.); (C.M.); (C.C.); (M.L.); (S.D.); (H.C.)
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Ma F, Wang X, Chung SSW, Sicinski P, Shang E, Wolgemuth DJ. Cyclin A2 is essential for mouse gonocyte maturation. Cell Cycle 2020; 19:1654-1664. [PMID: 32420805 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1762314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, male gonocytes are derived from primordial germ cells during embryogenesis, enter a period of mitotic proliferation, and then become quiescent until birth. After birth, the gonocytes proliferate and migrate from the center of testicular cord toward the basement membrane to form the pool of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and establish the SSC niche architecture. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying gonocyte proliferation, migration and differentiation are largely unknown. Cyclin A2 is a key component of the cell cycle and required for cell proliferation. Here, we show that cyclin A2 is required in mouse male gonocyte development and the establishment of spermatogenesis in the neonatal testis. Loss of cyclin A2 function in embryonic gonocytes by targeted gene disruption affected the regulation of the male gonocytes to SSC transition, resulting in the disruption of SSC pool formation, imbalance between SSC self-renewal and differentiation, and severely abnormal spermatogenesis in the adult testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanhua Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agriculture Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center , New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiangyuan Wang
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center , New York, NY, USA
| | - Sanny S W Chung
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center , New York, NY, USA
| | - Piotr Sicinski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , Boston, MA, USA
| | - Enyuan Shang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bronx Community College, City University of New York , New York, NY, USA
| | - Debra J Wolgemuth
- Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center , New York, NY, USA.,Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center , New York, NY, USA
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Ungewitter EK, Rotgers E, Kang HS, Lichti-Kaiser K, Li L, Grimm SA, Jetten AM, Yao HHC. Loss of Glis3 causes dysregulation of retrotransposon silencing and germ cell demise in fetal mouse testis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9662. [PMID: 29941866 PMCID: PMC6018429 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27843-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal germ cell development is regulated by an elaborate combination of cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic signals. Here we identify a novel role for the Krüppel-like transcription factor Gli-Similar 3 (Glis3) in male germ cell development in the mouse embryos. Glis3 is expressed in male germ cells during the brief window of time prior to initiation of piRNA-dependent retrotransposon surveillance. Disruption of Glis3 function led to a widespread reduction in retrotransposon silencing factors, aberrant retrotransposon expression and pronounced germ cell loss. Experimental induction of precocious Glis3 expression in vivo before its normal expression resulted in premature expression of several piRNA pathway members, suggesting that GLIS3 is necessary for the activation of the retrotransposon silencing programs. Our findings reveal an unexpected role for GLIS3 in the development of male germ cells and point to a central role for GLIS3 in the control of retrotransposon silencing in the fetal germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica K Ungewitter
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emmi Rotgers
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Hong Soon Kang
- Immunity, Inflammation & Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kristin Lichti-Kaiser
- Immunity, Inflammation & Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Leping Li
- Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sara A Grimm
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anton M Jetten
- Immunity, Inflammation & Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, USA.
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4
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Plummer NW, Ungewitter EK, Smith KG, -C. Yao HH, Jensen P. A new mouse line for cell ablation by diphtheria toxin subunit A controlled by a Cre-dependent FLEx switch. Genesis 2017; 55:10.1002/dvg.23067. [PMID: 28875587 PMCID: PMC5671341 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23067 10.1002/dvg.23067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Recombinase responsive mouse lines expressing diphtheria toxin subunit A (DTA) are well established tools for targeted ablation of genetically defined cell populations. Here we describe a new knock-in allele at the Gt(Rosa)26Sor locus that retains the best features of previously described DTA alleles-including a CAG promoter, attenuated mutant DTA cDNA, and ubiquitous EGFP labeling-with the addition of a Cre-dependent FLEx switch for tight control of expression. The FLEx switch consists of two pairs of antiparallel lox sites requiring Cre-mediated recombination for inversion of the DTA to the proper orientation for transcription. We demonstrate its utility by Cre-dependent ablation of both a broad domain in the embryonic nervous system and a discrete population of cells in the fetal gonads. We conclude that this new DTA line is useful for targeted ablation of genetically-defined cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W. Plummer
- Neurobiology Laboratory National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Erica K. Ungewitter
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Kathleen G. Smith
- Neurobiology Laboratory National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Humphrey H. -C. Yao
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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5
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Plummer NW, Ungewitter EK, Smith KG, Yao HHC, Jensen P. A new mouse line for cell ablation by diphtheria toxin subunit A controlled by a Cre-dependent FLEx switch. Genesis 2017; 55. [PMID: 28875587 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Recombinase responsive mouse lines expressing diphtheria toxin subunit A (DTA) are well established tools for targeted ablation of genetically defined cell populations. Here we describe a new knock-in allele at the Gt(Rosa)26Sor locus that retains the best features of previously described DTA alleles-including a CAG promoter, attenuated mutant DTA cDNA, and ubiquitous EGFP labeling-with the addition of a Cre-dependent FLEx switch for tight control of expression. The FLEx switch consists of two pairs of antiparallel lox sites requiring Cre-mediated recombination for inversion of the DTA to the proper orientation for transcription. We demonstrate its utility by Cre-dependent ablation of both a broad domain in the embryonic nervous system and a discrete population of cells in the fetal gonads. We conclude that this new DTA line is useful for targeted ablation of genetically-defined cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Plummer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Erica K Ungewitter
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Kathleen G Smith
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
| | - Patricia Jensen
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27709, USA
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Wolfe AD, Rodriguez AM, Downs KM. STELLA collaborates in distinct mesendodermal cell subpopulations at the fetal-placental interface in the mouse gastrula. Dev Biol 2017; 425:44-57. [PMID: 28322735 PMCID: PMC5510028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The allantois-derived umbilical component of the chorio-allantoic placenta shuttles fetal blood to and from the chorion, thereby ensuring fetal-maternal exchange. The progenitor populations that establish and supply the fetal-umbilical interface lie, in part, within the base of the allantois, where the germ line is claimed to segregate from the soma. Results of recent studies in the mouse have reported that STELLA (DPPA-3, PGC7) co-localizes with PRDM1 (BLIMP1), the bimolecular signature of putative primordial germ cells (PGCs) throughout the fetal-placental interface. Thus, if PGCs form extragonadally within the posterior region of the mammal, they cannot be distinguished from the soma on the basis of these proteins. We used immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy of the mouse gastrula to co-localize STELLA with a variety of gene products, including pluripotency factor OCT-3/4, mesendoderm-associated T and MIXl1, mesendoderm- and endoderm-associated FOXa2 and hematopoietic factor Runx1. While a subpopulation of cells localizing OCT-3/4 was always found independently of STELLA, STELLA always co-localized with OCT-3/4. Despite previous reports that T is involved in specification of the germ line, co-localization of STELLA and T was detected only in a small subset of cells in the base of the allantois. Slightly later in the hindgut lip, STELLA+/(OCT-3/4+) co-localized with FOXa2, as well as with RUNX1, indicative of definitive endoderm and hemangioblasts, respectively. STELLA was never found with MIXl1. On the basis of these and previous results, we conclude that STELLA identifies at least five distinct cell subpopulations within the allantois and hindgut, where they may be involved in mesendodermal differentiation and hematopoiesis at the posterior embryonic-extraembryonic interface. These data provide a new point of departure for understanding STELLA's potential roles in building the fetal-placental connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Wolfe
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Avenue, 4105 WIMR, Madison, WI 53705, United States
| | - Adriana M Rodriguez
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Karen M Downs
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706, United States
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MASTL is essential for anaphase entry of proliferating primordial germ cells and establishment of female germ cells in mice. Cell Discov 2017; 3:16052. [PMID: 28224044 PMCID: PMC5301161 DOI: 10.1038/celldisc.2016.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the embryonic cell population that serve as germ cell precursors in both females and males. During mouse embryonic development, the majority of PGCs are arrested at the G2 phase when they migrate into the hindgut at 7.75–8.75 dpc (days post coitum). It is after 9.5 dpc that the PGCs undergo proliferation with a doubling time of 12.6 h. The molecular mechanisms underlying PGC proliferation are however not well studied. In this work. Here we studied how MASTL (microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase-like)/Greatwall kinase regulates the rapid proliferation of PGCs. We generated a mouse model where we specifically deleted Mastl in PGCs and found a significant loss of PGCs before the onset of meiosis in female PGCs. We further revealed that the deletion of Mastl in PGCs did not prevent mitotic entry, but led to a failure of the cells to proceed beyond metaphase-like stage, indicating that MASTL-mediated molecular events are indispensable for anaphase entry in PGCs. These mitotic defects further led to the death of Mastl-null PGCs by 12.5 dpc. Moreover, the defect in mitotic progression observed in the Mastl-null PGCs was rescued by simultaneous deletion of Ppp2r1a (α subunit of PP2A). Thus, our results demonstrate that MASTL, PP2A, and therefore regulated phosphatase activity have a fundamental role in establishing female germ cell population in gonads by controlling PGC proliferation during embryogenesis.
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Mikedis MM, Downs KM. PRDM1/BLIMP1 is widely distributed to the nascent fetal-placental interface in the mouse gastrula. Dev Dyn 2016; 246:50-71. [PMID: 27696611 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PRDM1 is a transcriptional repressor that contributes to primordial germ cell (PGC) development. During early gastrulation, epiblast-derived PRDM1 is thought to be restricted to a lineage-segregated germ line in the allantois. However, given recent findings that PGCs overlap an allantoic progenitor pool that contributes widely to the fetal-umbilical interface, posterior PRDM1 may also contribute to soma. RESULTS Within the posterior mouse gastrula (early streak, 12-s stages, embryonic days ∼6.75-9.0), PRDM1 localized to all tissues containing putative PGCs; however, PRDM1 was also found in all three primary germ layers, their derivatives, and two presumptive growth centers, the allantoic core domain and ventral ectodermal ridge. While PRDM1 and STELLA colocalized predominantly within the hindgut, where putative PGCs reside, other colocalizing cells were found in non-PGC sites. Additional PRDM1 and STELLA cells were found independent of each other throughout the posterior region, including the hindgut. The Prdm1-Cre-driven reporter supported PRDM1 localization in the majority of sites; however, some Prdm1 descendants were found in sites independent of PRDM1 protein, including allantoic mesothelium and hindgut endoderm. CONCLUSIONS Posterior PRDM1 contributes more broadly to the developing fetal-maternal connection than previously recognized, and PRDM1 and STELLA, while overlapping in putative PGCs, also co-localize in several other tissues. Developmental Dynamics 246:50-71, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Mikedis
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Karen M Downs
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
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Shen Z, Feng Y, Muthupalani S, Sheh A, Cheaney LE, Kaufman CA, Gong G, Paster BJ, Fox JG. Novel Helicobacter species H.japonicum isolated from laboratory mice from Japan induces typhlocolitis and lower bowel carcinoma in C57BL/129 IL10-/- mice. Carcinogenesis 2016; 37:1190-1198. [PMID: 27655833 PMCID: PMC5137264 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgw101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel Helicobacter species Helicobacter japonicum was isolated from the stomach and intestines of clinically normal mice received from three institutes from Japan. The novel Helicobacter sp. was microaerobic, grew at 37°C and 42°C, was catalase and oxidase positive, but urease negative. It is most closely related to the 16S rRNA gene of H.muridarum (98.6%); to the 23S rRNA gene of H.hepaticus (97.9%); to the hsp60 gene of H.typhlonius (87%). The novel Helicobacter sp. has in vitro cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) activity; its cdtB gene sequence has 83.8% identity with that of H.hepaticus The whole genome sequence of H.japonicum MIT 01-6451 has a 2.06-Mb genome length with a 37.5% G + C content. When the organism was inoculated into C57BL/129 IL10-/- mice, it was cultured from the stomach, colon and cecum of infected mice at 6 and 10 weeks post-infection. The cecum had the highest H.japonicum colonization levels by quantitative PCR. The histopathology of the lower bowel was characterized by moderate to severe inflammation, mild edema, epithelial defects, mild to severe hyperplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma. Inflammatory cytokines IFNγ, TNFα and IL17a, as well as iNOS were significantly upregulated in the cecal tissue of infected mice. These results demonstrate that the novel H.japonicum can induce inflammatory bowel disease and carcinoma in IL10-/- mice and highlights the importance of identifying novel Helicobacter spp. especially when they are introduced from outside mouse colonies from different geographic locations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Feng
- Division of Comparative Medicine
| | | | | | | | | | - Guanyu Gong
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA and
| | | | - James G Fox
- Division of Comparative Medicine, .,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA and
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Wu Q, Fukuda K, Kato Y, Zhou Z, Deng CX, Saga Y. Sexual Fate Change of XX Germ Cells Caused by the Deletion of SMAD4 and STRA8 Independent of Somatic Sex Reprogramming. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002553. [PMID: 27606421 PMCID: PMC5015973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The differential programming of sperm and eggs in gonads is a fundamental topic in reproductive biology. Although the sexual fate of germ cells is believed to be determined by signaling factors from sexually differentiated somatic cells in fetal gonads, the molecular mechanism that determines germ cell fate is poorly understood. Herein, we show that mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) in germ cells is required for female-type differentiation. Germ cells in Smad4-deficient ovaries respond to retinoic acid signaling but fail to undergo meiotic prophase I, which coincides with the weaker expression of genes required for follicular formation, indicating that SMAD4 signaling is essential for oocyte differentiation and meiotic progression. Intriguingly, germline-specific deletion of Smad4 in Stra8-null female germ cells resulted in the up-regulation of genes required for male gonocyte differentiation, including Nanos2 and PLZF, suggesting the initiation of male-type differentiation in ovaries. Moreover, our transcriptome analyses of mutant ovaries revealed that the sex change phenotype is achieved without global gene expression changes in somatic cells. Our results demonstrate that SMAD4 and STRA8 are essential factors that regulate the female fate of germ cells. Double ablation of SMAD4 and STRA8 causes female-to-male switching of XX germ cells without affecting somatic cell fate. This suggests that SMAD4 and STRA8 are essential intrinsic factors that determine the female fate of germ cells, collaborating to suppress expression of male genes. Mammalian sex depends on a male-specific gene, sex-determining region Y (SRY), which is located on the Y chromosome. Individuals lacking this gene will develop as female. Accordingly, germ cell fate also changes from male to female in the absence of SRY. Therefore, it is thought that somatic cells regulate germ cells to become sperm or oocytes. However, it is largely unknown what factor is responsible for sexual fate determination in germ cells. In fetal ovaries, retinoic acid (RA) initiates STRA8 expression in germ cells and induces meiosis. Female germ cells without STRA8 fail to enter meiosis but still progress to oogenesis and form oocyte-like cells, indicating that RA is not the regulator of oogenesis. Here, we found that female germ cells lacking both SMAD4 and STRA8 (but not a single knockout) develop as male gonocyte-like cells in ovaries, indicating that these two factors work as female germ cell determinants. To our surprise, the sexual fate switch observed in the double knockout ovary is not accompanied by gene expression changes in somatic cells, revealing the unexpected finding that somatic factors controlled by SRY are dispensable for the upregulation of male-specific genes in germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wu
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Kurumi Fukuda
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Kato
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Zhi Zhou
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Chu-Xia Deng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Yumiko Saga
- Department of Genetics, Sokendai, Mishima, Japan
- Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Burkhardt S, Borsos M, Szydlowska A, Godwin J, Williams SA, Cohen PE, Hirota T, Saitou M, Tachibana-Konwalski K. Chromosome Cohesion Established by Rec8-Cohesin in Fetal Oocytes Is Maintained without Detectable Turnover in Oocytes Arrested for Months in Mice. Curr Biol 2016; 26:678-85. [PMID: 26898469 PMCID: PMC4791431 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.12.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Sister chromatid cohesion mediated by the cohesin complex is essential for chromosome segregation in mitosis and meiosis [1]. Rec8-containing cohesin, bound to Smc3/Smc1α or Smc3/Smc1β, maintains bivalent cohesion in mammalian meiosis [2-6]. In females, meiotic DNA replication and recombination occur in fetal oocytes. After birth, oocytes arrest at the prolonged dictyate stage until recruited to grow into mature oocytes that divide at ovulation. How cohesion is maintained in arrested oocytes remains a pivotal question relevant to maternal age-related aneuploidy. Hypothetically, cohesin turnover regenerates cohesion in oocytes. Evidence for post-replicative cohesion establishment mechanism exists, in yeast and invertebrates [7, 8]. In mouse fetal oocytes, cohesin loading factor Nipbl/Scc2 localizes to chromosome axes during recombination [9, 10]. Alternatively, cohesion is maintained without turnover. Consistent with this, cohesion maintenance does not require Smc1β transcription, but unlike Rec8, Smc1β is not required for establishing bivalent cohesion [11, 12]. Rec8 maintains cohesion without turnover during weeks of oocyte growth [3]. Whether the same applies to months or decades of arrest is unknown. Here, we test whether Rec8 activated in arrested mouse oocytes builds cohesion revealed by TEV cleavage and live-cell imaging. Rec8 establishes cohesion when activated during DNA replication in fetal oocytes using tamoxifen-inducible Cre. In contrast, no new cohesion is detected when Rec8 is activated in arrested oocytes by tamoxifen despite cohesin synthesis. We conclude that cohesion established in fetal oocytes is maintained for months without detectable turnover in dictyate-arrested oocytes. This implies that women's fertility depends on the longevity of cohesin proteins that established cohesion in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Burkhardt
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Máté Borsos
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Anna Szydlowska
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Jonathan Godwin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Suzannah A Williams
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, Level 3, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Paula E Cohen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Reproductive Genomics, Cornell University, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Takayuki Hirota
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; JST, ERATO, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; JST, ERATO, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kikuë Tachibana-Konwalski
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter Campus, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria.
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Yamashiro C, Hirota T, Kurimoto K, Nakamura T, Yabuta Y, Nagaoka SI, Ohta H, Yamamoto T, Saitou M. Persistent Requirement and Alteration of the Key Targets of PRDM1 During Primordial Germ Cell Development in Mice. Biol Reprod 2015; 94:7. [PMID: 26586842 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.133256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the foundation of totipotency and vital for reproduction and heredity. PGCs in mice arise from the epiblast around Embryonic Day (E) 7.0, migrate through the hindgut endoderm, and colonize and proliferate in the embryonic gonads until around E13.5 prior to their differentiation either into prospermatogonia or oogonia. PRDM1, a transcriptional repressor, plays an essential role in PGC specification that includes robustly repressing a somatic mesodermal program. Using an inducible conditional knockout system, we show here that PRDM1 is critically required throughout PGC development. When Prdm1 was deleted in migrating PGCs at E9.5 or E10.5, or in male gonadal PGCs at E11.5, PGCs were eliminated by apoptosis from around E10.5, E11.5, or E13.5, respectively. When Prdm1 was deleted in female gonadal PGCs at E11.5, PGCs progressed into the first meiotic prophase in an apparently normal fashion, but the oogonia exhibited an aberrant pachytene phenotype, undergoing abrupt apoptosis from around E16.5. The escape of a fraction of PGCs (∼10%) from the Prdm1 deletion was sufficient to recover fairly normal germ cell pools, both in male and female adults. The key targets of PRDM1 in migrating and/or gonadal PGCs, including genes for development, apoptosis, and prospermatogonial differentiation, showed only a modest overlap with those upon PGC specification, and were enriched with histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3). Our findings provide critical insight into the mechanism for maintaining the transcriptional integrity of PGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chika Yamashiro
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takayuki Hirota
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuki Kurimoto
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomonori Nakamura
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - So I Nagaoka
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohta
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan JST, Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) - Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Saitama, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Kyoto, Japan Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Wu Q, Fukuda K, Weinstein M, Graff JM, Saga Y. SMAD2 and p38 signaling pathways act in concert to determine XY primordial germ cell fate in mice. Development 2015; 142:575-86. [PMID: 25605784 DOI: 10.1242/dev.119446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The sex of primordial germ cells (PGCs) is determined in developing gonads on the basis of cues from somatic cells. In XY gonads, sex-determining region Y (SRY) triggers fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) expression in somatic cells. FGF signaling, together with downstream nodal/activin signaling, promotes male differentiation in XY germ cells by suppressing retinoic acid (RA)-dependent meiotic entry and inducing male-specific genes. However, the mechanism by which nodal/activin signaling regulates XY PGC fate is unknown. We uncovered the roles of SMAD2/3 and p38 MAPK, the putative downstream factors of nodal/activin signaling, in PGC sexual fate decision. We found that conditional deletion of Smad2, but not Smad3, from XY PGCs led to a loss of male-specific gene expression. Moreover, suppression of RA signaling did not rescue male-specific gene expression in Smad2-mutant testes, indicating that SMAD2 signaling promotes male differentiation in a RA-independent manner. By contrast, we found that p38 signaling has an important role in the suppression of RA signaling. The Smad2 deletion did not disrupt the p38 signaling pathway even though Nodal expression was significantly reduced, suggesting that p38 was not regulated by nodal signaling in XY PGCs. Additionally, the inhibition of p38 signaling in the Smad2-mutant testes severely impeded XY PGC differentiation and induced meiosis. In conclusion, we propose a model in which p38 and SMAD2 signaling coordinate to determine the sexual fate of XY PGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wu
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Kurumi Fukuda
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Michael Weinstein
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Division of Human Cancer Genetics, Ohio State University, 484 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jonathan M Graff
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, NB5.118, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yumiko Saga
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
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Abstract
Current dogma is that mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) segregate within the allantois, or source of the umbilical cord, and translocate to the gonads, differentiating there into sperm and eggs. In light of emerging data on the posterior embryonic-extraembryonic interface, and the poorly studied but vital fetal-umbilical connection, we have reviewed the past century of experiments on mammalian PGCs and their relation to the allantois. We demonstrate that, despite best efforts and valuable data on the pluripotent state, what is and is not a PGC in vivo is obscure. Furthermore, sufficient experimental evidence has yet to be provided either for an extragonadal origin of mammalian PGCs or for their segregation within the posterior region. Rather, most evidence points to an alternative hypothesis that PGCs in the mouse allantois are part of a stem/progenitor cell pool that exhibits all known PGC "markers" and that builds/reinforces the fetal-umbilical interface, common to amniotes. We conclude by suggesting experiments to distinguish the mammalian germ line from the soma.
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Wu Q, Kanata K, Saba R, Deng CX, Hamada H, Saga Y. Nodal/activin signaling promotes male germ cell fate and suppresses female programming in somatic cells. Development 2012; 140:291-300. [PMID: 23221368 DOI: 10.1242/dev.087882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Testicular development in the mouse is triggered in somatic cells by the function of Sry followed by the activation of fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9), which regulates testicular differentiation in both somatic and germ cells. However, the mechanism is unknown. We show here that the nodal/activin signaling pathway is activated in both male germ cells and somatic cells. Disruption of nodal/activin signaling drives male germ cells into meiosis and causes ectopic initiation of female-specific genes in somatic cells. Furthermore, we prove that nodal/activin-A works directly on male germ cells to induce the male-specific gene Nanos2 independently of FGF9. We conclude that nodal/activin signaling is required for testicular development and propose a model in which nodal/activin-A acts downstream of fibroblast growth factor signaling to promote male germ cell fate and protect somatic cells from initiating female differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wu
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
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