Project description:To study effect of VRK1 deletion on spermatogenesis of the mouse, transciptomic analysis of genes in postnatal 8-day testicular cells of wild type and VRK1-deficient Mus musculus was performed. Gene expression in testes from from wild type and VRK1-deficient mutant Mus musculus, respectively, was measured. Four independent experiments for wild type and mutant, respectively, were performed.
Project description:Taf7l (a paralogue of Taf7) and Trf2 (a TBP-related protein) are components of the core promoter complex required for gene/tissue-specific transcription of protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II. Previous studies reported that Taf7l knockout mice exhibit structurally abnormal sperm, reduced sperm count, weakened motility and compromised fertility. Here we find that continued backcrossing of Taf7l-/Y mice from N5 to N9 produced KO males that are essentially sterile. Genome-wide expression profiling by mRNA-seq analysis of wild type (WT) and Taf7l-/Y (KO) testes revealed that Taf7l ablation impairs the expression of many post-meiotic spermatogenic specific as well as metabolic genes. Importantly, histological analysis of testes revealed that Taf7l-/Y mice develop post-meiotic arrest at the first stage of spermiogenesis, phenotypically similar to Trf2-/- mice, but distinct from Taf4b-/- mice. Indeed, we find that Taf7l and Trf2 co-regulate post-meiotic genes, but none of Taf4b-regulated germ stem cell genes in testes. Genome-wide ChIP-seq studies indicate that TAF7L binds to promoters of activated post-meiotic genes in testis. Moreover, biochemical studies show that TAF7L associates with TRF2 both in vitro and in testis suggesting that TAF7L likely cooperates directly with TRF2 at promoters of a subset of post-meiotic genes to regulate spermiogenesis. Our findings thus provide a new mechanism for cell-type specific transcriptional control involving an interaction between a ‘non-prototypic’ core promoter recognition factor (Trf2) and an orphan TAF subunit (Taf7l) in mammalian testis-specific gene transcription. Genome-wide mapping of TAF7L and Pol II in testis tissue, and mRNA-seq expression profiling wild type and Taf7l knockout testis.
Project description:Taf7l (a paralogue of Taf7) and Trf2 (a TBP-related protein) are components of the core promoter complex required for gene/tissue-specific transcription of protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II. Previous studies reported that Taf7l knockout mice exhibit structurally abnormal sperm, reduced sperm count, weakened motility and compromised fertility. Here we find that continued backcrossing of Taf7l-/Y mice from N5 to N9 produced KO males that are essentially sterile. Genome-wide expression profiling by mRNA-seq analysis of wild type (WT) and Taf7l-/Y (KO) testes revealed that Taf7l ablation impairs the expression of many post-meiotic spermatogenic specific as well as metabolic genes. Importantly, histological analysis of testes revealed that Taf7l-/Y mice develop post-meiotic arrest at the first stage of spermiogenesis, phenotypically similar to Trf2-/- mice, but distinct from Taf4b-/- mice. Indeed, we find that Taf7l and Trf2 co-regulate post-meiotic genes, but none of Taf4b-regulated germ stem cell genes in testes. Genome-wide ChIP-seq studies indicate that TAF7L binds to promoters of activated post-meiotic genes in testis. Moreover, biochemical studies show that TAF7L associates with TRF2 both in vitro and in testis suggesting that TAF7L likely cooperates directly with TRF2 at promoters of a subset of post-meiotic genes to regulate spermiogenesis. Our findings thus provide a new mechanism for cell-type specific transcriptional control involving an interaction between a ‘non-prototypic’ core promoter recognition factor (Trf2) and an orphan TAF subunit (Taf7l) in mammalian testis-specific gene transcription.
Project description:TFIID is a general transcription factor required for transcription of most protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II. TAF7L is an X-linked germ cell-specific paralogue of TAF7, which is a generally expressed component of TFIID. Here we report the generation of Taf7l mutant mice by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells using the Cre-loxP strategy. While spermatogenesis is completed in Taf7l mutant mice, the weight of Taf7l mutant testis is decreased and the amount of sperm in the epididymis is sharply reduced. Mutant epididymal sperm exhibit abnormal morphology including folded tails. Sperm motility is significantly reduced, and Taf7l mutant males are fertile with reduced litter size. Microarray profiling reveals that the abundance of six gene transcripts (including Fscn1) in Taf7l mutant testis decreases by > 2-fold. In particular, FSCN1 is an F-action-bundling protein and thus may be critical for normal sperm morphology and sperm motility. Although deficiency of Taf7l may be compensated in part by Taf7, Taf7l has apparently evolved new specialized functions in the gene-selective transcription in male germ-cell differentiation. Our mouse studies suggest that mutations in human TAF7L gene might be implicated in X-linked oligozoospermia in men. Experiment Overall Design: Mice on C57BL/6J strain background were selected. Testes from Taf7l mutant and wild type littermates at 8-weeks old were dissected.