ABSTRACT: we analyze quantitatively the abundance of the proteins and their phosphorylation state in the full-grown Stage VI oocyte of Xenopus during meiotic maturation
Project description:Somatic cells surrounding the oocyte were sampled at the following stages: developmentally incompetent or poorly competent prophase I oocytes (NC1 oocytes), developmentally competent prophase I oocytes (C1 oocytes), and developmentally competent metaphase II oocytes (C2 oocytes). NC1 samples were collected from immature stage IV follicles, C1 samples from immature stage VI follicles, and C2 samples from in vitro matured stage VI follicles. Global transcriptional profiling was performed using somatic cells collected from xenopus ovarian follicles during in vivo oocyte developmental competence acquisition. Somatic cells were collected at 3 stages of oogenesis: early stage follicles (stage IV, vitellogenic, prophase I arrested oocytes, meiotically competent but developmentally incompetent, n=5), late stage follicles (stage VI, post-vitellogenic, prophase I arrested oocytes, meiotically competent and developmentally competent, n=5) and ovulatory follicles collected after in vitro maturation induction with hCG of post-vitellogenic follicles (metaphase II arrested oocytes, developmentally fully competent, n=5).
Project description:Oocyte maturation is the foundation for developing healthy individuals of mammals. Upon germinal vesicle breakdown, oocyte meiosis resumes and the synthesis of new transcripts ceases. To quantitatively profile the transcriptomic dynamics after meiotic resumption throughout the oocyte maturation, we generated transcriptome sequencing data with individual mouse oocytes at three main developmental stages: germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII). When clustering the sequenced oocytes, results showed that isoform-level expression analysis outperformed gene-level analysis, indicating isoform expression provided extra information that was useful in distinguishing oocyte stages. Comparing transcriptomes of the oocytes at the GV stage and the MII stage, in addition to identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we detected many differentially expressed transcripts (DETs), some of which came from genes that were not identified as DEGs. When breaking down the isoform-level changes into alternative RNA processing events, we found the main source of isoform composition changes was the alternative usage of polyadenylation sites. With detailed analysis focusing on the alternative usage of 3'-UTR isoforms, we identified, out of 3810 tested genes, 512 (13.7%) exhibiting significant switches of 3'-UTR isoforms during the process of moues oocyte maturation. Altogether, our data and analyses suggest the importance of examining isoform abundance changes during oocyte maturation, and further investigation of the pervasive 3'-UTR isoform switches in the transition may deepen our understanding on the molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian early development.
Project description:RNA-seq technology was used to identify differentially localized transcripts from Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis stage VI oocytes. Besides the discovery of a group of novel animally enriched RNAs, this study revealed a surprisingly low conservation of vegetal RNA localization between the two frog species. mRNA profiles of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis animal and vegetal oocyte halves were generated by RNA-seq technology. For Xenopus laevis, animal and vegetal oocyte RNA preparations from two different females were generated in duplicates. For Xenopus tropicalis, animal and vegetal oocyte RNA preparations from two different females were analyzed.
Project description:The molecular mechanisms controlling the transition from meiotic arrest (germinal vesicle stage) to meiotic resumption (germinal vesicle breakdown stage) in mammalian oocytes have not been fully elucidated. Single-cell omics technology provides a new opportunity to decipher the early molecular events of oocyte maturation in mammals. Here we focused on analyzing oocytes that are collected from antral follicles of porcine puberty ovary. We used single-cell M&T-seq technology to analyze the nuclear DNA methylome and cytoplasmic transcriptome in parallel for 62 oocytes. We developed a package of pipelines for single-cell methylomics analysis, namely methyConcerto, to specifically and comprehensively characterize the methylation state and allele-specific methylation events for a single cell. We also performed 10X Genomics single-cell transcriptomic analyses to explore the bi-directional cell-cell communications within antral follicles. We characterized the gene expression and DNA methylation programs of individual oocytes in porcine antral follicle, thereby enabled defining two distinct types of oocytes, one of which is significantly more poised for maturation. Significantly differentially expressed or allele-specifically methylated genes were enriched in “RNA metabolism”, “oocyte meiosis” important signaling pathways, e.g., HIF-1/Ras/mTOR/Phospholipase D/ErbB signaling pathways etc. These results are in concert with the cellular communication results. We further confirmed Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (IRS-1) in insulin signaling pathway is a key regulator of germinal vesicle stage oocyte maturation by in vitro maturation experiments. Our study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms between meiotic arrest and meiotic resumption in mammalian oocytes. We also provide a new analytical package for future single-cell methylomics study.
Project description:The molecular mechanisms controlling the transition from meiotic arrest (germinal vesicle stage) to meiotic resumption (germinal vesicle breakdown stage) in mammalian oocytes have not been fully elucidated. Single-cell omics technology provides a new opportunity to decipher the early molecular events of oocyte maturation in mammals. Here we focused on analyzing oocytes that are collected from antral follicles of porcine puberty ovary. We used single-cell M&T-seq technology to analyze the nuclear DNA methylome and cytoplasmic transcriptome in parallel for 62 oocytes. We developed a package of pipelines for single-cell methylomics analysis, namely methyConcerto, to specifically and comprehensively characterize the methylation state and allele-specific methylation events for a single cell. We also performed 10X Genomics single-cell transcriptomic analyses to explore the bi-directional cell-cell communications within antral follicles. We characterized the gene expression and DNA methylation programs of individual oocytes in porcine antral follicle, thereby enabled defining two distinct types of oocytes, one of which is significantly more poised for maturation. Significantly differentially expressed or allele-specifically methylated genes were enriched in “RNA metabolism”, “oocyte meiosis” important signaling pathways, e.g., HIF-1/Ras/mTOR/Phospholipase D/ErbB signaling pathways etc. These results are in concert with the cellular communication results. We further confirmed Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (IRS-1) in insulin signaling pathway is a key regulator of germinal vesicle stage oocyte maturation by in vitro maturation experiments. Our study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms between meiotic arrest and meiotic resumption in mammalian oocytes. We also provide a new analytical package for future single-cell methylomics study.
Project description:Oocyte maturation refers to oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage progressing into metaphase II (MII) stage of development. Even though numerous studies have shown key genes and potential important signalling cascades, which drive the GV to MII transition, a system-wide analysis of underlying differences at gene level and especially at transcript level between the two developmental stages of the oocyte is still lacking. For this, we profiled and analysed RNA from pig oocytes across meiotic maturation (GV, MII and damaged, n=15). We detected 22,516 genes for each sample across meiotic maturation. Principal Component analysis of the data clustered the samples in three stages of development (GV, MII and damaged). Differential expression of genes between the three stages will then be used to delineate the pathways which are up-/down-regulated during these developmental stages. Besides, differential transcript usage will be used to identify the difference of oocytes at distinct developmental stages at isoform level, which might be ignored by traditional differential gene expression analysis.
Project description:The genetic causes of oocyte meiotic deficiency (OMD), a form of primary infertility characterised by the production of immature oocytes, remain largely unexplored. Using whole exome sequencing, we found that 26% of a cohort of 23 subjects with OMD harboured the same homozygous nonsense pathogenic mutation in PATL2, a gene encoding a putative RNA-binding protein. Using Patl2 knockout mice, we confirmed that PATL2 deficiency disturbs oocyte maturation, since oocytes and zygotes exhibit morphological and developmental defects respectively. PATL2's amphibian orthologue is involved in the regulation of oocyte mRNA as a partner of CPEB. However, Patl2's expression profile throughout oocyte development in mice, alongside colocalisation experiments with Cpeb1, Msy2 and Ddx6 (three oocyte RNA-regulators) suggest an original role for Patl2 in Mammals. Accordingly, transcriptomic analysis of oocytes from WT and Patl2-/- animals demonstrated that in the absence of Patl2, expression levels of a select number of highly relevant genes involved in oocyte maturation and early embryonic development are deregulated. In conclusion, PATL2 is a novel actor of mammalian oocyte maturation whose invalidation causes OMD in humans.
Project description:Poly(A) polymerase α (PAPα), as the specific mRNA polyadenylation enzyme in the cytoplasm of mammalian oocytes, is essential for oocytes to exclude the first polar body. However, PAPα knockout did not affect germinal vesicles breakdown (GVBD) of oocytes, and the mechanism needs to be further explored. In this study, we identified that PAPα work together with poly(A)-bound RNA binding protein PABPN1 to promote the rupture of germinal vesicles in mammalian oocytes. The protein level of Pabpn1 gradually increases with the meiotic maturation of oocytes. The oocytes specifically knocked out Pabpn1 at the primary follicle stage could develop into the fully grown (FGO) stage, but hardly could enter into the meiotic process. The activated form of CDK1 was injected into Pabpn1-null oocytes, the oocytes could enter into meiotic process. The translational activity of Pabpn1-null oocytes was significantly lower than that of wild-type oocytes during meiosis. In particular, the expression level of protein (BTG4 and CDC25), which were essential for the meiotic maturation of oocytes, were significantly decreased. Therefore, during the oocyte meiosis process, PABPN1 and PAPα jointly promote the oocyte to enter the meiosis process.
Project description:Fully grown oocytes remain transcriptionally quiescent, yet many maternal mRNAs are synthesized and retained in growing oocytes. We now know that maternal mRNAs are stored in a structure called the mitochondria associated ribonucleoprotein domain (MARDO). But the components and functions of MARDO remain elusive. Here, we found that LSM14B knockout prevents the proper storage and timely clearance of mRNAs (including Cyclin B1, Btg4, and other mRNAs that are translationally activated during meiotic maturation), specifically by disrupting MARDO assembly during oocyte growth and meiotic maturation. With decreased levels of storage and clearance, the LSM14B knockout oocytes failed to enter meiosis II, ultimately resulting in female infertility. Our results demonstrate the function of LSM14B in MARDO assembly, couple the MARDO with mRNA clearance and oocyte meiotic maturation