Budget Amount *help |
¥17,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,020,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000)
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Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The mechanisms regulating meiotic initiation in mammals are enigmatic. It is known that retinoic acid (RA) signaling plays a pivotal role during meiotic initiation. STRA8, which is expressed in response to RA, is thought to be a key factor promoting meiotic initiation. Here we identified MEIOSIN as a germ cell-specific factor that associates with STRA8. MEIOSIN, like STRA8, is expressed in response to RA and plays an essential role in meiotic initiation in both males and females. Functional analyses revealed that MEIOSIN acts as a transcription factor together with STRA8, and that both factors are critical for driving meiotic gene activation. Furthermore, temporally restricted expression of MEIOSIN leads to meiotic entry decision during spermatogenesis. The present study demonstrates that MEIOSIN, in collaboration with STRA8, plays a central role in regulating the mitosis to meiosis germ cell fate decision in mammals.
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