哺乳动物X染色体失活机制

哺乳动物X染色体连锁基因的剂量平衡,是通过雌性胚胎发育早期随机或印记失活一条X染色体来实现的,这是一个复杂的过程,包括：启动、计数、选择、维持等一系列的步骤。X染色体失活中心是X染色体失活的主控开关座位,调节X失活的早期事件,失活发生后,X染色体的失活状态可稳定地存在并传递给后代,这一过程涉及基因组印记的形成。此外,在雄性动物,精原细胞减数分裂早期也存在着短暂的X染色体失活现象。现对哺乳动物X染色体失活机制的最新进展进行综述。     

基因组印记中的长非编码RNA

长非编码RNA(lnc RNA)是长度大于200 bp的一类非编码蛋白的RNA,因其在基因组中含量巨大以及重要的生物学功能引起了学术界的广泛关注.基因组印记是一种表观遗传现象,lnc RNAs通过建立靶基因的印记而发挥重要的生物功能.基因组印记可以用来研究lnc RNAs在转录和转录后水平调控基因表达的分子机制.本文选取6个印记机制研究比较透彻的印记区域,包括Kcnq1/Cdkn1c、Igf2r/Airn、Prader-Willi(PWS)/Angelman(AS)、Snurf/Snrpn、Dlk1-Dio3和H19/Igf2.通过介绍包括基因间lnc RNAs(H19、Ipw和Meg3)、反义lnc RNAs(Kcnq1ot1、Airn、Ube3a-ATS)和增强子lnc RNAs(IG-DMR e RNAs)在内的3种类型lnc RNAs在印记调控中的作用,从而了解lnc RNAs通过顺式或(/和)反式作用多种机制调控亲本特异性靶基因的表达.了解印记基因簇中lnc RNAs的作用方式将有助于我们揭示lnc RNAs在整个基因组中的作用机制.     

Genomic Imprinting and Problem of Parthenogenesis in Mammals

Genomic imprinting belongs by its nature to problems of epigenetics, which studies hereditary changes in gene expression not related to defective sequences of DNA nucleotides. Epigenetic mechanisms of control, including genomic imprinting, are involved in many processes of normal and pathological development of humans and animals. Disturbances of genomic imprinting may lead to various consequences, such as formation of developmental anomalies and syndromes in humans, appearance of the large offspring syndrome and increased mortality upon cloning of mammals, and death of parthenogenetic embryos soon after implantation and beginning of organogenesis. The death of diploid parthenogenetic or androgenetic mammalian embryos is determined by the absence of expression of the genes of imprinted loci of the maternal or paternal genome, which leads to significant defects in development of tissues and organs. A review is provided of the studies aimed at search of possible normalization of misbalanced gene activity and modulation of genomic imprinting effects during parthenogenetic development in mammals.__________Translated from Ontogenez, Vol. 36, No. 4, 2005, pp. 300–309.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Platonov.     

Genomic imprinting: male mice with uniparentally derived sex chromosomes

Although it has been known that there is an X-chromosome imprinting effect during early embryogenesis in female mammals, it remains unknown if parental origin of the X chromosome has an effect in males. Furthermore, it has not been possible to produce animals with normal sex chromosomes of uniparental origin to further evaluate such imprinting effects. We have devised a breeding scheme to produce male mice, designated XPYP males, in which both the X and Y chromosomes are paternally inherited. To our knowledge, these are the first mammals produced that have a normal sex chromosome constitution but with both sex chromosomes derived from one parent. Development and reproduction in these XPYP males and the sex ratio and chromosome constitution of their offspring appeared normal; thus there is no apparent effect in males of having both sex chromosomes derive from one parent or of having the X chromosome derived from an inappropriate parent. Although we have detected no X-chromosome imprinting effect in these males, evidence from other sources suggest that the X chromosome is parentally imprinted. Thus detection and definition of an imprint can depend on the assay used.     

De novo DNA methylation independent establishment of maternal imprint on X chromosome in mouse oocytes

In female mouse embryos, the paternal X chromosome (Xp) is preferentially inactivated during preimplantation development and trophoblast differentiation. This imprinted X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is partly due to an activating imprint on the maternal X chromosome (Xm), which is set during oocyte growth. However, the nature of this imprint is unknown. DNA methylation is one candidate, and therefore we examined whether disruptions of the two de novo DNA methyltransferases in growing oocytes affect imprinted XCI. We found that accumulation of histone H3 lysine-27 trimethylation, a hallmark of XCI, occurs normally on the Xp, and not on the Xm, in female blastocysts developed from the mutant oocytes. Furthermore, the allelic expression patterns of X-linked genes including Xist and Tsix were unchanged in preimplantation embryos and also in the trophoblast. These results show that a maternal disruption of the DNA methyltransferases has no effect on imprinted XCI and argue that de novo DNA methylation is dispensable for Xm imprinting. This underscores the difference between imprinted XCI and autosomal imprinting.     

DXS6804/DXS9896/GATA144D04基因座在中国汉族群体中的遗传多态性及其法医学应用Genetic

为了调查X染色体上DXS6804、DXS9896和 GATA144D04等3个STR基因座在中国汉族群体的遗传多态性及其法医学应用价值,来用PCR和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳对X染色体3个STR基因座进行分型,并检验女性基因型频率分布是否符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡,计算法医学常用各种概率。DXS6804、DXS9896和 GATA144D04的非父排除率分别为0.5990、0.6220、0.4280,表明3个STR基因座在中国汉族群体均具有遗传多态性,χ2检验表明女性的基因型频率分布符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡。X染色体上的基因座DXS6804、DXS9896和 GATA144D04在中国汉族群体中具有较高的遗传多态性,可应用于法医学检验和群体遗传学分析。 Abstract： To investigate the genetic polymorphisms of three short tandem repeats loci of chromosome X in Chinese Han population in Chengdu area and its use in forensic science. Three X-chromosome linked short tandom repeat loci were analyzed by PCR followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested and forensic interested value was calculated .The power of exlcution of DXS6804、DXS9896和 GATA144D04 is 0.5990、0.6220、0.4280,respectively. The result showed that all the three STR loci were polymorphic among 100 unrelated females and 120 unrelated males from Chinese Han population. χ2 tests demonstrated that genotype frequencies in females did not depart from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Three X-chromosome linked short tandem repeat loci have high polymorphism, they can be applied to forensic medicine and population genetics.     

DXS6804/DXS9896/GATA144D04基因座在中国汉族群体中的遗传多态性及其法医学应用

为了调查X染色体上DXS6804、DXS9896和GATA144D04等3个STR基因座在中国汉族群体的遗传多态性及其法医学应用价值,来用PCR和聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳对X染色体3个STR基因座进行分型,并检验女性基因型频率分布是否符合Hardy Weinberg平衡,计算法医学常用各种概率。DXS6804、DXS9896和GATA144D04的非父排除率分别为0 5990、0 6220、0 4280,表明3个STR基因座在中国汉族群体均具有遗传多态性,χ2检验表明女性的基因型频率分布符合Hardy Weinberg平衡。X染色体上的基因座DXS6804、DXS9896和GATA144D04在中国汉族群体中具有较高的遗传多态性,可应用于法医学检验和群体遗传学分析。     

Different Influences of Genomic Imprinting on the Development of Parthenogenetic Cell Clones in C57BL/6 and CBA Mice

Clonal analysis of parthenogenetic chimeric mouse embryos C57BL/6(PG) BALB/c has shown that parthenogenetic cell clones C57BL/6 are present in the brain, liver, and kidneys of 14- and 18-day-old embryos. The content of the parthenogenetic component (PG) in these organs on day 18 was lower than on day 14, and, in some 18-day-old embryos, parthenogenetic cell clones were absent from the liver and/or kidneys. These data suggest that, during the embryogenesis of parthenogenetic chimeras, parthenogenetic cell clones of mostly endodermal and mesodermal origins were actively eliminated. Therefore, in such parthenogenetic adult chimeras, parthenogenetic clones of mostly ectodermal origins were preserved. In parthenogenetic chimeras CBA(PG) BALB/c, parthenogenetic cell clones were actively eliminated at early embryonic stages, and, as a result, they were absent at the post-implantation stages. Hence, during development of parthenogenetic cell clones, the effects of genomic imprinting are expressed unequally in C57BL/6 and CBA mice.     

Genomic Imprinting As a Window into Human Language Evolution

Humans spend large portions of their time and energy talking to one another, yet it remains unclear whether this activity is primarily selfish or altruistic. Here, it is shown how parent‐of‐origin specific gene expression—or “genomic imprinting”—may provide an answer to this question. First, it is shown why, regarding language, only altruistic or selfish scenarios are expected. Second, it is pointed out that an individual's maternal‐origin and paternal‐origin genes may have different evolutionary interests regarding investment into language, and that this intragenomic conflict may drive genomic imprinting which—as the direction of imprint depends upon whether investment into language is relatively selfish or altruistic—may be used to discriminate between these two possibilities. Third, predictions concerning the impact of various mutations and epimutations at imprinted loci on language pathologies are derived. In doing so, a framework is developed that highlights avenues for using intragenomic conflicts to investigate the evolutionary drivers of language.     

孤雌胚胎干细胞基因印迹及X染色体失活状态初步研究

目的:研究孤雌胚胎干细胞(phESC)与受精卵来源胚胎干细胞(hESC)在印迹基因表达、X染色体失活等方面的异同。方法:运用实时荧光相对定量PCR、甲基化特异性PCR和免疫荧光染色等方法检测phESC与hESC在父系印迹基因IGF2R,母系印迹基因SNRPN,IGF2相对表达量及X染色体失活状态。结果:①母系印迹基因SNRPN,IGF2在phESC细胞中不表达,而父系印迹基因IGF2R表达量则相对于hESC有近2倍的上调;②XIST基因在第35代phESC细胞中没有表达,意味着早期的phESC没有进行X染色体失活,而到了第55代,XIST基因开始表达并随着分化时间的延长表达量逐渐上调;③XIST启动子甲基化状态及组蛋白H3赖氨酸27三甲基化免疫荧光染色阳性证实phESC在长期培养后启动了X染色体失活。结论:phESC的X染色体失活状态在培养过程中存在不稳定的情况,建议对phESC进行更深入的表观遗传稳定性研究,以确保这种细胞未来安全、高效的应用。     

Trophectoderm-specific expression of the X-linked Bex1/Rex3 gene in preimplantation stage mouse embryos

The Bex1/Rex3 gene was recently identified as an X-linked gene that is differentially expressed between parthenogenetic and normal fertilized, preimplantation stage mouse embryos. The Bex1/Rex3 gene appears to be expressed preferentially from the maternal X chromosome in blastocysts, but from either X chromosome in later stage embryonic tissues and adult tissues. To investigate whether differential expression of the Bex1/Rex3 gene between normal and parthenogenetic blastocyst stage embryos reflects genomic imprinting at the Bex1/Rex3 locus itself, or instead is the result of preferential inactivation of the paternal X chromosome or differences in timing of cellular differentiation, we examined in detail the expression pattern of the Bex1/Rex3 mRNA in normal preimplantation stage embryos, and compared its expression between androgenetic, gynogenetic, and normal fertilized embryos. Expression data reveal that the Bex1/Rex3 gene is initially transcribed at the 2-cell stage, transiently induced at the 8-cell stage, and then increases in expression again at the blastocyst stage. Very little expression is observed in isolated inner cell masses, indicating selective expression in the trophectoderm. Comparisons of Bex1/Rex3 mRNA expression between male and female androgenetic and control embryos and gynogenetic embros failed to reveal any significant difference in expression between the different classes of embryos at the 8-cell stage, or the expanding blastocyst stage (121 hr post-hCG). At the late blastocyst stage (141 hr post-hCG), expression was significantly lower in XY control embryos as compared with XX controls. Bex1/Rex3 mRNA expression did not differ between XX and XY androgenones at the blastocyst stage or between gynogenones and XX control embryos. Thus, the Bex1/Rex3 gene does not appear to be regulated directly by genomic imprinting during the preimplantation period, just as it is not regulated by imprinting at later stages. Apparent differences in gene expression may arise through the effects of trophectoderm-specific expression coupled with differences in timing of trophectoderm differentiation between the different classes of embryos and effects of preferential paternal X chromosome inactivation (XCI).     

Replication Timing Properties within the Mouse Distal Chromosome 7 Imprinting Cluster

Genomic imprinting is characterized by allele-specific expression of genes within chromosomal domains. Here we show, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, that the large chromosomal domain of the mouse distal chromosome 7 imprinting cluster, approximately 1 Mb in length between p57^Kip2 and H19 genes, replicates asynchronously between the two alleles during S-phase. At the telomeric side of this domain, we found a transition from asynchronous replication at the imprinted p57^Kip2 gene to synchronous replication at the Nap2 gene. Two-color FISH suggested that the paternal allele of this whole domain replicates earlier than its maternal allele. Treatment of the cells with a histone deacetylase inhibitor abolished this allele-specific feature accompanied with accelerated replication of the later-replicating allele at a domain level. Allele-specific asynchronous replication was observed even in ES cells. These results suggest that this imprinting cluster consists of a large replication domain which is already found at the early stage in development.     

X染色体的DNA序列结构不同于6、7、8、10、11、12号染色体

雌性哺乳动物X染色体上的大部分基因均因X染色体失活作用而失去表达能力 ,X染色体长臂表现失活更明显。虽然对X染色体失活的许多方面都有所了解 ,但是仍然不清楚失活信号沿着X染色体全长扩散的机制。为了了解X染色体是否有不同于其他染色体的基因组学特征 ,这些特征是否关系到X染色体的失活扩散和维持 ,分析 6、7、8、1 0、1 1、1 2号染色体和X染色体DNA序列 7碱基 (7nt)组合水平的结构是否显示差异。从NCBI基因库(http :∥www .ncbi.nlm .nih .gov genome guide)下载 7条染色体长臂各 6 0Mb区域。将这 6 0Mb区域分为 0 5Mb (或 5 0kb)一段 ,对每一段DNA做 7nt字符串组合分析 ,如 1～ 7,2～ 8,3～ 9…… ,记录每种 7nt字符串的频率 ,A、C、G和T4个硷基的 7nt字符串共有 4 7=1 6 384种组合。根据数字差异显示的结果 (http :∥www .ncbi.nlm .nih .gov genome guide) ,选择在扁桃腺生发中心B细胞中高表达的基因 70个 ,用以计算所有内含子 (有义链 )的 7nt频率值。每个内含子被记录为一组 7nt频率值 ,求和相同基因中的所有内含子相同 7nt字符串的频率值 ,再用该和乘以该基因的表达频率得该基因 7nt字符串的频率值 ,求和 70个基因的 7nt字符串的频率值称做intron 7nt,该值试图模拟细胞中RNA小片段的总和。     

A linkage map of sheep chromosome X (OARX) aligned to human chromosome X (HSAX)

We have constructed a genetic linkage map of the sheep X chromosome (OARX) containing 22 new gene loci from across the human X chromosome (HSAX). The female OARX linkage map has a total length of 152.6 cM with average gene spacing of 5.5 cM. Comparison with HSAX confirms one previously reported major breakpoint and inversion, and other minor rearrangements between OARX and HSAX. Comparison of the linkage map with sheep sequence data OAR 1.0 reveals a different arrangement of markers on the q arm, which may more accurately reflect the genuine arrangement of this region.     

Finding the Factors of Reduced Genetic Diversity on X Chromosomes of Macaca fascicularis: Male-Driven Evolution,Demography, and Natural Selection

The ratio of genetic diversity on X chromosomes relative to autosomes in organisms with XX/XY sex chromosomes could provide fundamental insight into the process of genome evolution. Here we report this ratio for 24 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) originating in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The average X/A diversity ratios in these samples was 0.34 and 0.20 in the Indonesian–Malaysian and Philippine populations, respectively, considerably lower than the null expectation of 0.75. A Philippine population supposed to derive from an ancestral population by founding events showed a significantly lower ratio than the parental population, suggesting a demographic effect for the reduction. Taking sex-specific mutation rate bias and demographic effect into account, expected X/A diversity ratios generated by computer simulations roughly agreed with the observed data in the intergenic regions. In contrast, silent sites in genic regions on X chromosomes showed strong reduction in genetic diversity and the observed X/A diversity ratio in the genic regions cannot be explained by mutation rate bias and demography, indicating that natural selection also reduces the level of polymorphism near genes. Whole-genome analysis of a female cynomolgus monkey also supported the notion of stronger reduction of genetic diversity near genes on the X chromosome.     

表观遗传学与人类疾病的研究进展

在过去的几年里,人们对表观遗传疾病的机理有了新的认识,这些疾病与染色质重塑、基因组印记、X染色体失活以及非编码RNA调控这4个表观遗传过程相关。这4个过程通过调节染色质结构,在染色体或基因簇水平上对基因表达进行调控;异常调控导致复杂的突变且表现为出生前后生长发育和神经功能的异常。对这些疾病的探讨为表观遗传机制的研究提供了很好的模型,进而有助于生物医学的研究。文章就表观遗传学和表观遗传疾病机制的研究进展做一综述。     

Purifying Selection Causes Widespread Distortions of Genealogical Structure on the Human X Chromosome

The extent to which selective forces shape patterns of genetic and genealogical variation is unknown in many species. Recent theoretical models have suggested that even relatively weak purifying selection may produce significant distortions in gene genealogies, but few studies have sought to quantify this effect in humans. Here, we employ a reconstruction method based on the ancestral recombination graph to infer genealogies across the length of the human X chromosome and to examine time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) and measures of tree imbalance at both broad and very fine scales. In agreement with theory, TMRCA is significantly reduced and genealogies are significantly more imbalanced in coding regions and introns when compared to intergenic regions, and these effects are increased in areas of greater evolutionary constraint. These distortions are present at multiple scales, and chromosomal regions as broad as 5 Mb show a significant negative correlation in TMRCA with exon density. We also show that areas of recent TMRCA are significantly associated with the disease-causing potential of site as measured by the MutationTaster prediction algorithm. Together, these findings suggest that purifying selection has significantly distorted human genealogical structure on both broad and fine scales and that few chromosomal regions escape selection-induced distortions.     

A Susceptibility Locus on Chromosome 13 Profoundly Impacts the Stability of Genomic Imprinting in Mouse Pluripotent Stem Cells

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