RNA-seq transcriptome profiling of 1) C. elegans male germlines vs. oogenic germlines, and 2) male germlines, sperm, and F1 offspring germlines when offspring inherited sperm chromatin lacking H3K27me3.
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA475797 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:Paternal contributions to epigenetic inheritance are not well understood. We report that in C. elegans sperm, the genome is packaged in nucleosomes and carries a histone-based epigenetic memory of gene expressions during spermatogenesis. In mature sperm, genes with spermatogenesis-specific expression are marked with both active and represseive histone modifications and genes with oogenesis-enriched expression are marked with active histone modifications. We showed that genes with oogenesis-enriched expression are in fact transcribed in spermatogenic germlines. We tested if sperm chromatin marking is necessary for germ cell development in offspring that inherit both sperm and oocyte chromosomes, using male parents that either can or cannot generate H3K27me3. Males homozygous for a mutation in mes-3, which encodes a member of the worm PRC2 complex, were mated with feminized mes-3/+ heterozygous worms to produce offspring that inherited sperm chromosomes lacking H3K27me3. We call these offspring M+P- or MpPm (Maternal chromosomes are + or plus for H3K27me3, Paternal chromosomes are - or minus for H3K27me3). Most of the resulting mes-3 homozygous M+P- offspring developed into sterile adults in this sensitized genetic background. In contrast, genetically identical control offspring that received appropriate H3K27me3-marked sperm chromosomes (M+P+ or MpPp) displayed low sterility. We compared genes mis-regulated in mes-3 male germlines versus control him-8 male germlines, mature sperm from those germlines, and germlines of mes-3 mutant F1 offspring that inherited sperm chromatin lacking H3K27me3 (M+P-) versus inherited sperm chromatin with H3K27me3 (M+P+), based on RNA-seq.
2018-07-23 | GSE115708 | GEO
Project description:The role that gamete-inherited chromatin states serve in regulating gene expression across generations is poorly understood. To interrogate how histone marks inherited on parental genomes influence gene expression in offspring, we profiled different tissue contexts in worms that inherited the sperm genome lacking the repressive mark H3K27me3. We found that worms that inherited the sperm genome lacking H3K27me3 upregulated genes in all tissues profiled, which included hermaphrodite and male germlines and mixed soma. We found that most upregulated genes were upregulated specifically from sperm alleles and in a tissue-specific manner, highlighting the importance of cellular context in determining which genes are sensitive to upregulation when H3K27me3 repression is absent. To determine whether chromatin states can impact gene expression transgenerationally, i.e. across 3 generations, we profiled gene expression and chromatin states in the germlines of worms that inherited the sperm genome lacking H3K27me3 (F1 generation) and in the germlines of their offspring (F2 generation). We found that genes upregulated in F1 germlines maintained the H3K27me3(-) state of sperm alleles and that the upregulated and H3K27me3(-) state of sperm alleles was maintained in the germlines of their offspring (F2 generation). These findings demonstrate that histone marks can serve as a transgenerational carrier.
2022-05-31 | GSE205113 | GEO
Project description:PUF RNA-binding proteins control stem cells in diverse species, including mammalian, arthropod, and nematode, in addition to other biological functions. The C. elegans PUF protein FBF serves as a paradigm for metazoan PUFs. FBF is essential for the maintenance of germline stem cells but also regulates the hermpahrodite sperm/oocyte cell fate switch and is critical for the process of spermatogenesis. We have attempted to “disentangle” the different roles of FBF by comparing its targets in spermatogenic and oogenic germlines. To this end, we used FBF iCLIP to learn its binding profile in an adult hermaphrodite germline that is sexually transformed and makes only sperm due to a temperature-sensitive sex-determination mutant. As a control, we analyzed FBF iCLIP data from oogenic germlines at the same temperature. Using a modified peak calling algorithm, we identified FBF binding sites in oogenic animals at 20°C, oogenic animals at 25°C, and spermatogenic animals at 25°C. Oogenic FBF targets were similar at 20°C and 25°C. By contrast, FBF mRNA targets in spermatogenetic animals had a distinct profile, revealing sperm-specific targets that are likely critical for the FBF role in spermatogenesis. Most importantly, we found FBF bound to mRNAs regardless of germline gender. In particular, a group of 22 mRNAs clustered as bound with high frequency in a gender- and temperature-independent manner. These 22 mRNAsencode RNA-binding proteins and stem cell regulators and may be crucial for the FBF role in in stem cell maintenance.
2018-03-30 | GSE83695 | GEO
Project description:RNA-seq transcriptome analysis of C. elegans germlines that inherited only paternal chromosomes (non-Mendelian inheritance, 'red-head worms') and the germlines of their offspring ('offspring of red-head worms') vs. germlines that inherited both maternal and paternal chromosomes (Mendelian inheritance, HBR1280 control). Given that epigenetic marking of sperm chromosomes is faithfully transmitted through embryo cell divisions, and that sperm epigenetic marking is important in offspring, we tested if sperm epigenetic marking alone is sufficient for proper development of the germline in offspring. We utilized a mutant that, during the first embryonic division, delivers the sperm genome to the daughter cell that generates the germline and the oocyte genome to the other daughter cell (Besseling & Bringmann, 2016). This mutant over-expresses GPR-1, a protein involved in regulation of kinetochore pulling forces. GPR-1 over-expression results in excessive pulling forces, causing the paternal and maternal pronuclei to inappropriately move to opposite poles of the 1-cell embryo instead of merging in the center of the embryo. In this mutant background, ~60% of offspring undergo atypical chromosome segregation, generating mosaic embryos whose germlines are derived entirely from sperm chromosomes (Besseling & Bringmann, 2016). To track the parental genomes, differentially tagged histone transgenes were used: a GFP-tagged histone H2B encoded in the sperm genome, and a TdTomato-tagged histone H2B encoded in the oocyte genome. The mosaic embryos whose germline inherited only sperm chromosomes (‘red-head' worms) develop into fertile adults with a normal brood size, similar to control worms, in which the germline inherited both sperm and oocyte chromosomes. RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that the germline transcriptome of ‘red-head’ worms and their offspring show few (<80 genes) and minor changes compared to control worms. These findings demonstrate that epigenetic information provided by sperm can guide proper germ cell development.
2018-07-23 | GSE115707 | GEO
Project description:The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model for studies of germ cell biology, including specification as sperm or oocyte, the meiotic cell cycle and gamete differentiation. Fundamental to those studies is a genome-level knowledge of the germline transcriptome. Here we use RNA-Seq to identify genes expressed in isolated XX gonads, which are roughly 95% germline and 5% somatic gonadal tissue. We generate data from mutants making either sperm [fem-3(q96)] or oocytes (fog-2), both grown at 22M-BM-0C. Our dataset identifies a total of 10,754 mRNAs in the polyadenylated transcriptome of XX gonads, with 1,723 enriched in spermatogenic gonads, 2,869 enriched in oogenic gonads and the remaining 6,274 not enriched in either. These spermatogenic, oogenic and gender-neutral gene datasets compare well with those of earlier studies, but double the number of genes identified. We also query our RNA-Seq data for differential exon usage and find 351 mRNAs with sex-specific isoforms. We suggest that this new dataset will prove useful for studies focusing on C. elegans germ cell biology. Comparison of spermatogenic vs oogenic transcriptomes
2014-07-29 | E-GEOD-57109 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:A father’s lifetime experiences can be transmitted to his offspring to affect health and development. The mechanisms underlying paternal epigenetic transmission are unclear. Unlike somatic cells, there are few nucleosomes in sperm and their function in epigenetic inheritance is unknown. We generated transgenic mice in which overexpression of the histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) demethylase LSD1/KDM1A during spermatogenesis reduced H3K4 dimethylation in sperm. KDM1A overexpression in one generation severely impaired development and survivability of offspring. These defects persisted transgenerationally in the absence of KDM1A germ line expression and were associated with altered RNA profiles in sperm and offspring. We show that epigenetic inheritance of aberrant development can be initiated by histone demethylase activity in developing sperm, without changes to DNA methylation at CpG-rich regions.
2015-10-08 | GSE66050 | GEO
Project description:We demonstrated that sperm sRNAs are sufficient to reproduce the effect of sperm RNAs on inducing depressive symptoms in offspring.To identify the specific subtypes of sperm sRNAs that cause abnormalities in offspring, we examined the sRNA profiles of sperm derived from normal or depressed male mice by RNA deep sequencing.
2020-06-28 | GSE133497 | GEO
Project description:There is a growing body of evidence that inadequate maternal nutrition during gestation can have immediate and life-long effects on offspring. However, little is known about the reproductive effects of maternal gestational nutrition in offspring males. Here, using a sheep model of poor maternal nutrition (restricted- or over-feeding) during gestation, we found that poor maternal gestational nutrition does not affect semen characteristics (i.e. volume, sperm concentration, pH, sperm motility, sperm morphology) and scrotal circumference in offspring. However, by evaluating associations between poor maternal gestational nutrition and altered small non-cording RNAs (sncRNAs) and DNA methylation in offspring sperm, we demonstrated that poor maternal gestational nutrition alters sperm sncRNA composition and expression. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing further identified genomic regions with increased or decreased DNA methylation in sperm in response to poor maternal gestational nutrition. These findings imply that maternal diet-induced epigenetic errors can accumulate in sperm to worsen developmental outcomes of future generations.
2024-04-04 | GSE225985 | GEO
Project description:There is a growing body of evidence that inadequate maternal nutrition during gestation can have immediate and life-long effects on offspring. However, little is known about the reproductive effects of maternal gestational nutrition in offspring males. Here, using a sheep model of poor maternal nutrition (restricted- or over-feeding) during gestation, we found that poor maternal gestational nutrition does not affect semen characteristics (i.e. volume, sperm concentration, pH, sperm motility, sperm morphology) and scrotal circumference in offspring. However, by evaluating associations between poor maternal gestational nutrition and altered small non-cording RNAs (sncRNAs) and DNA methylation in offspring sperm, we demonstrated that poor maternal gestational nutrition alters sperm sncRNA composition and expression. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing further identified genomic regions with increased or decreased DNA methylation in sperm in response to poor maternal gestational nutrition. These findings imply that maternal diet-induced epigenetic errors can accumulate in sperm to worsen developmental outcomes of future generations.
2024-04-04 | GSE225924 | GEO
Project description:Pheromones exchanged by conspecifics are a major class of chemical signals that can alter behavior, physiology, and development. In particular, males and females communicate with potential mating partners via sex pheromones to promote reproductive success. Physiological and developmental mechanisms by which pheromones facilitate progeny production remain largely enigmatic. Here we describe how a C. elegans male pheromone, ascr#10, improves the oogenic germline. Before most signs of aging become evident, C. elegans hermaphrodites start producing lower quality gametes characterized by abnormal morphology, increased rates of chromosomal nondisjunction, and higher penetrance of deleterious alleles. We show that exposure to the male pheromone substantially ameliorates all of these defects and reduces embryonic lethality. ascr#10 stimulates proliferation of germline precursor cells in adult hermaphrodites. Greater precursor supply increases physiological germline cell death, which is required to improve oocyte quality in older mothers. The hermaphrodite germline is sensitive to the pheromone only during a time window, comparable in duration to a larval stage, used by the pre-reproductive adults to assess suitability of the environment for reproduction. Our results identify developmental events that occur in the oogenic germline in response to a male pheromone. They also suggest that the opposite effects of the pheromone on gamete quality and organismal longevity arise from a competition over resource allocation between soma and the germline.
2022-05-02 | GSE193636 | GEO