Expression of the tudor-related gene Tdrd5 during development of the male germline in mice

Homologues of Drosophila germ cell determinant genes such as vasa, nanos and tudor have recently been implicated in development of the male germline in mice. In the present study, the mouse gene encoding Tudor domain containing protein 5 (TDRD5) was isolated from a 12.5-13.5 days post coitum (dpc) male-enriched subtracted cDNA library. Whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis of Tdrd5 expression in the mouse embryonic gonad indicated that this gene is upregulated in the developing testis from 12.5 dpc, with expression levels remaining higher in testis than ovary throughout embryogenesis. Expression of Tdrd5 was absent in testes isolated from We/We embryos, which lack germ cells. In situ hybridization (ISH) on cryosectioned 13.5 dpc testes suggests that expression of Tdrd5, like that of Oct4, is restricted to germ cells. Northern hybridization analysis of expression in adult tissues indicated that Tdrd5 is expressed in the testis only, implying that expression of this gene is restricted to the male germline throughout development to adulthood.     

Dead end1 is an essential partner of NANOS2 for selective binding of target RNAs in male germ cell development

RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) play important roles for generating various cell types in many developmental processes, including eggs and sperms. Nanos is widely known as an evolutionarily conserved RNA‐binding protein implicated in germ cell development. Mouse NANOS2 interacts directly with the CCR4‐NOT (CNOT) deadenylase complex, resulting in the suppression of specific RNAs. However, the mechanisms involved in target specificity remain elusive. We show that another RBP, Dead end1 (DND1), directly interacts with NANOS2 to load unique RNAs into the CNOT complex. This interaction is mediated by the zinc finger domain of NANOS2, which is essential for its association with target RNAs. In addition, the conditional deletion of DND1 causes the disruption of male germ cell differentiation similar to that observed in Nanos2‐KO mice. Thus, DND1 is an essential partner for NANOS2 that leads to the degradation of specific RNAs. We also present the first evidence that the zinc finger domain of Nanos acts as a protein‐interacting domain for another RBP, providing a novel insight into Nanos‐mediated germ cell development.     

Tudor-SN interacts with and co-localizes with G3BP in stress granules under stress conditions

SGs are mRNA containing cytoplasmic structures that are assembled in response to stress. Tudor-SN protein is a ubiquitously expressed protein. Here, Tudor-SN protein was found to physiologically interact with G3BP, which is the marker and effector of SG. The kinetics of the assembly of SGs in the living cells demonstrated that Tudor-SN co-localizes with G3BP and is recruited to the same SGs in response to different stress stimuli. Knockdown of endogenous Tudor-SN did not inhibit the formation of SGs, but retarded the aggregation of small SGs into large SGs. Thus Tudor-SN may not be an initiator as essential as G3BP for the formation of SGs, but affects the aggregation of SGs. These findings identify Tudor-SN as a novel component of SGs.

Structured summary

MINT-7968768, MINT-7968779: Tudor-SN (uniprotkb:Q7KZF4) physically interacts (MI:0915) with G3BP (uniprotkb:Q13283) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006) MINT-7968800: Tudor-SN (uniprotkb:Q7KZF4) and TIA-1 (uniprotkb:P31483) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416) MINT-7968789: Tudor-SN (uniprotkb:Q7KZF4) and G3BP (uniprotkb:Q13283) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)     

Glycolytic enzymes localize to ribonucleoprotein granules in Drosophila germ cells,bind Tudor and protect from transposable elements

Germ cells give rise to all cell lineages in the next‐generation and are responsible for the continuity of life. In a variety of organisms, germ cells and stem cells contain large ribonucleoprotein granules. Although these particles were discovered more than 100 years ago, their assembly and functions are not well understood. Here we report that glycolytic enzymes are components of these granules in Drosophila germ cells and both their mRNAs and the enzymes themselves are enriched in germ cells. We show that these enzymes are specifically required for germ cell development and that they protect their genomes from transposable elements, providing the first link between metabolism and transposon silencing. We further demonstrate that in the granules, glycolytic enzymes associate with the evolutionarily conserved Tudor protein. Our biochemical and single‐particle EM structural analyses of purified Tudor show a flexible molecule and suggest a mechanism for the recruitment of glycolytic enzymes to the granules. Our data indicate that germ cells, similarly to stem cells and tumor cells, might prefer to produce energy through the glycolytic pathway, thus linking a particular metabolism to pluripotency.     

Nanos3与生殖细胞发育分化

小鼠Nanos3基因是果蝇Nanos的同源基因,是Nanos基因家族的一员. Nanos3是一种RNA结合蛋白,靠近其C端有两个非常保守且连续的Cys-Cys-His-Cys特异锌指结构域.研究显 示,Nanos3在小鼠生殖细胞中特异表达,不仅在原始生殖细胞（primordial germ cells, PGCs）的维持方面发挥重要作用,而且是一种启动雄性生殖细胞分化程序的内源性因子, 其在精子发生中的重要作用已引起越来越多的关注.探讨Nanos3的生物学功能,有助于了解生殖细胞发育过程中的部分重要机制.本文就Nanos3维持生殖细胞更新和原始生殖细胞的 维持等作用作一综述.     

人多潜能胚胎生殖细胞的分离和培养

多潜能胚胎性干细胞来源有两条途经,从植入前的早期胚胎内细胞团(inner cell mass,ICM)分离出来的称胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells,ES);从原始生殖细胞(primordial germ cells,PGCs)分离得到的称胚胎生殖细胞(embryonic germ cells,EG)。这两种干细胞在小鼠嵌合体实验中,都证明具有参与生殖系传递的能力。这类干细胞在体外保持     

牛胚胎生殖细胞的分离与培养

胚胎生殖细胞 (Embryonicgermcells,EG)是由生殖嵴原始生殖细胞 (Primordialgermcells,PGCs)中分离得到的一种未分化而多潜能的干细胞。牛EG细胞的研究在EG细胞核移植、转基因及建立生物反应器方面具有广阔的应用前景。本研究从 2 9- 70日龄牛胎儿PGCs分离得到EG细胞 ,经过抑制分化培养 ,其中一个细胞系传至 6代。所分离得到的EG细胞具有典型的EG细胞形态 ,AP及PAS染色呈阳性 ,核型正常 ,同时观察到这些细胞在体外进行自发性分化 ,可形成类胚体、成纤维样细胞及神经样细胞     

Derivation of Putative Porcine Embryonic Germ Cells and Analysis of Their Multi-Lineage Differentiation Potential

Embryonic germ (EG) cells are cultured pluripotent stem cells derived from the primordial germ cells (PGCs) that migrate from the dorsal mesentery of the hindgut to the developing genital ridge. In this study, the morphology of the porcine genital ridge was assessed in embryos harvested on days 22–30 of pregnancy. PGCs from embryos at these stages were cultured to obtain porcine EG cell lines, and EG-like cells were derived from PGCs from embryos harvested on days 24–28 of pregnancy. The EG-like cells expressed Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, SSEA-3, SSEA-4 and alkaline phosphatase (AP). These cells were able to form embryoid bodies (EBs) in suspension culture and differentiate into cells representative of the three germ layers as verified by a-fetoprotein (AFP), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Nestin expression. Spontaneous differentiation from the porcine EG-like cells of delayed passage in vitro showed that they could differentiate into epithelial-like cells, mesenchymal-like cells and neuron-like cells. In vitro directed differentiation generated osteocytes, adipocytes and a variety of neural lineage cells, as demonstrated by alizarin red staining, oil red O staining, and immunofluorescence for neuronal class Ⅲ β-tubulin (Tuj1), glial fibrillary protein (GFAP) and galactosylceramidase (GALC), respectively. These results indicate that porcine EG-like cells have the potential for multi-lineage differentiation and are useful for basic porcine stem cell research.     

On the fate of primordial germ cells injected into early mouse embryos

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the founder cells of the germline. Via gametogenesis and fertilisation this lineage generates a new embryo in the next generation. PGCs are also the cell of origin of multilineage teratocarcinomas. In vitro, mouse PGCs can give rise to embryonic germ (EG) cells – pluripotent stem cells that can contribute to primary chimaeras when introduced into pre-implantation embryos. Thus, PGCs can give rise to pluripotent cells in the course of the developmental cycle, during teratocarcinogenesis and by in vitro culture. However, there is no evidence that PGCs can differentiate directly into somatic cell types. Furthermore, it is generally assumed that PGCs do not contribute to chimaeras following injection into the early mouse embryo. However, these data have never been formally published. Here, we present the primary data from the original PGC-injection experiments performed 40 years ago, alongside results from more recent studies in three separate laboratories. These results have informed and influenced current models of the relationship between pluripotency and the germline cycle. Current technologies allow further experiments to confirm and expand upon these findings and allow definitive conclusions as to the developmental potency of PGCs.     

Central and C-terminal domains of heterotrimeric G protein gamma subunits differentially influence the signaling necessary for primordial germ cell migration

Heterotrimeric G protein signaling is involved in many pathways essential to development including those controlling cell migration, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. One key developmental event known to rely on proper heterotrimeric G protein signaling is primordial germ cell (PGC) migration. We previously developed an in vivo PGC migration assay that identified differences in the signaling capacity of G protein gamma subunits. In this study we developed Gγ subunit chimeras to determine the regions of Gγ isoforms that are responsible for these differences. The central section of the Gγ subunit was found to be necessary for the ability of a Gγ subunit to mediate signaling involved in PGC migration. Residues found in the carboxy-terminal segment of Gγ transducin (gngt1) were found to be responsible for the ability of this subunit to disrupt PGC migration. The type of prenylation did not affect the ability of a Gγ subunit to reverse prenylation-deficient-Gγ-induced PGC migration defects. However, a version of gng2, engineered to be farnesylated instead of geranylgeranylated, still lacks the ability to reverse PGC migration defects known to result from treatment of zebrafish with geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitors (GGTI), supporting the notion that Gγ subunits are one of several protein targets that need to be geranylgeranylated to orchestrate the proper long-range migration of PGCs.     

Mugineic acid secretion by cultured barley cells derived from anther

Summary Primordial germ cells with a retroviral DNA have been transferred to recipient fowl embryos without this marker. The foreign DNA was subsequently identified in the gonads of these birds. This suggests that primordial germ cells may be a useful route for introducing DNA into transgenic birds.Abbreviations SSC saline sodium citrate - pRAV-1 plasmid of RAV-1, a subgroup of avian leukosis virus     

Continuing primordial germ cell differentiation in the mouse embryo is a cell-intrinsic program sensitive to DNA methylation

The initial cohort of mammalian gametes is established by the proliferation of primordial germ cells in the early embryo. Primordial germ cells first appear in extraembyronic tissues and subsequently migrate to the developing gonad. Soon after they arrive in the gonad, the germ cells cease dividing and undertake sexually dimorphic patterns of development. Male germ cells arrest mitotically, while female germ cells directly enter meiotic prophase I. These sex-specific differentiation events are imposed upon a group of sex-common differentiation events that are shared by XX and XY germ cells. We have studied the appearance of GCNA1, a postmigratory sex-common germ cell marker, in cultures of premigratory germ cells to investigate how this differentiation program is regulated. Cultures in which proliferation was either inhibited or stimulated displayed a similar extent of differentiation as controls, suggesting that some differentiation events are the result of a cell-intrinsic program and are independent of cell proliferation. We also found that GCNA1 expression was accelerated by agents which promote DNA demethylation or histone acetylation. These results suggest that genomic demethylation of proliferative phase primordial germ cells is a mechanism by which germ cell maturation is coordinated.     

Characterization, isolation and culture of primordial germ cells in domestic animals: recent progress and insights from the ovine species

Primordial germ cell (PGC) allocation, characterization, lineage restriction, and differentiation have been extensively studied in the mouse. Murine PGC can be easily identified using markers as alkaline phosphatase content or the expression of pluripotent markers such as Pou5f1, Nanog, Sox2, Kit, SSEA1, and SSEA4. These tools allowed us to clarify certain aspects of the complex interactions of somatic and germinal cells in the establishment of the germ cell lineage, its segregation from the neighbouring somatic tissue, and the guidance mechanisms during migration that direct most of the germ cells into the genital ridges. Few data are available from other domestic animals and here we reported our preliminary studies on the isolation, characterization, and in vitro culture of sheep PGCs. Sheep PGCs can be identified with the markers previously used in mouse, but, in some cases, these markers are not coherently expressed in the same cell depending on the grade of differentiation and on technical problems related to commercial antibodies used. Pluripotency of PGCs in culture (EGCs) from domestic animals also needs further evaluation even though the derivation of embryonic pluripotent cell lines from large mammals may be an advantage as they are more physiologically similar to the human and perhaps more relevant for clinical translation studies. Comprehensive epigenetic reprogramming of the genome in early germ cells, and derived EGCs including extensive erasure of epigenetic modifications, may be relevant for gaining insight into events that lead to reprogramming and establishment of totipotency. EGCs can differentiate in vitro in a various range of tissues, form embryonic bodies, but in many cases failed to generate tumours when transplanted into immunodeficient mice and are not able to generate germline chimeric animals after their transfer. Such incomplete information clearly indicates the urge to improve the studies on derivation of stem cells in farm animals and shows the need for a multidisciplinary investigation in order to create farm animal models to set up suitable ethical and technical systems for cell regenerative therapies in humans.     

Tudor and its domains： germ cell formation from a Tudor perspective

In many metazoan species, germ cell formation requires the germ plasm, a specialized cytoplasm which often contains electron dense structures. Genes required for germ cell formation in Drosophila have been isolated predominantly in screens for maternal-effect mutations. One such gene is tudor (tud); without proper tud function germ cell formation does not occur. Unlike other genes involved in Drosophila germ cell specification tud is dispensable for other somatic functions such as abdominal patterning. It is not known how TUD contributes at a molecular level to germ cell formation but in tud mutants, polar granule formation is severely compromised, and mitochondrially encoded ribosomal RNAs do not localize to the polar granule. TUD is composed of 11 repeats of the protein motif called the Tudor domain. There are similar proteins to TUD in the germ line of other metazoan species including mice. Probable vertebrate orthologues of Drosophila genes involved in germ cell specification will be discussed.     

Nanos functions to maintain the fate of the small micromere lineage in the sea urchin embryo

The translational regulator nanos is required for the survival and maintenance of primordial germ cells during embryogenesis. Three nanos homologs are present in the genome of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, all of which are expressed with different timing in the small micromere lineage. This lineage is set-aside during embryogenesis and contributes to constructing the adult rudiment. Small micromeres lacking Sp-nanos1 and Sp-nanos2 undergo an extra division and are not incorporated into the coelomic pouches. Further, these cells do not accumulate Vasa protein even though they retain vasa mRNA. Larvae that develop from Sp-nanos1 and 2 knockdown embryos initially appear normal, but do not develop adult rudiments; although they are capable of eating, over time they fail to grow and eventually die. We conclude that the acquisition and maintenance of multipotency in the small micromere lineage requires nanos, which may function in part by repressing the cell cycle and regulating other multipotency factors such as vasa. This work, in combination with other recent results in Ilyanassa and Platynereis dumerilii, suggests the presence of a conserved molecular program underlying both primordial germ cell and multipotent cell specification and maintenance.     

Avian pluripotent stem cells

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated cells capable of proliferation and self-renewal and have the capacity to differentiate into all somatic cell types and the germ line. They provide an in vitro model of early embryonic differentiation and are a useful means for targeted manipulation of the genome. Pluripotent stem cells in the chick have been derived from stage X blastoderms and 5.5 day gonadal primordial germ cells (PGCs). Blastoderm-derived embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the capacity for in vitro differentiation into embryoid bodies and derivatives of the three primary germ layers. When grafted onto the chorioallantoic membrane, the ESCs formed a variety of differentiated cell types and attempted to organize into complex structures. In addition, when injected into the unincubated stage X blastoderm, the ESCs can be found in numerous somatic tissues and the germ line. The potential give rise to somatic and germ line chimeras is highly dependent upon the culture conditions and decreases with passage. Likewise, PGC-derived embryonic germ cells (EGCs) can give rise to simple embryoid bodies and can undergo some differentiation in vitro. Interestingly, chicken EG cells contribute to somatic lineages when injected into the stage X blastoderm, but only germ line chimeras have resulted from EGCs injected into the vasculature of the stage 16 embryo. To date, no lines of transgenic chickens have been generated using ESCs or EGCs. Nevertheless, progress towards the culture of avian pluripotent stem cells has been significant. In the future, the answers to fundamental questions regarding segregation of the avian germ line and the molecular basis of pluripotency should foster the full use of avian pluripotent stem cells.     

抑制Ligase4或Xrcc6活性增强斑马鱼原始生殖细胞中DNA同源重组的效率

利用斑马鱼作为体内模型, 研究旨在提高斑马鱼原始生殖细胞(Primordial germ cells, PGCs)中同源重组(Homologous recombination, HR)的效率。首先, 将UAS:mRFP-nos1载体显微注射到Tg (kop:KalTA4) 转基因胚胎中标记转基因PGCs, 结果表明筛选PGCs特异表达mRFP的胚胎能够相对提高转基因的生殖系传递效率。随后建立了PGCs中HR效率的评估体系, 并且证明抑制DNA ligase IV(Lig4)和Xrcc6(曾用名Ku70)的活性不但在全胚胎水平, 而且在PGCs水平都能够显著提高HR的效率。研究表明Tg (kop:KalTA4) 转基因品系是开展HR介导的基因打靶的一个有效平台。