Paternal RNA contributions in the C. elegans zygote

ABSTRACT: Development of the early embryo is thought to be mainly driven by maternal gene products and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Here, we used metabolic labeling to show that RNA can be transferred by sperm into the embryo. To identify genes with paternal expression in the embryo, we performed crosses of males and females from divergent C. elegans strains. RNA sequencing of mRNAs and small RNAs in the 1-cell hybrid embryo revealed that about two hundred paternal mRNAs are reproducibly expressed in the embryo, and that about half of assayed endogenous siRNAs and piRNAs are also of paternal origin. Together, our results suggest an unexplored paternal contribution to early development. To reveal the identity of paternal RNA molecules, we performed a cross of males and females from two diver

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

SUBMITTER: Dominic Gruen 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-57351 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress