Project description:Self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) provides the foundation for testis homeostasis, yet mechanisms that control their functions in mammals are poorly defined. We used microarray transcript profiling to identify specific genes whose expression are augmented in the SSC-enriched Thy1+ germ cell fraction of mouse pup testes. Comparisons of gene expression in the Thy1+ germ cell fraction to the Thy1-depeleted testis cell population identified 202 genes that are expressed 10-fold or higher in Thy1+ cells. This database provided a mining tool to investigate specific characteristics of SSCs and identify novel mechanisms that potentially influence their functions.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRs) play a key role in the control of gene expression in a wide array of tissue systems where their functions include the regulation of self-renewal, cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. However, the functional importance of individual miRs in controlling spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) homeostasis has not been investigated. Using high-throughout sequencing, we profiled the expression of miRs in the Thy1+ testis cell population, which is highly enriched for SSCs, and the Thy1- cell population, composed primarily of testis somatic cells. In addition, we profiled the global expression of miRs in cultured germ cells, also enriched for SSCs. Our results demonstrate that miR-21, along with miR-34c, -182, -183, -146a, -465a-3p, -465b-3p, -465c-3p, and -465c-5p are preferentially expressed in the Thy1+ SSC-enriched population, as compared to Thy1- somatic cells, and we further observed that Thy1+ SSC-enriched testis cells and SSC-enriched cultured germ cells share remarkably similar miR expression profiles. Spermatogonial Stem Cell enriched cell populations (freshly isolated and short-term cultured) and somatic cell populations were isolated from C57B/L6 mouse donors and subjected to small RNA isolation and sequencing.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRs) play a key role in the control of gene expression in a wide array of tissue systems where their functions include the regulation of self-renewal, cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. However, the functional importance of individual miRs in controlling spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) homeostasis has not been investigated. Using high-throughout sequencing, we profiled the expression of miRs in the Thy1+ testis cell population, which is highly enriched for SSCs, and the Thy1- cell population, composed primarily of testis somatic cells. In addition, we profiled the global expression of miRs in cultured germ cells, also enriched for SSCs. Our results demonstrate that miR-21, along with miR-34c, -182, -183, -146a, -465a-3p, -465b-3p, -465c-3p, and -465c-5p are preferentially expressed in the Thy1+ SSC-enriched population, as compared to Thy1- somatic cells, and we further observed that Thy1+ SSC-enriched testis cells and SSC-enriched cultured germ cells share remarkably similar miR expression profiles.
Project description:PURPOSE: To provide a detailed gene expression profile of the normal postnatal mouse cornea. METHODS: Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was performed on postnatal day (PN)9 and adult mouse (6 week) total corneas. The expression of selected genes was analyzed by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A total of 64,272 PN9 and 62,206 adult tags were sequenced. Mouse corneal transcriptomes are composed of at least 19,544 and 18,509 unique mRNAs, respectively. One third of the unique tags were expressed at both stages, whereas a third was identified exclusively in PN9 or adult corneas. Three hundred thirty-four PN9 and 339 adult tags were enriched more than fivefold over other published nonocular libraries. Abundant transcripts were associated with metabolic functions, redox activities, and barrier integrity. Three members of the Ly-6/uPAR family whose functions are unknown in the cornea constitute more than 1% of the total mRNA. Aquaporin 5, epithelial membrane protein and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) omega-1, and GST alpha-4 mRNAs were preferentially expressed in distinct corneal epithelial layers, providing new markers for stratification. More than 200 tags were differentially expressed, of which 25 mediate transcription. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to providing a detailed profile of expressed genes in the PN9 and mature mouse cornea, the present SAGE data demonstrate dynamic changes in gene expression after eye opening and provide new probes for exploring corneal epithelial cell stratification, development, and function and for exploring the intricate relationship between programmed and environmentally induced gene expression in the cornea. Keywords: other
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:Subcutanesouly tumors from both Bmal1+/+ and Bmal1-/- mice were used to isolated stromal vascular fractions (SVF). Tumor cells with GFP+ signals were exclusive. Remain GFP- cells were collected to do RNAseq.
Project description:Male FVB strain mice aged 12-days-old through 26-days-old were administered daily intraperitoneal injections of rapamycin (4mg/kg body weight) or control vehicle (5% Tween-80, 5% PEG-400), beginning at postnatal day (P)12. Mice were euthanized at P26 and their testes were isolated for germ cell enrichment. Single cell suspensions of germ cells were prepared from isolated testes and subjected to magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). This procedure enriches the undifferentiated spermatogonia fraction, which represents the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) population. Total RNA from cells double-positive for the SSC surface markers thymus cell antigen 1, theta (THY1) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha 1 (GFRA1) was isolated for gene expression microarray analysis. Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) was used to enrich undifferentiated spermatogonia from a pool of primary testicular cells isolated from 5 littermate rapamycin (RM)-treated male mice and from 5 littermate control vehicle (VEH)-treated male mice. With MACS-enriched cells from pool generating RNA, no technical replicates performed.
Project description:Mouse spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) continuously self-renew on the feeder layers in serum-free culture medium supplemented with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and fibroblast growth factor 2. To identify novel nuclear proteins involved in SSC maintenance, comparative proteomic profiling of nuclear proteins was performed between self-renewing and differentiation-initiated SSCs in culture. The self-renewing SSC cultures were established from C57BL/6 mouse testes. Nuclear fractions from self-renewing SSC cultures treated with ethanol as a vehicle control (spermatogonial stem cells) and differentiation-initiated SSC cultures treated with 0.3 μM retinoic acid for 24 h (spermatogonial progenitor cells) were isolated for proteomic analysis.
Project description:To study effect of VRK1 deletion on spermatogenesis of the mouse, transciptomic analysis of genes in postnatal 8-day testicular cells of wild type and VRK1-deficient Mus musculus was performed. Gene expression in testes from from wild type and VRK1-deficient mutant Mus musculus, respectively, was measured. Four independent experiments for wild type and mutant, respectively, were performed.