A global expression switch marks pachytene initiation during mouse male meiosis
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE21447 | GEO | 2010/12/16
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA126335
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Male spermatogenesis is an essential and complex developmental process with the purpose to gain totipotency and allow a whole new organism to develop upon fertilization. While single-gene based studies have provided insights into the mechanisms at work, global profiling is clearly required to deconvolute these processes. Here, by isolating highly enriched mouse meiotic cell populations, we report a comprehensive gene expression map of mammalian meiosis. Our data reveal in unique details the dynamic of fundamental expression patterns such as the global chromosome X inactivation and reactivation allowing to precisely dissect this unique process. It also reveals a rapid global expression switch at the initiation of the long pachytene stage reminiscent and coincident with the commitment to meiosis observed in budding yeast. Overall, this meiotic atlas provides an exhaustive blueprint and resource for deconvoluting mammalian gametogenesis and meiosis. 10- to 16-week-old male C57BL/6 x DBA/2J F1 testis were used for sorting multiple meiotic fractions. These samples were used for subsequent RNA purification, labeling and hybridization to Affymetrix arrays. 1-4 biological replicates per fraction.
2010-12-16 | E-GEOD-21447 | biostudies-arrayexpress
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Project description:The DSB-machinery, which induces the programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in leptotene and zygotene stages during meiosis, needs to be kept in silence after the initiation of pachytene stage to prevent the activation of DSB checkpoint that may lead to meiotic arrest or apoptosis of germ cells. However, the mechanisms underlying this repression remain largely unknown. Here, we report that ZFP541, a germ cell-specific zinc finger protein, is responsible for the suppression of DSBs formation at late pachytene. Lack of Zfp541 in mice leads to generation of DSBs in late pachytene spermatocytes by DSB formation related-proteins and causes male infertility due to meiotic failure. Plated-based scRNA-seq of Zfp541-/- spermatocytes revealed that ZFP541 negatively regulates many meiotic prophase genes, including genes for DSB formation and their upstream transcriptional regulators, in late pachytene spermatocytes. These results were confirmed by 10x single-cell RNA-seq data on spermatogenesis of Zfp541-/- testes, which suggested that Zfp541 is required for repressing the activation of pre-pachytene gene expression programs from early to late pachytene. ZFP541 ChIP-seq on pachytene and diplotene spermatocytes demonstrated that ZFP541 occupies the promoters of meiosis initiators (e.g., Meiosin and Rxra) and a subset of their downstream genes to repress their transcription, and thus prevent the reactivation of pre-pachytene gene expression programs in pachytene spermatocytes. Thus, our results not only revealed the role of ZFP541 in maintaining the repression of pre-pachytene transcriptional programs in pachytene spermatocytes but also provide new insight into the regulation of meiotic progression by timely turning off pre-pachytene genes.
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Project description:Pachytene piRNAs control male fertility across metazoans, yet mechanisms through which they govern meiosis I in pachytene remain unclear. We demonstrate, in C. elegans, that homolog pairing, and crossover formation are compromised in the absence of piRNA function. We identify several protein coding genes as targets of piRNAs including Polo like kinase 3 (PLK-). Pachytene piRNAs spatially restrict and exclude PLK-3 expression from meiosis I. Expansion of PLK-3 expression into the pachytene region, upon loss of piRNAs, is reflected in meiotic defects, which are partially rescued by removal of ectopic PLK-3. Pachytene piRNAs regulate PLK-3 through both translational repression and post-transcriptional degradation establishing the spatiotemporal control of gene expression. Given the conserved role of pachytene piRNAs, we propose that these mechanisms may be applicable to mammals.
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Project description:Pachytene piRNAs control male fertility across metazoans, yet mechanisms through which they govern meiosis I in pachytene remain unclear. We demonstrate, in C. elegans, that homolog pairing, and crossover formation are compromised in the absence of piRNA function. We identify several protein coding genes as targets of piRNAs including Polo like kinase 3 (PLK-). Pachytene piRNAs spatially restrict and exclude PLK-3 expression from meiosis I. Expansion of PLK-3 expression into the pachytene region, upon loss of piRNAs, is reflected in meiotic defects, which are partially rescued by removal of ectopic PLK-3. Pachytene piRNAs regulate PLK-3 through both translational repression and post-transcriptional degradation establishing the spatiotemporal control of gene expression. Given the conserved role of pachytene piRNAs, we propose that these mechanisms may be applicable to mammals.
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Project description:During embryonic germ cell development in mice, transposon-enriched, piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) guide MILI and MIWI2 to direct silencing of potentially active mobile element families. In contrast, we know much less about the function of the highly abundant and extremely diverse class of piRNAs, which partner with MIWI and MILI during meiosis. Both MIWI and its catalytic activity are required for successful spermatogenesis, strongly indicating that piRNA-guided cleavage is critical for germ cell development. To gain an understanding of meiotic piRNA targets, we augmented the mouse piRNA repertoire by introducing an entire human meiotic piRNA cluster. This triggered a spermatogenesis defect, presumably by inappropriately targeting the piRNA machinery to mouse RNAs essential for germ cell development. Through an analysis of such de novo targets, we derived a signature for pachytene piRNA target recognition. This enabled identification of both transposable elements and meiotically expressed protein coding genes as targets of native piRNAs. Cleavage of genic targets begins at the pachytene stage when meiotic piRNAs first appear. As such, target mRNA levels attenuate starting from the pachytene stage and are further repressed throughout meiosis. Target mRNA-piRNA pairs also show evidence of an ongoing cleavage-dependent amplification cycle, which is not normally a strong feature of meiotic piRNAs. Our data support the idea that meiotic piRNA populations must be strongly selected to enable successful spermatogenesis, both driving the response away from essential genes and directing the pathway toward mRNA targets that are regulated by small RNAs in meiotic cells. 48 samples
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Project description:During embryonic germ cell development in mice, transposon-enriched, piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) guide MILI and MIWI2 to direct silencing of potentially active mobile element families. In contrast, we know much less about the function of the highly abundant and extremely diverse class of piRNAs, which partner with MIWI and MILI during meiosis. Both MIWI and its catalytic activity are required for successful spermatogenesis, strongly indicating that piRNA-guided cleavage is critical for germ cell development. To gain an understanding of meiotic piRNA targets, we augmented the mouse piRNA repertoire by introducing an entire human meiotic piRNA cluster. This triggered a spermatogenesis defect, presumably by inappropriately targeting the piRNA machinery to mouse RNAs essential for germ cell development. Through an analysis of such de novo targets, we derived a signature for pachytene piRNA target recognition. This enabled identification of both transposable elements and meiotically expressed protein coding genes as targets of native piRNAs. Cleavage of genic targets begins at the pachytene stage when meiotic piRNAs first appear. As such, target mRNA levels attenuate starting from the pachytene stage and are further repressed throughout meiosis. Target mRNA-piRNA pairs also show evidence of an ongoing cleavage-dependent amplification cycle, which is not normally a strong feature of meiotic piRNAs. Our data support the idea that meiotic piRNA populations must be strongly selected to enable successful spermatogenesis, both driving the response away from essential genes and directing the pathway toward mRNA targets that are regulated by small RNAs in meiotic cells.
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Project description:In the mammalian testis, the pool of spermatogonia is amplified by mitosis before these progenitor germ cells undergo meiosis to generate the haploid cells that give rise to sperm. Extensive changes in the transcriptome accompany the onset of the pachytene stage of meiosis, including the transcriptional activation of meiotic genes, the pachytene piRNA pathway, as well as mRNAs required later during spermiogenesis. How transcription is regulated to ensure the precise timing of this major reprogramming of gene expression remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we report that the testis-specific transcription factor TCFL5 is initially activated by the transcription factor A-MYB during meiosis. Subsequently, A-MYB and TCFL5 mutually reinforce their own transcription establishing a central regulatory circuit that regulates meiosis and spermiogenesis, as well as mediates pachytene piRNA production. TCFL5 drives the transcription of 476 genes required for meiosis including genes encoding pachytene piRNA biogenesis proteins, and 796 genes required for spermiogenesis. Tcfl5−/− mutant mice are sterile and spermatogenesis arrests at the mid- or late-pachytene stage of meiosis. Intriguingly, Tcfl5 haploinsufficiency leads to reduced male fertility suggesting germ cells are sensitive to Tcfl5 dosage to develop. Compromised TCFL5 expression underlies the reduced fertility phenotype directly or indirectly through regulating other transcription factors in Tcfl5+/− mutant mice. TCFL5 drives the transcription of evolutionarily younger pachytene piRNAs, while A-MYB regulates older pachytene piRNAs. Older and younger piRNAs mutually initiate their own processing providing evidence how these selfish genetic elements hijack meiotic transcriptional network to amplify themselves. We also demonstrate that TCFL5-mediated regulation of male meiosis and piRNA production is conserved in macaque. Our data establish a direct role of TCFL5 in ensuring the simultaneous activation of genes required for meiosis and spermiogenesis in mammals.
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