Project description:Maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) is a conserved and fundamental process during which the maternal environment of oocyte transits to the zygotic genome driven expression program, and terminally differentiated oocyte and sperm are reprogrammed to totipotency. It is initiated by maternal mRNAs and proteins during the period of zygotic genome quiescence after fertilization, followed by a gradual switch to zygotic genome activation and accompanied by clearance of maternal RNAs and proteins. A key question for embryonic development is how MZT process is regulated. Here we used a low-input proteomic analysis to measure the proteomic dynamics during early development of mouse maternal-to-zygotic transition.
Project description:Maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) is a conserved and fundamental process during which the maternal environment of oocyte transits to the zygotic genome driven expression program, and terminally differentiated oocyte and sperm are reprogrammed to totipotency. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes and zygotes (one-cell embryo) serve as the mature oocyte and the initiation of pre-implantation embryo development respectively, and characterizing their molecular landscapes at protein levels plays an important role in uncovering MZT and zygotic genome activation (ZGA )in mammals. Here we used an ultrasensitive proteomic approach to depict an in-depth landscape for the very early stage of mouse MZT.
Project description:We generated maternal and paternal mouse models with Yap1-deletion, and elucidated the function of maternal YAP in zygotic genome activation.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is essential for early embryonic development. However, the regulation of ZGA remains elusive in mammals. Here we report that a maternal factor TDP-43, a nuclear transactive response DNA-binding protein, regulates ZGA through RNA Pol II and is essential for mouse early embryogenesis. Maternal TDP-43 translocates from the cytoplasm into the nucleus at the early two-cell stage when minor to major ZGA transition occurs. Genetic deletion of maternal TDP-43 results in mouse early embryos arrested at late two-cell stage and female infertile. TDP-43 co-occupies with RNA Pol II as large foci in the nucleus and also at the promoters of ZGA genes at the late two-cell stage. Biochemical evidence indicates that TDP-43 binds Polr2a and Cyclin T1. Depletion of maternal TDP-43 caused the loss of Pol II foci and reduced Pol II binding on chromatin at major ZGA genes, accompanied by defective ZGA. Collectively, our results suggest that maternal TDP-43 is critical for mouse early embryonic development, in part through facilitating the correct RNA Pol II configuration and zygotic genome activation.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.
Project description:Zygotic gene expression programs control cell differentiation in vertebrate development. In Xenopus, these programs are initiated by local induction of regulatory genes through maternal signaling activities in the wake of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) at the midblastula transition (MBT). These programs lay down the vertebrate body plan through gastrulation and neurulation, and are accompanied by massive changes in chromatin structure, which increasingly constrain cellular plasticity. Here we report on developmental functions for Brahma related gene 1 (BRG1), a key component of embryonic SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. Carefully controlled, global BRG1 protein depletion in X. tropicalis and X. laevis leads to embryonic lethality from gastrulation on, similar to BRG1-/- mice. Transcriptome analysis at late blastula, before development becomes arrested, indicates predominantly a role for BRG1 in transcriptional activation of a limited set of genes involved in pattern specification processes and nervous system development. Mosaic analysis by targeted microinjection defines BRG1 as an essential amplifier of gene expression in dorsal (BCNE and Nieuwkoop centers) and ventral (BMP/Vent) signaling centers. By tissue transplantation, we define BRG1-dependent activation of chordin (chrd) transcription in the prospective neural plate (BCNE region) as an essential step in head formation. BRG1-sensitive genes are typically characterized by a robust burst of transcription at MBT. These results define a systemic function for BRG1-containing SWI/SNF chromatin remodelers as a transcriptional amplifier of the gene network that initiates embryonic patterning.