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Gill ME, Kohler H, Peters AHFM. Isolation of Mouse Germ Cells by FACS Using Hoechst 33342 and SYTO16 Double Staining. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2770:53-62. [PMID: 38351446 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3698-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
In the adult mouse testis, germ cells of various developmental cell states co-exist. FACS isolation of cells stained with the DNA dye Hoechst 33342 has been used for many years to sub-divide these cells based on their DNA content. This approach provides an efficient way to obtain broad categories of male germ cells: pre-meiotic spermatogonia, meiotic spermatocytes and post-meiotic spermatids. The addition of a red filter for Hoechst staining enables further sub-division of spermatocytes depending on sub-stages of meiotic prophase. However, separation of different stage spermatids using Hoechst staining alone is not possible. We recently reported a methodology, combining Hoechst staining with a second DNA dye (SYTO16) that enables the further separation of these cells into three sub-populations: round, early elongating, and late elongating spermatids (Gill et al., Cytometry A 101:529-536, 2022). This method makes it possible to obtain rapidly and simply pure fractions of male germ cells from multiple developental stages from the same animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hubertus Kohler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine H F M Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Gill ME, Rohmer A, Erkek-Ozhan S, Liang CY, Chun S, Ozonov EA, Peters AHFM. De novo transcriptome assembly of mouse male germ cells reveals novel genes, stage-specific bidirectional promoter activity, and noncoding RNA expression. Genome Res 2023; 33:gr.278060.123. [PMID: 38129075 PMCID: PMC10760527 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278060.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, the adult testis is the tissue with the highest diversity in gene expression. Much of that diversity is attributed to germ cells, primarily meiotic spermatocytes and postmeiotic haploid spermatids. Exploiting a newly developed cell purification method, we profiled the transcriptomes of such postmitotic germ cells of mice. We used a de novo transcriptome assembly approach and identified thousands of novel expressed transcripts characterized by features distinct from those of known genes. Novel loci tend to be short in length, monoexonic, and lowly expressed. Most novel genes have arisen recently in evolutionary time and possess low coding potential. Nonetheless, we identify several novel protein-coding genes harboring open reading frames that encode proteins containing matches to conserved protein domains. Analysis of mass-spectrometry data from adult mouse testes confirms protein production from several of these novel genes. We also examine overlap between transcripts and repetitive elements. We find that although distinct families of repeats are expressed with differing temporal dynamics during spermatogenesis, we do not observe a general mode of regulation wherein repeats drive expression of nonrepetitive sequences in a cell type-specific manner. Finally, we observe many fairly long antisense transcripts originating from canonical gene promoters, pointing to pervasive bidirectional promoter activity during spermatogenesis that is distinct and more frequent compared with somatic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexia Rohmer
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Serap Erkek-Ozhan
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ching-Yeu Liang
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sunwoo Chun
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Evgeniy A Ozonov
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine H F M Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland;
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
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3
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Gill ME, Quaas AM. Looking with new eyes: advanced microscopy and artificial intelligence in reproductive medicine. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:235-239. [PMID: 36534231 PMCID: PMC9935756 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02693-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microscopy has long played a pivotal role in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART). The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has opened the door for new approaches to sperm and oocyte assessment and selection, with the potential for improved ART outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Alexander M Quaas
- Division of Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology (RME), University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Stenz L, Beyens M, Gill ME, Paoloni-Giacobino A, De Geyter C. Altered DNA methylation in estrogen-responsive repetitive sequences of spermatozoa of infertile men with shortened anogenital distance. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:185. [PMID: 36572941 PMCID: PMC9793642 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01409-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that antenatal exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors is responsible for adverse trends in male reproductive health, including male infertility, impaired semen quality, cryptorchidism and testicular cancer, a condition known as testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Anogenital distance (AGD) is an anthropomorphic measure of antenatal exposure to endocrine disruptors, with higher exposure levels leading to shortened AGD. We hypothesized that exposure to endocrine disruptors could lead to changes in DNA methylation during early embryonic development, which could then persist in the sperm of infertile men with shortened AGD. RESULTS Using fluorescence activated cell sorting based on staining with either YO-PRO-1 (YOPRO) or chromomycin-3 (CMA3), we isolated four sperm fractions from eleven infertile men with short AGD and ten healthy semen donors. We examined DNA methylation in these sorted spermatozoa using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. We found that fractions of spermatozoa from infertile men stained with CMA3 or YOPRO were more likely to contain transposable elements harboring an estrogen receptor response element (ERE). Abnormal sperm (as judged by high CMA3 or YOPRO staining) from infertile men shows substantial hypomethylation in estrogenic Alu sequences. Conversely, normal sperm fractions (as judged by low CMA3 or YO-PRO-1 staining) of either healthy donors or infertile patients were more likely to contain hypermethylated Alu sequences with ERE. CONCLUSIONS Shortened AGD, as related to previous exposure to endocrine disruptors, and male infertility are accompanied by increased presence of hormonal response elements in the differentially methylated regulatory sequences of the genome of sperm fractions characterized by chromatin decondensation and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig Stenz
- grid.8591.50000 0001 2322 4988Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet, 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland ,Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Missionsstrasse, 64, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Beyens
- BISC Global, Bioinformatics and Statistics Consulting, Gaston Crommenlaan, 8, 9050 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mark E. Gill
- grid.6612.30000 0004 1937 0642Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology (RME), University Hospital, University of Basel, Vogesenstrasse, 134, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ariane Paoloni-Giacobino
- grid.8591.50000 0001 2322 4988Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet, 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland ,Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Missionsstrasse, 64, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian De Geyter
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), Missionsstrasse, 64, 4055 Basel, Switzerland ,grid.6612.30000 0004 1937 0642Reproductive Medicine and Gynecological Endocrinology (RME), University Hospital, University of Basel, Vogesenstrasse, 134, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
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Gill ME, Kohler H, Peters AHFM. Dual DNA staining enables isolation of multiple sub‐types of post‐replicative mouse male germ cells. Cytometry A 2022; 101:529-536. [PMID: 35128792 PMCID: PMC9303198 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
During spermatogenesis, mammalian male germ cells undergo multiple developmental processes, including meiosis and post‐meiotic differentiation (spermiogenesis). To understand the transitions between different cellular states it is essential to isolate pure populations of cells at different stages of development. Previous approaches enabled the isolation of cells from different stages of meiotic prophase I, but techniques to sub‐fractionate unfixed, post‐meiotic spermatids have been lacking. Here we report the development of a protocol enabling simultaneous isolation of cells at different stages of meiotic prophase and post‐meiotic differentiation from testes of adult mice. This approach builds on existing fluorescence activated cell sorting protocols designed to purify cells in different stages of meiotic prophase I. By utilizing the specific spectral properties that two different DNA dyes (Hoechst 33342 and SYTO 16) exhibit when bound to chromatin of different stage male germ cells, we obtain highly pure populations of cells in relatively large numbers. This FACS protocol will enable immunocytological and molecular characterization studies of fractionated meiotic and haploid germ cells from both wild type and genetically mutant animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Present address:
Reproductive Medicine & Gynecological Endocrinology (RME)University Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Hubertus Kohler
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
| | - Antoine H. F. M. Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical ResearchBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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Liu Z, Tardat M, Gill ME, Royo H, Thierry R, Ozonov EA, Peters AH. SUMOylated PRC1 controls histone H3.3 deposition and genome integrity of embryonic heterochromatin. EMBO J 2020; 39:e103697. [PMID: 32395866 PMCID: PMC7327501 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019103697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin integrity is essential for cellular homeostasis. Polycomb group proteins modulate chromatin states and transcriptionally repress developmental genes to maintain cell identity. They also repress repetitive sequences such as major satellites and constitute an alternative state of pericentromeric constitutive heterochromatin at paternal chromosomes (pat‐PCH) in mouse pre‐implantation embryos. Remarkably, pat‐PCH contains the histone H3.3 variant, which is absent from canonical PCH at maternal chromosomes, which is marked by histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3), HP1, and ATRX proteins. Here, we show that SUMO2‐modified CBX2‐containing Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) recruits the H3.3‐specific chaperone DAXX to pat‐PCH, enabling H3.3 incorporation at these loci. Deficiency of Daxx or PRC1 components Ring1 and Rnf2 abrogates H3.3 incorporation, induces chromatin decompaction and breakage at PCH of exclusively paternal chromosomes, and causes their mis‐segregation. Complementation assays show that DAXX‐mediated H3.3 deposition is required for chromosome stability in early embryos. DAXX also regulates repression of PRC1 target genes during oogenesis and early embryogenesis. The study identifies a novel critical role for Polycomb in ensuring heterochromatin integrity and chromosome stability in mouse early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichuan Liu
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Tardat
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helene Royo
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Thierry
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Evgeniy A Ozonov
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Hfm Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Rabl J, Bunker RD, Schenk AD, Cavadini S, Gill ME, Abdulrahman W, Andrés-Pons A, Luijsterburg MS, Ibrahim AFM, Branigan E, Aguirre JD, Marceau AH, Guérillon C, Bouwmeester T, Hassiepen U, Peters AHFM, Renatus M, Gelman L, Rubin SM, Mailand N, van Attikum H, Hay RT, Thomä NH. Structural Basis of BRCC36 Function in DNA Repair and Immune Regulation. Mol Cell 2019; 75:483-497.e9. [PMID: 31253574 PMCID: PMC6695476 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In mammals, ∼100 deubiquitinases act on ∼20,000 intracellular ubiquitination sites. Deubiquitinases are commonly regarded as constitutively active, with limited regulatory and targeting capacity. The BRCA1-A and BRISC complexes serve in DNA double-strand break repair and immune signaling and contain the lysine-63 linkage-specific BRCC36 subunit that is functionalized by scaffold subunits ABRAXAS and ABRO1, respectively. The molecular basis underlying BRCA1-A and BRISC function is currently unknown. Here we show that in the BRCA1-A complex structure, ABRAXAS integrates the DNA repair protein RAP80 and provides a high-affinity binding site that sequesters the tumor suppressor BRCA1 away from the break site. In the BRISC structure, ABRO1 binds SHMT2α, a metabolic enzyme enabling cancer growth in hypoxic environments, which we find prevents BRCC36 from binding and cleaving ubiquitin chains. Our work explains modularity in the BRCC36 DUB family, with different adaptor subunits conferring diversified targeting and regulatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Rabl
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Richard D Bunker
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas D Schenk
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simone Cavadini
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wassim Abdulrahman
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amparo Andrés-Pons
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martijn S Luijsterburg
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Human Genetics, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Adel F M Ibrahim
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, Sir James Black Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Emma Branigan
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, Sir James Black Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Jacob D Aguirre
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aimee H Marceau
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Claire Guérillon
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3b, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Tewis Bouwmeester
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Hassiepen
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine H F M Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Renatus
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Gelman
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Seth M Rubin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Niels Mailand
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3b, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Haico van Attikum
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Human Genetics, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald T Hay
- Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, Sir James Black Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Nicolas H Thomä
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 10, 4003 Basel, Switzerland.
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Gill ME, Peters AHFM. Toward human egg-like cells in vitro. Science 2018; 362:291-292. [PMID: 30337398 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav3479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine H F M Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, 4058 Basel, Switzerland. .,Faculty of Sciences, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Gill ME, Peters AH. Initiating meiosis in a dish. EMBO J 2017; 36:3097-3099. [PMID: 28978668 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201798101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Gill
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Hfm Peters
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Koubova J, Hu YC, Bhattacharyya T, Soh YQS, Gill ME, Goodheart ML, Hogarth CA, Griswold MD, Page DC. Retinoic acid activates two pathways required for meiosis in mice. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004541. [PMID: 25102060 PMCID: PMC4125102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In all sexually reproducing organisms, cells of the germ line must transition from mitosis to meiosis. In mice, retinoic acid (RA), the extrinsic signal for meiotic initiation, activates transcription of Stra8, which is required for meiotic DNA replication and the subsequent processes of meiotic prophase. Here we report that RA also activates transcription of Rec8, which encodes a component of the cohesin complex that accumulates during meiotic S phase, and which is essential for chromosome synapsis and segregation. This RA induction of Rec8 occurs in parallel with the induction of Stra8, and independently of Stra8 function, and it is conserved between the sexes. Further, RA induction of Rec8, like that of Stra8, requires the germ-cell-intrinsic competence factor Dazl. Our findings strengthen the importance of RA and Dazl in the meiotic transition, provide important details about the Stra8 pathway, and open avenues to investigate early meiosis through analysis of Rec8 induction and function. The transition from mitosis to meiosis is a defining feature of germ cells, the precursors of eggs and sperm. In mice, retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A derivative, induces expression of the gene Stra8, which in turn is required for the first critical steps of meiosis. The timing of Stra8 expression in mammalian germ cells is influenced by an RA-degrading enzyme, CYP26B1, that is normally expressed in fetal testes to delay meiosis in males. It is unknown if Stra8 is RA's only meiosis-inducing target in germ cells or if other such genes are regulated by RA independently of Stra8. To investigate this question, we generated two lines of mice: Cyp26b1 mutants and Stra8 mutants. Our genetic experiments comparing germ cell development in these two mutants revealed a new RA target, Rec8. We demonstrate that Rec8 upregulation by RA occurs in the same temporal and spatial manner as Stra8, but Rec8 expression is independent of Stra8. Rec8, like Stra8, plays a critical role during early meiotic processes, suggesting that RA induces meiosis in at least two independent pathways. These findings expand our understanding of the gene regulatory network involved in meiotic initiation in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Koubova
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yueh-Chiang Hu
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Y. Q. Shirleen Soh
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mark E. Gill
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mary L. Goodheart
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Cathryn A. Hogarth
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Griswold
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - David C. Page
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Gill ME, Erkek S, Peters AHFM. Parental epigenetic control of embryogenesis: a balance between inheritance and reprogramming? Curr Opin Cell Biol 2012; 24:387-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2012.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2012] [Revised: 03/03/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Page DC, Hughes JF, Bellott DW, Mueller JL, Gill ME, Larracuente A, Graves T, Muzny D, Warren WC, Gibbs RA, Wilson RK, Skaletsky H. Reconstructing sex chromosome evolution. Genome Biol 2010. [PMCID: PMC3026214 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2010-11-s1-i21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Davis BR, Whitehead JK, Gill ME, Lee PN, Butterworth AD, Roe FJ. Response of rat lung to inhaled tobacco smoke with or without prior exposure to 3,4-benzpyrene (BP) given by intratracheal instillation. Br J Cancer 1975; 31:469-84. [PMID: 1156528 PMCID: PMC2009453 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1975.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
SPF rats were exposed to the smoke from 10 cigarettes per week from the age of 10 weeks until they died. Survival, body weight, tumour incidence and histopathological appearances of the lungs were compared with those for untreated sham exposed rats. Two further groups were given a single dose of 3,4-benzyprene (BP) by intratracheal instillation. One of these was then exposed to the smoke of 10 cigarettes per week till death. Compared with untreated or sham exposed rats, exposure to smoke was associated with a significant reduction in incidence of mammary tumours. Exposure to smoke was associated with an increasing incidence of collections of macrophages laden with golden-brown pigment (GBM) and of areas of cuboidal or columnar metaplasia (CCM) or squamous metaplasia (Sq.M) of alveolar epithelium. In control rats there was virtually no GBM, a low incidence of CCM and Sq.M. Four out of 406 smoke exposed rats which came to post mortem had squamous neoplasms in the lungs, 3 having lesions of doubtful malignancy and one having a squamous carcinoma. In contrast, no squamous neoplasms were seen in 197 control rats. This difference was not statistically significant. The findings in rats given a single dose of BP were, in all the above respects, similar to those in untreated rats, except that one developed a squamous carcinoma of the lung. The effects of a single dose of BP followed by smoke exposure were in general similar to those of smoke exposure only. Three rats on this treatment regimen developed squamous cancers of the lung. None of the treatments increased the incidence of adenomata of the lungs. The results are discussed in relation to other studies of the effects of smoke exposure on rats and other species.
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Davis BR, Whitehead JK, Gill ME, Lee PM, Butterworth AD, Roe FJ. Response of rat lung to tobacco smoke condensate or fractions derived from it administered repeatedly by intratracheal instillation. Br J Cancer 1975; 31:453-61. [PMID: 1156526 PMCID: PMC2009461 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1975.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The repeated intratracheal instillation of cigarette smoke condensate (SWS) in rats at close to maximum tolerated dose levels failed to induce squamous neoplasms in the lungs although such treatment was associated with an increased incidence of cuboidal/columnar metaplasia (CCM) and squamous metaplasia (Sq.M) of alveolar epithelium. With one exception, various fractions of SWS had no effect on lung tumour incidence though some were more effective than SWS in increasing the incidence of CCM and Sq.M. The exceptional fraction, Fraction P, which contains most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of smoke and is the most effective of the fractions tested in producing tumours in mouse skin, gave rise to 4 squamous tumours of doubtful malignancy and one metastasizing squanmous carcinoma among 3 groups of 18 animals exposed at 3 different dose levels. The results are discussed in relation to the possible development of a method for comparing condensates for relative lung carcinogenicity.
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Davis BR, Whitehead JK, Gill ME, Lee PN, Butterworth AD, Roe FJ. Response of rat lung to 3,4-benzpyrene administered by intratracheal instillation in infusine with or without carbon black. Br J Cancer 1975; 31:443-52. [PMID: 1156525 PMCID: PMC2009456 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1975.84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In a controlled experiment groups of SPF Wistar rats were give 18 once-fortnightly doses of 0-5, 1-0 or 2-0 mg 3,4-benzpyrene (BP) suspended in infusine (I) or in carbon black (CB) + I by intratracheal instillation. Of rats examined post mortem, 1/16 given I+CB only, 0/16 given I only, 15/51 given BP in I+CB and 24/48 given BP in I developed squamous neoplasms of the lung. The incidence of tumours was significantly related to dose of BP. At the 1 or 2 mg dose levels BP in I only was more productive of tumours than BP in I+CB. Other changes encountered included squamous metaplasia of alveolar and bronchiolar epithelium (Sq.M), but not of bronchial epithelium, and cuboidal and columnar metaplasia of alveolar epithelium in the vicinity of terminal bronchioles (CCM). Sq.M was associated with exposure to BP or I+CB. CCM was strongly associated with exposure to I+CB but only weakly with exposure to BP.
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Davis BR, Whitehead JK, Gill ME, Lee PN, Butterworth AD, Roe FJ. Response of rat lung to inhaled vapour phase constituents (VP) of tobacco smoke alone or in conjunction with smoke condensate or fractions of smoke condensate given by intratracheal instillation. Br J Cancer 1975; 31:462-8. [PMID: 1156527 PMCID: PMC2009462 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.1975.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In a controlled experiment, 6 groups of SPF rats were given cigarette smoke condensate (SWS) in solid form without a vehicle once fortnightly by intratracheal instillation, at 3 dose levels with or without additional exposure to the vapour phase of smoke (VP) from 10 plain cigarettes each week. Treatment continued for life. Six other groups were similarly treated with one of 3 fractions of condensate with or without VP. Exposure to VP was associated with a significant reduction in body weight, but not signficantly with the incidence or severity of any observed pathological change in the lungs. A significant dose-related assoication was seen between SWS or its fractions and the incidence and degree of chronic respiratory disease (CRD), cuboidal or columnar metaplasia (CCM) and squamous metaplasia of alveolar epithelium (Sq.M) produced. No neoplasms, however, were elicited. A significant correlation was found between the degrees of CCM and of Sq.M produced in the 24 groups exposed to SWS or fractions. The results are discussed in the light of studies in which rats were exposed to tobacco smoke by inhalation and of studies in which the same condensate and fractions were applied to mouse skin.
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