Project description:2-cell embryo RNA was sequenced following IVF of naive untreated oocytes with sperm harvested 2 weeks after 2mg/kg dexamethasone or vehicle intraperitoneal injection in males.
Project description:This study investigates the impact of Dexamethasone on sperm RNA in mice. Using RNA sequencing we find that Dexamethasone impacts the sperm payload significantly 2 weeks post intra peritoneal administration. Sperm RNA was sequenced 14 days following 2mg/kg dexamethasone or vehicle intraperitoneal injection.
Project description:Development of the early embryo is thought to be mainly driven by maternal gene products and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Here, we used metabolic labeling to show that RNA can be transferred by sperm into the embryo. To identify genes with paternal expression in the embryo, we performed crosses of males and females from divergent C. elegans strains. RNA sequencing of mRNAs and small RNAs in the 1-cell hybrid embryo revealed that about two hundred paternal mRNAs are reproducibly expressed in the embryo, and that about half of assayed endogenous siRNAs and piRNAs are also of paternal origin. Together, our results suggest an unexplored paternal contribution to early development. To reveal the identity of paternal RNA molecules, we performed a cross of males and females from two divergent C. elegans strains because we reasoned that sequencing of embryonic RNA and SNP analysis should then identify and quantify maternal and paternal transcripts. These sequencing experiments were carried out in purified hybrid 1-cell embryos and comprised small RNAs and mRNAs. For comparison we sequenced mRNAs and small RNAs from the parental strains: paternal (Hawaiian males, CB4856) and maternal (fem-1(hc17ts)/TX189(OMA-1::GFP). For the annotation of strain specific mutations (SNPs) we sequenced mRNA and small RNAs extracted from whole worms. All experiments were performed in at least two independent biological replicates.