RNA-sequencing of pig oocyte throughout meiotic maturation
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Oocyte maturation refers to oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage progressing into metaphase II (MII) stage of development. Even though numerous studies have shown key genes and potential important signalling cascades, which drive the GV to MII transition, a system-wide analysis of underlying differences at gene level and especially at transcript level between the two developmental stages of the oocyte is still lacking. For this, we profiled and analysed RNA from pig oocytes across meiotic maturation (GV, MII and damaged, n=15). We detected 22,516 genes for each sample across meiotic maturation. Principal Component analysis of the data clustered the samples in three stages of development (GV, MII and damaged). Differential expression of genes between the three stages will then be used to delineate the pathways which are up-/down-regulated during these developmental stages. Besides, differential transcript usage will be used to identify the difference of oocytes at distinct developmental stages at isoform level, which might be ignored by traditional differential gene expression analysis.
Project description:In cattle, almost all fully grown vesicle stage oocytes (GV) have the ability to resume meisos, develop to Metaphase II stage (MII), support fertilization and progress through the early embryonic cycles in vitro. Yet without intensive selection, the majority fail to develop to the blastocyst stage. Using the Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array, global mRNA expression analysis of immature (GV) and in vitro matured (IVM) bovine oocytes was carried out to characterize the transcriptome of the bovine oocyte and to identify the key pathways associated with oocyte meiotic maturation and developmental potential.
Project description:We analyzed the functions of BTG family proteins in maternal mRNA degradation in mouse oocytes. By comparing the degradation of transcripts in WT oocytes and KO oocytes, we are able to know the defects in maternal mRNA clearance in BTG4-deleted oocytes, and identified the BTG4 target genes in oocyte cyplasmic maturation. 2 WT oocyte samples at GV stage, 2 WT oocyte samples at MII stage, 2 Btg4-/- oocyte samples at GV stage and 2 Btg4-/- oocyte samples at MII stage?2 WT embryo samples at zygote stage, 2 WT embryo samples at 2-cell stage, 2 Btg4-/- embryo samples at zygote stage and 2 Btg4-/- embryo samples at 2-cell stage , and a WT GV oocyte, a WT MII oocyte, a Erk-/- GV oocyte and a Erk-/- MII oocyte are performed RNA sequencing.
Project description:Expression data from prepubertal, peripubertal, and adult derived mouse oocytes, and from germinal vesicle (GV), in vivo matured, and in vitro matured mouse oocytes. Oocytes derived from prepubertal females, or oocytes matured in vitro, are less developmentally competent compared to adult derived, or in vivo matured, oocytes, indicated by decreased embryonic development. One potential mechanism for decreased developmental potetential in prepubertal or in vitro matured oocytes is inadequate or inappropriate RNA degradation during oocyte maturation (progression from GV to MII). To investigate mechanisms involved in establishing oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and developmental competence, Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays were used. Keywords: Oocyte developmental competence
Project description:There is massive destruction of transcripts during maturation of mouse oocytes. The objective of this project was to identify and characterize the transcripts that are degraded versus those that are stable during the transcriptionally silent germinal vesicle (GV)-stage to metaphase II (MII)-stage transition using the microarray approach. A system for oocyte transcript amplification using both internal and 3'-poly(A) priming was utilized to minimize the impact of complex variations in transcript polyadenylation prevalent during this transition. Transcripts were identified and quantified using Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 v2.0 GeneChip. The significantly changed and stable transcripts were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis and GenMAPP/MAPPFinder to characterize the biological themes underlying global changes in oocyte transcripts during maturation. It was concluded that the destruction of transcripts during the GV to MII transition is a selective rather than promiscuous process in mouse oocytes. In general, transcripts involved in processes that are associated with meiotic arrest at the GV-stage and the progression of oocyte maturation, such as oxidative phosphorylation, energy production, and protein synthesis and metabolism, were dramatically degraded. In contrast, transcripts encoding participants in signaling pathways essential for maintaining the unique characteristics of the MII-arrested oocyte, such as those involved in protein kinase pathways, were the most prominent among those stables. Experiment Overall Design: Comparison immature GV-stage oocyte (3 biological replicates) with mature MII-stage oocytes (3 biological replicates)
Project description:Human meiosis in oocytes entails a fine regulation of the transcriptome to support late oocyte growth and early embryo development, both key to reproductive success. Currently, little is known about the co- and post-transcriptional mRNA processing mechanisms regulating the last meiotic passages, which contribute to transcriptome complexity and influence translation rates. We analyzed gene expression changes, splicing and pre-mRNA processing in an RNA sequencing set of 40 oocytes at different meiotic maturation stages, both in vivo ovulated and matured in vitro. We found abundant UTR processing, mostly at the 3’-, of meiosis-related genes between the stages of GV and MII, supported by the differential expression of spliceosome and pre-mRNA processing related genes. Importantly, we found very little differences among GV oocytes across several lengths of in vitro maturation, as long as they did not reach MII, suggesting a specific association of RNA processing and successful meiosis transit. Changes in protein isoforms are minor, though specific and consistent for genes involved in chromosome organization and spindle assembly. In conclusion, we reveal a dynamic transcript remodeling during human female meiosis, and show how pre-mRNA processing, specifically 3’-UTR shortening, drives a selective translational regulation of transcripts necessary to reach the final meiotic maturation.
Project description:Oocyte maturation is the foundation for developing healthy individuals of mammals. Upon germinal vesicle breakdown, oocyte meiosis resumes and the synthesis of new transcripts ceases. To quantitatively profile the transcriptomic dynamics after meiotic resumption throughout the oocyte maturation, we generated transcriptome sequencing data with individual mouse oocytes at three main developmental stages: germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII). When clustering the sequenced oocytes, results showed that isoform-level expression analysis outperformed gene-level analysis, indicating isoform expression provided extra information that was useful in distinguishing oocyte stages. Comparing transcriptomes of the oocytes at the GV stage and the MII stage, in addition to identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we detected many differentially expressed transcripts (DETs), some of which came from genes that were not identified as DEGs. When breaking down the isoform-level changes into alternative RNA processing events, we found the main source of isoform composition changes was the alternative usage of polyadenylation sites. With detailed analysis focusing on the alternative usage of 3'-UTR isoforms, we identified, out of 3810 tested genes, 512 (13.7%) exhibiting significant switches of 3'-UTR isoforms during the process of moues oocyte maturation. Altogether, our data and analyses suggest the importance of examining isoform abundance changes during oocyte maturation, and further investigation of the pervasive 3'-UTR isoform switches in the transition may deepen our understanding on the molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian early development.
Project description:In cattle, almost all fully grown vesicle stage oocytes (GV) have the ability to resume meisos, develop to Metaphase II stage (MII), support fertilization and progress through the early embryonic cycles in vitro. Yet without intensive selection, the majority fail to develop to the blastocyst stage. Using the Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array, global mRNA expression analysis of immature (GV) and in vitro matured (IVM) bovine oocytes was carried out to characterize the transcriptome of the bovine oocyte and to identify the key pathways associated with oocyte meiotic maturation and developmental potential. Immature and in vitro matured bovine oocytes were collected for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix GeneChip Bovine Genome array. Careful removal of cumulus and selection of oocytes was carried out under the stereo microscope in order to examine the actual cumulus-free temporal oocyte gene expression profiles. Immature oocytes at time 0 h and in vitro matured oocytes at 24 h were collected for analysis.
Project description:Expression data from prepubertal, peripubertal, and adult derived mouse oocytes, and from germinal vesicle (GV), in vivo matured, and in vitro matured mouse oocytes. Oocytes derived from prepubertal females, or oocytes matured in vitro, are less developmentally competent compared to adult derived, or in vivo matured, oocytes, indicated by decreased embryonic development. One potential mechanism for decreased developmental potetential in prepubertal or in vitro matured oocytes is inadequate or inappropriate RNA degradation during oocyte maturation (progression from GV to MII). To investigate mechanisms involved in establishing oocyte cytoplasmic maturation and developmental competence, Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays were used. Keywords: Oocyte developmental competence The study encompassed three experimental designs using female B6D2F1 mice: 1) In vitro matured oocytes were obtained from d20 (prepubertal), d26 (peripubertal), and 7-8 wk old (adult) mice; 2) in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes were obtained from d26 mice; and 3) GV, in vivo matured, and in vitro matured oocytes were obtained from 7-8 wk old mice. RNA was extracted from pools of 150 oocytes and hybridized onto the Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:The transition from a transcriptionally active state (GV) to a transcriptionally inactive state (mature MII oocytes) is one of the requirements for the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence. After maturation, oocytes are mostly transcriptionally quiescent, and developmental competence prior to embryonic genome activation (EGA) relies on maternal RNA and proteins. The landscape of expressed genes at the MII stage could be mostly driven by post-transcriptional mechanisms, such as alternative splicing (AS). With the development of single cell transcriptome analysis, genome wide AS analysis becomes technically feasible and available to fully characterize the AS patterns in human oocytes. Profiling spliced mRNA isoforms might provide novel information on the molecular mechanisms driving early development, and might be a source of potential biomarkers of oocyte quality. The goal of the present study is to perform a transcriptomic analysis in oocytes at different stages of maturation, to identify the profiles of alternative spliced isoforms produced in both oocyte’ stages.
Project description:Study Question: What effects do maternal age and oocyte maturation stage have on the human oocyte transcriptome that may be associated with oocyte developmental potential? Summary Answer: Although polyadenylated transcript abundance changes during human oocyte maturation irrespective of age, young (YNG) and advanced maternal age (AMA) metaphase II (MII) oocytes exhibit divergent transcriptomes. What is known already: Maternal age and maturation stage affect oocyte polyadenylated transcript abundance in human oocytes. Although RNA-Seq analysis of single human MII oocytes has been conducted, comparison of the germinal vesicle (GV) and MII oocyte transcriptomes has not been investigated using RNA-Seq, a technique that could provide novel insight into oocyte maturation and age-associated aberrations in gene expression. Participants / materials, settings, methods: Patients undergoing infertility treatment at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (Lone Tree, CO, USA) underwent ovarian stimulation with FSH and received hCG for final follicular maturation prior to ultrasound guided egg retrieval. Unused GV oocytes obtained at retrieval were donated for transcriptome analysis. Single oocytes were stored (at -80°C in PicoPure RNA Extraction Buffer; Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA) immediately upon verification of immaturity or after undergoing in vitro oocyte maturation (24 hour incubation), representing GV and MII samples, respectively. After isolating RNA and generating single oocyte RNA-Seq libraries (SMARTer Ultra Low Input RNA HV kit; Clontech, USA), Illumina sequencing (100 bp paired-end reads in HiSeq 2500) and bioinformatics analysis (CLC Genomics Workbench, DESeq2, Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA), 3’UTR motif analysis, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis) were performed. Main results and the role of chance: Within the 12,770 expressed genes in human oocytes (reads per kilobase per million mapped reads (RPKM) > 0.4 in at least 3 of 5 replicates for a minimum of one sample type), 458 and 3,506 genes significantly (adjusted p < 0.05 and log2 fold change > 1) increased and decreased in polyadenylated transcript abundance during oocyte maturation, respectively. The differentially expressed genes were enriched (FDR < 0.05) for biological functions and canonical pathways related to cell cycle and mitochondrial function. The majority (76%) and minority (25%) of up- and down-regulated transcripts with a complete 3’UTR were predicted to be targets of cytoplasmic polyadenylation (910 total genes), respectively. Differential gene expression analysis between young and advanced maternal age oocytes (within stage) identified 1 and 255 genes that significantly differed (adjusted p < 0.1 and log2 fold change > 1) in polyadenylated transcript abundance for GV and MII oocytes, respectively. These genes included CDK1, NLRP5, and PRDX1, which have been reported to affect oocyte developmental potential and be markers of oocyte quality. Despite similarity in transcript abundance between GV oocytes irrespective of age, divergent expression patterns emerged during oocyte maturation. These age-specific differentially expressed genes were enriched (FDR < 0.05) for functions and pathways associated with mitochondria, cell cycle, and cytoskeleton. Gene modules generated by WGCNA (based on gene expression) and patient traits related to oocyte quality (e.g. age and blastocyst development) were determined to be correlated (p < 0.05) and enriched (FDR < 0.05) for functions and pathways associated with oocyte maturation. Limitations, reasons for caution: The human oocytes used in the current study were obtained from patients with varying causes of infertility (e.g. decreased oocyte quality and oocyte quality-independent factors), possibly affecting oocyte gene expression. Oocytes in this study were retrieved at the GV stage following hCG administration and the MII oocytes were derived by in vitro maturation of patient oocytes, which has the benefit of identifying intrinsic differences between samples, but may not be completely representative of in vivo matured oocytes. Thus, these factors should be considered when interpreting the results. Wider Implications of the findings: Transcriptome profiles of young and advanced maternal age oocytes, particularly at the MII stage, suggest aberrant transcript abundance contributes to the age-associated decline in fertility.