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- Author: Yong Zhao x
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PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNA) are small non-coding RNA molecules expressed in animal germ cells that interact with PIWI family proteins to form RNA–protein complexes involved in epigenetic and post-transcriptional gene silencing of retrotransposons and other genetic elements in germ line cells, including reproductive stem cell self-sustainment, differentiation, meiosis and spermatogenesis. In the present study, we performed high-throughput sequencing of piRNAs in testis samples from yaks in different stages of sexual maturity. Deep sequencing of the small RNAs (18–40 nt in length) yielded 4,900,538 unique reads from a total of 53,035,635 reads. We identified yak small RNAs (18–30 nt) and performed functional characterization. Yak small RNAs showed a bimodal length distribution, with two peaks at 22 nt and >28 nt. More than 80% of the 3,106,033 putative piRNAs were mapped to 4637 piRNA-producing genomic clusters using RPKM. 6388 candidate piRNAs were identified from clean reads and the annotations were compared with the yak reference genome repeat region. Integrated network analysis suggested that some differentially expressed genes were involved in spermatogenesis through ECM–receptor interaction and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Our data provide novel insights into the molecular expression and regulation similarities and diversities in spermatogenesis and testicular development in yaks at different stages of sexual maturity.
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In brief
Early embryonic development in goats is a complex and an important process. This study identified a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), lncRNA3720, that appears to affect early embryonic development in goats through histone variants.
Abstract
Although abundant lncRNAs have been found to be highly expressed in early embryos, the functions and mechanisms of most lncRNAs in regulating embryonic development remain unclear. This study was conducted to identify the key lncRNAs during embryonic genome activation (EGA) for promoting embryonic development after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in goats. We screened and characterized lncRNAs from transcriptome data of in vitro-fertilized, two-cell (IVF-2c) and eight-cell embryos (IVF-8c) and eight-cell SCNT embryos (SCNT-8c). We obtained 12 differentially expressed lncRNAs that were highly expressed in IVF-8c embryos compared to IVF-2c and less expressed in SCNT-8c embryos. After target gene prediction, expression verification, and functional deletion experiments, we found that the expression level of lncRNA3720 affected the early embryonic development in goats. We cloned full-length lncRNA3720 and over-expressed it in goat fetal fibroblasts (GFFs). We identified histone variants by analyzing the transcriptome data from both GFFs and embryos. Gene annotation of the gene library and the literature search revealed that histone variants may have important roles in early embryo development, so we selected them as the potential target genes for lncRNA3720. Lastly, we compensated for the low expression of lncRNA3720 in SCNT embryos by microinjection and showed that the development rate and quality of SCNT embryos were significantly improved. We speculate that lncRNA3720 is a key promoter of embryonic development in goats by interacting with histone variants.
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Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which are abundant in mammalian genomes, can modulate the expression of nearby genes, and their expression is dynamic and stage-specific during early embryonic development in mice and humans. However, the functions and mechanisms of ERV elements in regulating embryonic development remain unclear. Here, we utilized several methods to determine the contribution of ERVs to the makeup and regulation of transcripts during embryonic genome activation (EGA). We constructed an ERV library and embryo RNA-seq library (IVF_2c and IVF_8c) of goat to serve as our research basis. The GO and KEGG analysis of nearby ERV genes revealed that some ERV elements may be associated with embryonic development. RNA-seq results were consistent with the features of EGA. To obtain the transcripts derived from the ERV sequences, we blasted the ERV sequences with embryonic transcripts and identified three lncRNAs and one mRNA that were highly expressed in IVF-8c rather than in IVF-2c (q-value <0.05). Then, we validated the expression patterns of nine ERV-related transcripts during early developmental stages and knocked down three high-expression transcripts in EGA. The knockdown of lncRNA TCONS_00460156 or mRNA HSD17B11 significantly decreased the developmental rate of IVF embryos. Our findings suggested that some transcripts from ERVs are essential for the early embryonic development of goat, and analyzing the ERV expression profile during goat EGA may help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of ERV in regulating embryonic development.
Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
Search for other papers by Yong Zhang in
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Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
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In brief
HSP90AA1 is a ubiquitous molecular chaperone that can resist cellular stress, such as oxidative stress and apoptosis, and mediate the efficacy and protein folding of normal cells during heat stress, as well as many other functions. This study further reveals the role of HSP90AA1 in bovine oocyte maturation and early embryonic development.
Abstract
HSP90AA1, a highly abundant and ubiquitous molecular chaperone, plays important roles in various cellular processes including cell cycle control, cell survival, and hormone signaling pathways. In this study, we investigated the functions of HSP90AA1 in bovine oocyte and early embryo development. We found that HSP90AA1 was expressed at all stages of development, but was mainly located in the cytoplasm, with a small amount distributed in the nucleus. We then evaluated the effect of HSP90AA1 on the in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes using tanespimycin (17-AAG), a highly selective inhibitor of HSP90AA1. The results showed that inhibition of HSP90AA1 decreased nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes, disrupted spindle assembly and chromosome distribution, significantly increased acetylation levels of α-tubulin in oocytes and affected epigenetic modifications (H3K27me3 and H3K27ac). In addition, H3K9me3 was increased at various stages during early embryo development. Finally, the impact of HSP90AA1 on early embryo development was explored. The results showed that inhibition of HSP90AA1 reduced the cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, while increasing the fragmentation rate and decreasing blastocyst quality. In conclusion, HSP90AA1 plays a crucial role in bovine oocyte maturation as well as early embryo development.
College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
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Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) antagonists have been reported to decrease male fertility; however, the roles of mAChRs in spermatogenesis and the underlying mechanisms are not understood yet. During spermatogenesis, extensive remodeling between Sertoli cells and/or germ cells interfaces takes place to accommodate the transport of developing germ cells across the blood-testis barrier (BTB) and adluminal compartment. The cell–cell junctions play a vital role in the spermatogenesis process. This study used ICR male mice and spermatogonial cells (C18-4) and Sertoli cells (TM-4). shRNA of control or M5 gene was injected into 5-week-old ICR mice testes. Ten days post-viral grafting, mice were deeply anesthetized with pentobarbital and the testes were collected. One testicle was fresh frozen for RNA-seq analysis or Western blotting (WB). The second testicle was fixed for immunofluorescence staining (IHF). C18-4 or TM-4 cells were treated with shRNA of control or M5 gene. Then, the cells were collected for RNA-seq analysis, WB, or IHF. Knockdown of mAChR M5 disrupted mouse spermatogenesis and damaged the actin-based cytoskeleton and many types of junction proteins in both Sertoli cells and germ cells. M5 knockdown decreased Phldb2 expression in both germ cells and Sertoli cells which suggested that Phldb2 may be involved in cytoskeleton and cell–cell junction formation to regulate spermatogenesis. Our investigation has elucidated a novel role for mAChR M5 in the regulation of spermatogenesis through the interactions of Phldb2 and cell–cell junctions. M5 may be an attractive future therapeutic target in the treatment of male reproductive disorders.
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Even though it generates healthy adults, nuclear transfer in mammals remains an inefficient process. Mainly attributed to abnormal reprograming of the donor chromatin, this inefficiency may also be caused at least partly by a specific effect of the cloning technique which has not yet been well investigated. There are two main procedures for transferring nuclei into enucleated oocytes: fusion and piezoelectric microinjection, the latter being used mostly in mice. We have, therefore, decided to compare the quality and the developmental ability, both in vivo and in vitro, of embryos reconstructed with electrofusion or piezoelectric injection. In addition, the effect of piezo setups of differing electric strengths was investigated. Along with the record of the rate of development, we compared the nuclear integrity in the blastomeres during the first cleavages as well as the morphological and cellular quality of the blastocysts. Our results show that the piezo-assisted micromanipulation can induce DNA damage in the reconstructed embryos, apoptosis, and reduced cell numbers in blastocysts as well as a lower rate of development to term. Even if piezo-driven injection facilitates a faster and more efficient rate of reconstruction, it should be used with precaution and with as low parameters as possible.
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Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Joint Laboratory, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Uterine receptivity to the embryo is crucial for successful implantation. The establishment of uterine receptivity requires a large amount of energy, and abnormal energy regulation causes implantation failure. Glucose metabolism in the endometrium is tissue specific. Glucose is largely stored in the form of glycogen, which is the main energy source for the endometrium. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important energy-sensing molecule, is a key player in the regulation of glucose metabolism and its regulation is also tissue specific. However, the mechanism of energy regulation in the endometrium for the establishment of uterine receptivity remains to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the energy regulation mechanism of mouse uterine receptivity and its significance in embryo implantation. The results showed that the AMPK, p-AMPK, glycogen synthase 1, and glycogen phosphorylase M levels and the glycogen content in mouse endometrial epithelium varied in a periodic manner under regulation by the ovarian hormone. Specifically, progesterone significantly activated AMPK, promoted glycogenolysis, and upregulated glycogen phosphorylase M expression. AMPK regulated glycogen phosphorylase M expression and promoted glycogenolysis. AMPK was also found to be activated by changes in the energy or glycogen of the endometrial epithelial cells. The inhibition of AMPK activity or glycogenolysis altered the uterine receptivity markers during the window of implantation and ultimately interfered with implantation. In summary, consistency and synchronization of AMPK and glycogen metabolism constitute the core regulatory mechanism in mouse endometrial epithelial cells involved in the establishment of uterine receptivity.
