Completion of mouse embryogenesis requires both the maternal and paternal genomes

Transplantation of pronuclei between one-cell-stage embryos was used to construct diploid mouse embryos with two female pronuclei ( biparental gynogenones ) or two male pronuclei ( biparental androgenones ). The ability of these embryos to develop to term was compared with control nuclear-transplant embryos in which the male or the female pronucleus was replaced with an isoparental pronucleus from another embryo. The results show that diploid biparental gynogenetic and androgenetic embryos do not complete normal embryogenesis, whereas control nuclear transplant embryos do. We conclude that the maternal and paternal contributions to the embryonic genome in mammals are not equivalent and that a diploid genome derived from only one of the two parental sexes is incapable of supporting complete embryogenesis.     

Diploid mouse embryos constructed at the late 2-cell stage from haploid parthenotes and androgenotes can develop to term

Male and female gamete nuclei are required to ensure the full-term development of the mouse embryo. Differential expression of the two genomes has been proposed as the basis for this requirement. In order to investigate whether some interactions between the paternal and the maternal genomes are essential before or at the time of the activation of the embryonic genome, we have constructed diploid embryos from haploid parthenotes and androgenotes at the late 2-cell stage. These embryos developed to term into normal offsprings. This shows that the male and the female genomes can be activated separately and are still able to ensure complete development when put together in cytoplasm synchronized with the nuclei. These experiments also show that the egg cytoplasm does not need any male contribution before the late 2-cell stage.     

Ratio of the zygote cytoplasm to the paternal genome affects the reprogramming and developmental efficiency of androgenetic embryos

Uniparental embryos have uniparental genomes and are very useful models for studying the specific gene expression of parents or for exploring the biological significance of genomic imprinting in mammals. However, the early developmental efficiency of androgenetic embryos is significantly lower than that of parthenogenetic embryos. In addition, oocytes are able to reprogram sperm nuclei after fertilization to guarantee embryonic development by maternally derived reprogramming factors, which accumulate during oogenesis. However, the importance of maternal material in the efficiency of reprogramming the pronucleus of androgenetic embryos is not known. In this study, androgenetic embryos were constructed artificially by pronucleus transfer (PT) or double sperm injection (DS). Compared with DS embryos, PT embryos that were derived from two zygotes contained more maternal material, like 10–11 translocation methylcytosine deoxygenase 3 (Tet3) and histone variant 3.3 (H3.3). Our experiments confirmed the better developmental potential of PT embryos, which had higher blastocyst rates, a stronger expression of pluripotent genes, a lower expression of apoptotic genes, and superior blastocyst quality. Our findings indicate that the aggregation of more maternal materials in the paternal pronucleus facilitate the reprogramming of the paternal genome, improving embryonic development in PT androgenesis.     

Two unisexual artificial polyploid clones constructed by genome addition of common carp (Cyprinus carp) and crucian carp (Carassius auratus)

The application of hybrid vigor and crossbreeding is conventional and proved effective. Nevertheless, the phenotype of the progeny of hybrids, which carry hybrid vigor and produce their offspring through bisexual reproduction, will segregate inevitably and their hybrid vigor will de-crease in subsequent generations. The more serious consequence might result in destroying com-pletely those endemic populations when hybrids are released into open water bodies, because hy-brids will cross with the…     

Two unisexual artificial polyploid clones constructed by genome addition of common carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carp</Emphasis>) and crucian carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carassius auratus</Emphasis>)

A polyploid hybrid fish with natural gynogenesis can prevent segregation and maintain their hybrid vigor in their progenies. Supposing the reproduction mode of induced polyploid fish being natural gynogenesis, allopolyploid hybrid between common carp and crucian carp into allopolyploid was performed. The purpose of this paper is to describe a lineage from sexual diploid carp transforming into allotriploid and allotetraploid unisexual clones by genome addition. The diploid hybrid between common carp and crucian carp reproduces an unreduced nucleus consisting of two parental genomes. This unreduced female pronucleus will fuse with male pronucleus and form allotriploid zygote after penetration of related species sperms. Allotriploid embryos grow normally, and part of female allotriploid can produce unreduced mature ova with three genomes. Mature ova of most allotriploid females are provided with natural gynogenetic trait and their nuclei do not fuse with any entrance sperm. All female offspring are produced by gynogenesis of allotriploid egg under activation of penetrating sperms. These offspring maintain morphological traits of their allotriploid maternal and form an allotetraploid unisexual clone by gynogenetic reproduction mode. However, female nuclei of rare allotriploid female can fuse with penetrating male pronuclei and result in the appearance of allotetraploid individuals by means of genome addition. All allotetraploid females can reproduce unreduced mature eggs containing four genomes. Therefore, mature eggs of allotetraploid maintain gynogenetic trait and allotetraploid unisexual clone is produced under activation of related species sperms.     

Participation of the paternal genome is not required before the eight-cell stage for full-term development of mouse embryos

Differential expression of the paternal and maternal genomes during mouse embryonic development is considered a reason for both genomes being required for development to term. Extending previous studies performed on two-cell embryos, we show here that diploid embryos reconstituted at the four-cell stage from uniparental haploid blastomeres can produce living offspring. This result shows that for normal development to occur, a paternal genome does not need to be associated with a maternal genome within the same nucleus before the eight-cell stage.     

Epigenetic asymmetry in the mammalian zygote and early embryo: relationship to lineage commitment?

Epigenetic asymmetry between parental genomes and embryonic lineages exists at the earliest stages of mammalian development. The maternal genome in the zygote is highly methylated in both its DNA and its histones and most imprinted genes have maternal germline methylation imprints. The paternal genome is rapidly remodelled with protamine removal, addition of acetylated histones, and rapid demethylation of DNA before replication. A minority of imprinted genes have paternal germline methylation imprints. Methylation and chromatin reprogramming continues during cleavage divisions, but at the blastocyst stage lineage commitment to inner cell mass (ICM) or trophectoderm (TE) fate is accompanied by a dramatic increase in DNA and histone methylation, predominantly in the ICM. This may set up major epigenetic differences between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, including in X-chromosome inactivation and perhaps imprinting. Maintaining epigenetic asymmetry appears important for development as asymmetry is lost in cloned embryos, most of which have developmental defects, and in particular an imbalance between extraembryonic and embryonic tissue development.     

斑马鱼母源因子在胚胎发育中的作用

动物受精时,精子主要是将雄原核释放到卵子中,形成的合子中雌、雄原核融合为合子核,但受精卵基因组在前几次有丝分裂过程中不转录,合理的逻辑性推测是其早期发育完全依赖于卵质中储存的RNA和蛋白质,即母源因子.上世纪80年代对无脊椎动物的正向遗传研究发现,母源因子在卵子和胚胎极性的决定、早期胚胎的图式形成等方面发挥了决定性作用.过去10多年来,通过对斑马鱼和小鼠突变体的研究,也证明母源因子在脊椎动物胚胎早期发育中起着重要作用.本文主要综述斑马鱼母源因子在卵母细胞的极性、卵子的激活、早期细胞分裂、母源mRNA的清除、合子基因转录激活以及胚层的形成和分化、体轴的建立等方面的作用,相关知识对于研究人类生育障碍和先天性疾病的发生机制和诊治有借鉴意义.     

Epigenetic reprogramming of the genome--from the germ line to the embryo and back again.

Mammalian parental genomes are not functionally equivalent, and both a maternal and paternal contribution is required for normal development. The differences between the parental genomes are the result of genomic imprinting--a form of gene regulation that results in monoallelic expression of imprinted genes. Cis-regulatory elements at imprinted loci are responsible for directing allele-specific epigenetic marks required for correct gene expression. This cis information must be interpreted at various points in development, including in the germline where existing imprints are erased and reset. Imprints must also be maintained during preimplantation development, when the genome undergoes dramatic global epigenetic changes.     

Histone methylation defines epigenetic asymmetry in the mouse zygote

The oocyte cytoplasm regulates and enhances the epigenetic asymmetry between parental genomes and, consequently, functional differences observed between them during development in mammals. Here we demonstrate a preferential interaction of HP1beta with the maternal genome immediately after fertilisation in the mouse zygote, which also shows a high level of lysine 9-methylated histone H3. In contrast, the paternal genome has neither HP1beta binding nor methylated histone H3 at these early stages. Paternal binding of HP1beta is only detected at the pronuclear stage, prior to the appearance of lysine 9-methylated histone H3. The early recruitment of heterochromatic factors specifically to the maternal genome could explain the preferential DNA demethylation of the paternal genome in the zygote.     

Differential dynamics of histone H3 methylation at positions K4 and K9 in the mouse zygote

Background  

In the mouse zygote the paternal genome undergoes dramatic structural and epigenetic changes. Chromosomes are decondensed, protamines replaced by histones and DNA is rapidly and actively demethylated. The epigenetic asymmetry between parental genomes remains at least until the 2-cell stage suggesting functional differences between paternal and maternal genomes during early cleavage stages.