Article
Cell Biology
You Wu, Xiaocui Xu, Meijie Qi, Chuan Chen, Mengying Li, Rushuang Yan, Xiaochen Kou, Yanhong Zhao, Wenqiang Liu, Yanhe Li, Xuelian Liu, Meiling Zhang, Chengqi Yi, Hongbin Liu, Junhong Xiang, Hong Wang, Bin Shen, Yawei Gao, Shaorong Gao
Summary: The study reveals the unique enrichment and dynamics of m(6)A RNA modifications in mouse oocytes and early embryos, impacting the stability and decay of transcripts. METTL3, an m(6)A methyltransferase, plays a crucial role in depositing m(6)A on two-cell-specific transcripts Zscan4 and MERVL.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Long Cui, Li Fang, Lili Zhuang, Biwei Shi, Chao-Po Lin, Yinghui Ye
Summary: Studies have shown that sperm-borne microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in mammalian preimplantation embryonic development. In humans, miR-34c levels in spermatozoa are correlated with in vitro fertilization outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of embryonic development by miR-34c remain unknown.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander Vietheer, Torvid Kiserud, Oystein Ariansen Haaland, Rolv Terje Lie, Joerg Kessler
Summary: Sleep duration before pregnancy has an impact on fetal development, with differences seen in yolk sac and crown-rump-length measurements in male fetuses but not female fetuses at 7 weeks. These findings suggest a sex- and time-dependent embryonic adaptation to sleep affecting the intrauterine environment in normal pregnancies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Wen-Jie Jiang, Ming-Hong Sun, Xiao-Han Li, Song-Hee Lee, Geun Heo, Dongjie Zhou, Xiang-Shun Cui
Summary: In mammals, E2F4 is an important cell cycle regulator and has been extensively studied for its role in multiple functions, such as cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. However, its role during embryonic development remains poorly understood.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacinta I. Kalisch-Smith, Nikita Ved, Dorota Szumska, Jacob Munro, Michael Troup, Shelley E. Harris, Helena Rodriguez-Caro, Aimee Jacquemot, Jack J. Miller, Eleanor M. Stuart, Magda Wolna, Emily Hardman, Fabrice Prin, Eva Lana-Elola, Rifdat Aoidi, Elizabeth M. C. Fisher, Victor L. J. Tybulewicz, Timothy J. Mohun, Samira Lakhal-Littleton, Sarah De Val, Eleni Giannoulatou, Duncan B. Sparrow
Summary: Congenital heart disease is a common human birth defect with many cases potentially caused by maternal iron deficiency, which can be prevented by iron administration in early pregnancy. Genetic predisposition and environmental factors may interact to impact the development of heart disease.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julio C. Flores, Simone Sidoli, Meelad M. Dawlaty
Summary: Tet2 is a member of the Ten-eleven translocation (Tet1/2/3) family of enzymes and plays a role in DNA demethylation and gene regulation in embryonic stem cells. Its catalytic and noncatalytic functions regulate DNA demethylation and Sin3a recruitment at active enhancers in ESCs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Trisha A. Macrae, Miguel Ramalho-Santos
Summary: The study reveals a regulatory axis between the deubiquitinase Usp9x and PRC2 that is critical for self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells. Different levels of Usp9x lead to distinct chromatin and transcriptional patterns in ES cells, reminiscent of different developmental stages. Deletion of Usp9x in post-implantation embryos results in derepression of genes and morphological abnormalities, suggesting a crucial role of Usp9x-PRC2 axis in development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dominik Muehlen, Xiaojuan Li, Oleksandr Dovgusha, Herbert Jaeckle, Ufuk Guenesdogan
Summary: Epigenetic inheritance during DNA replication requires the assembly of nucleosomes from parental and newly synthesized histones. Lack of new histone synthesis leads to accessible chromatin, reduced nucleosome occupancy, and up-regulated and spurious transcription. However, the positions of modified parental histones are largely restored during DNA replication, suggesting recycling of parental histones to preserve the epigenetic landscape.
Article
Cell Biology
Bianca A. Ulloa, Samima S. Habbsa, Kathryn S. Potts, Alana Lewis, Mia McKinstry, Sara G. Payne, Julio C. Flores, Anastasia Nizhnik, Maria Feliz Norberto, Christian Mosimann, Teresa Bowman
Summary: By using single-cell transcriptomics and lineage-tracing approaches, it was found that nascent HSCs have self-renewal capabilities but display differentiation latency, while HSC-independent embryonic progenitors can sustain hematopoiesis during development.
Article
Cell Biology
Lei Luo, Yanna Dang, Yan Shi, Panpan Zhao, Yunhai Zhang, Kun Zhang
Summary: SIN3A is a central scaffold protein involved in the regulation of HDAC1 expression during early embryonic development in mammals. The maternal origin of SIN3A was confirmed in pigs, cattle, mice, and humans, with its depletion causing developmental arrest in pigs but not in bovines. Furthermore, SIN3A affects CCNB1 expression, which is crucial for embryonic development, and can be partially rescued by exogenous CCNB1 mRNA injection.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Oshrit Lebovitz, Mediea Michaeli, Nardin Aslih, Diana Poltov, Daniela Estrada, Yuval Atzmon, Einat Shalom-Paz
Summary: This study evaluated the differences in cleavage stage of embryos in young versus advanced maternal age women, as well as the early embryonic development of embryos resulting in pregnancy versus no pregnancy. The results showed that embryos from younger women cleaved faster, and those resulting in pregnancy developed faster. Embryos that did not result in pregnancy had slower development, especially in older women.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Polina Tikhonova, Iulia Pavlova, Ekaterina Isaakova, Vladimir Tsvetkov, Alexandra Bogomazova, Tatjana Vedekhina, Artem Luzhin, Rinat Sultanov, Vjacheslav Severov, Ksenia Klimina, Omar L. Kantidze, Galina Pozmogova, Maria Lagarkova, Anna Varizhuk
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the role of G-quadruplexes (G4s) in CTCF positioning, revealing both direct interactions between G4s and CTCF, as well as the facilitation of CTCF recruitment to CGIs by protecting CpG sites from methylation. Additionally, G4s were found to affect chromatin structure and thereby regulate CTCF recruitment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuyan Ji, Fengling Chen, Paula Stein, Jiacheng Wang, Ziming Zhou, Lijuan Wang, Qing Zhao, Zili Lin, Bofeng Liu, Kai Xu, Fangnong Lai, Zhuqing Xiong, Xiaoyu Hu, Tianxiang Kong, Feng Kong, Bo Huang, Qiujun Wang, Qianhua Xu, Qiang Fan, Ling Liu, Carmen J. Williams, Richard M. Schultz, Wei Xie
Summary: OBOX, a PRD-like homeobox domain transcription factor family, is a key regulator of mouse zygotic genome activation and early embryogenesis. OBOX facilitates RNA polymerase II preconfiguration, leading to the transition of gene expression during early embryonic development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Satoshi Nunomura, Yasuhiro Nanri, Veronique Lefebvre, Kenji Izuhara
Summary: SOX11 deficiency in epithelial cells impairs the extension of the leading edge of eyelids, resulting in embryonic eyelid closure failure. The transcription factor c-Jun downstream of FGF10 is required for this extension and its levels are decreased in SOX11-deficient embryos.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
David C. Klein, Santana M. Lardo, Kurtis N. McCannell, Sarah J. Hainer
Summary: The FACT complex maintains cellular pluripotency by regulating nucleosome positioning and transcription activity. FACT interacts with genes such as OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG, binding to both promoter and enhancer elements, and regulates their transcription and expression, thereby influencing cell fate decisions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Long-Wen Zhao, Ye-Zhang Zhu, Hao Chen, Yun-Wen Wu, Shuai-Bo Pi, Lu Chen, Li Shen, Heng-Yu Fan
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qian-Qian Sha, Wei Zheng, Yun-Wen Wu, Sen Li, Lei Guo, Shuoping Zhang, Ge Lin, Xiang-Hong Ou, Heng-Yu Fan
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qian-Qian Sha, Ye-Zhang Zhu, Yunlong Xiang, Jia-Li Yu, Xiao-Ying Fan, Yan-Chu Li, Yun-Wen Wu, Li Shen, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: This study reveals that the knockout of Cxxc1 decreases H3K4me3 levels and affects chromatin configurations, DNA methylation levels, and the distribution of other epigenetic factors. Cxxc1 and MLL2 have distinct roles in mediating H3K4 trimethylation during oogenesis, with Cxxc1 deletion causing a decrease in DNA methylation levels and changes in the epigenetic network. The findings suggest a correlation between epigenetic changes and transcriptional alterations in oocytes with deleted Cxxc1.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Long-Wen Zhao, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: Post-transcriptional regulation in gametes faces a unique challenge, with gene expression during gamete maturation and early cleavage dependent on existing mRNA coordination. Poly(A) tails and poly(A)-binding proteins (PABPs) play crucial roles in defining mRNA fate during this process, with distinct groups of PABPs lacking catalytic activity but involved in diverse roles through interactions with multifunctional partners. Current research focuses on understanding how germ cell-specific expressed PABPs potentially impact human fertility.
Article
Developmental Biology
Yerong Ma, Weijie Yang, Peipei Ren, Xiang Li, Jiamin Jin, Yongdong Dai, Yibin Pan, Lingling Jiang, Hengyu Fan, Yinli Zhang, Songying Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrated that LPA can improve oocyte quality during IVM by activating the ERK1/2 pathway in CCs and oocytes, suggesting the potential benefit of adding LPA to the IVM medium.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun-Chao Jiang, Hua Zhang, Lan-Rui Cao, Xing-Xing Dai, Long-Wen Zhao, Hong-Bin Liu, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: The study identified PAP alpha as the enzyme responsible for cytoplasmic mRNA polyadenylation in mouse oocytes, showing its crucial role in meiotic cell cycle progression. The activation of PAP alpha through phosphorylation by CDK1 and ERK1/2 enhances mRNA translation and polyadenylation, leading to improved meiotic cell cycle progression.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Ke Wu, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: Putative RNA-binding proteins, ZAR1 and ZAR2, have been identified as maternal factors involved in oogenesis and embryogenesis. The C-terminus of ZAR proteins, with a conserved CxxC structure, is reported to be the functional domain. ZAR proteins bind to maternal transcripts and inhibit translation in immature growing oocytes, but promote translation in fully grown mouse oocytes. Recent studies also suggest their involvement in tumorigenesis.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Long-Wen Zhao, Ye-Zhang Zhu, Yun-Wen Wu, Shuai-Bo Pi, Li Shen, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: This study identified the nuclear poly(A) binding protein 1 (PABPN1) as a crucial factor for maternal mRNA decay and revealed its cytoplasmic function in early embryonic development. Depletion of PABPN1 in mice resulted in developmental arrest and mortality at the preimplantation stage, with a failure to remove maternal mRNAs via the Z-decay pathway. PABPN1-mediated Z-decay plays a key role in major zygotic genome activation and regulates the expression of cell fate-determining factors in mouse preimplantation embryos.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Xing-Xing Dai, Zhi-Yan Jiang, Yun-Wen Wu, Qian-Qian Sha, Yang Liu, Jia-Yi Ding, Wen-Dong Xi, Jing Li, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: This study demonstrates that CNOT6/6L functions as key effectors of FSH in granulosa cells, triggering the clearance of specific transcripts during the transition from preantral to antral follicles. FSH modulates granulosa cell function by not only inducing de novo gene transcription, but also by stimulating selective translational activation and degradation of existing mRNAs. The research provides evidence that CNOT6/6L-mediated mRNA deadenylation is essential for female reproductive endocrine regulation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan Rong, Ye-Zhang Zhu, Jia-li Yu, Yun-Wen Wu, Shu-Yan Ji, Yong Zhou, Yu Jiang, Jin Jin, Heng-Yu Fan, Li Shen, Qian-Qian Sha
Summary: During maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) in mice, the dynamic distribution of H2AK119ub1 is regulated by an USP16-dependent mechanism. USP16 is identified as the major deubiquitinase for H2AK119ub1 in mouse oocytes. Oocytes lacking USP16 have defects in zygotic genome activation and developmental competence after fertilization.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yun-Wen Wu, Sen Li, Wei Zheng, Yan-Chu Li, Lu Chen, Yong Zhou, Zuo-Qi Deng, Ge Lin, Heng-Yu Fan, Qian-Qian Sha
Summary: The decrease in oocyte developmental potential in women of advanced age is influenced by age-related epigenetic modifications and dynamic transcriptome changes. This study investigates the decreased storage of key factor-encoding transcripts and impaired mRNA clearance in aged oocytes, along with a decrease in histone H3K4 trimethylation. Furthermore, the knockout of the CXXC1 gene results in accelerated aging and impaired oocyte development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yun-Wen Wu, Sen Li, Wei Zheng, Yan-Chu Li, Lu Chen, Yong Zhou, Zuo-Qi Deng, Ge Lin, Heng-Yu Fan, Qian-Qian Sha
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xing -Xing Dai, Shuai-Bo Pi, Long -Wen Zhao, Yun-Wen Wu, Jing-Ling Shen, Song-Ying Zhang, Qian-Qian Sha, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: This study reveals the formation of non-membrane-bound nuclear poly(A) domains (NPAD) as the hub for newly transcribed mRNA in developing mouse oocytes. These NPAD are essential for the development of oocytes and female reproduction.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jue Zhang, Shuai-Bo Pi, Nan Zhang, Jing Guo, Wei Zheng, Lizhi Leng, Ge Lin, Heng-Yu Fan
Summary: This study explores the impact of the zygotic gene BZW1 on start codon stringency, revealing its crucial role in regulating early embryonic development in mice by restricting non-AUG translational initiation to promote protein synthesis. The findings highlight the importance of translational efficiency and codon stringency in gene expression during preimplantation development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Shao-Yuan Liu, Yan-Chu Li, Xin-Yi Tian, Yong Zhou, Kang-Ping Guo, Heng-Yu Fan, Xing-Wei Liang, Xiang-Hong Ou, Qian-Qian Sha
Summary: In this study, a new type of recombinant FSH (KN015) with a prolonged half-life is proposed as an alternative to canonical FSH. KN015 supports the in vitro development of mouse follicles from primary to preovulatory stage with higher efficiency than canonical FSH and enhances post-fertilization development rates of the ovulated oocytes. The findings of this study provide new transcriptome data for oocyte and granulosa cells at the key stages of follicle development, and should help to widen the use of KN015 as a valid and commercially available hormonal support enabling optimized in vitro development of follicles and oocytes.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
