Nanog, Pou5f1 and SoxB1 activate zygotic gene expression during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.

ABSTRACT: After fertilization, maternal factors direct development and trigger zygotic genome activation (ZGA) at the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). In zebrafish, ZGA is required for gastrulation and clearance of maternal messenger RNAs, which is in part regulated by the conserved microRNA miR-430. However, the factors that activate the zygotic program in vertebrates are unknown. Here we show that Nanog, Pou5f1 (also called Oct4) and SoxB1 regulate zygotic gene activation in zebrafish. We identified several hundred genes directly activated by maternal factors, constituting the first wave of zygotic transcription. Ribosome profiling revealed that nanog, sox19b and pou5f1 are the most highly translated transcription factors pre-MZT. Combined loss of these factors resulted in developmental arres

SUBMITTER: Lee MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3925760 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature