Paternal H3K4 methylation is required for minor zygotic gene activation and early mouse embryonic development.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, are dynamically altered predominantly in paternal pronuclei soon after fertilization. To identify which histone modifications are required for early embryonic development, we utilized histone K-M mutants, which prevent endogenous histone methylation at the mutated site. We prepared four single K-M mutants for histone H3.3, K4M, K9M, K27M, and K36M, and demonstrate that overexpression of H3.3 K4M in embryos before fertilization results in developmental arrest, whereas overexpression after fertilization does not affect the development. Furthermore, loss of H3K4 methylation decreases the level of minor zygotic gene activation (ZGA) predominantly in the paternal pronucleus, and we obtained similar results from knockdo

SUBMITTER: Aoshima K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4515120 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature