Analysis of male and female genomes in one-cell stage mouse zygotes using the method of producing male-female haploid fusion embryos

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16040
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 43010:Molecular biology-related
• Research Institution: University of Yamanashi
• Principal Investigator: Nagataomo Hiroaki 山梨大学, 大学院総合研究部, 講師 (30746813)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 胚性ゲノム活性化 / 雌性前核 / 雄性前核 / 細胞融合

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mammalian early embryos undergo dynamic changes in the one-cell stage after fertilization to acquire totipotency. The phenomena that occur at the one-cell stage, which mark the beginning of individual development, are unique and not observed in other cell types, leaving many aspects unclear. In this study, we aimed to analyze the functional differences between male and female genomes at the one-cell stage by separately producing male and female haploid genomes and fusing them at the two-cell stage to create a single diploid embryo. This approach allows separate transcriptional control in the one-cell stage. Our results revealed that while development to the blastocyst stage proceeded even when gene expression in the female pronucleus was suppressed, development halted when gene expression in the male pronucleus was suppressed. This finding elucidates the functional differences between male and female genomes.

Free Research Field

発生工学、発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

胚性ゲノム活性化は胚発生過程における最初の起点となる遺伝子発現であり、非常に興味深く重要な現象だが、その特異な遺伝子発現機構を解析する手法は難しく、生物学的な重要性を示す知見は間接的あるいは断片的にしか得られていない。1細胞期では雌雄ゲノムは別々に雌性前核、雄性前核として存在しており遺伝子発現も異なると考えられているが、雌雄ゲノムの機能差を直接的に比較し、その後の発生への影響を調査する方法がこれまで存在しなかった。本研究では雌雄ゲノムの機能差を示しており、1細胞期に起きている現象を理解することは効率的な体細胞クローンの作製やより安全かつ効率的なiPS細胞作製等にも役立つと考えられる。