Project description:The great majority of embryos generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) display defined abnormal phenotypes after implantation, such as an increased likelihood of death and abnormal placentation. To gain better insight into the underlying mechanisms, we analyzed genome-wide gene expression profiles of day 6.5 postimplantation mouse embryos cloned from three different cell types (cumulus cells, neonatal Sertoli cells and fibroblasts). The embryos retrieved from the uteri were separated into embryonic (epiblast) and extraembryonic (extraembryonic ectoderm and ectoplacental cone) tissues and were subjected to gene microarray analysis. Genotype- and sex-matched embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) were used as controls. Principal component analysis revealed that whereas the gene expression patterns in the embryonic tissues varied according to the donor cell type, those in extraembryonic tissues were relatively consistent across all groups. Within each group, the embryonic tissues had more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (> 2-fold vs. controls) than did the extraembryonic tissues (P < 1.0 M-CM-^W 10M-bM-^@M-^S26). In the embryonic tissues, one of the common abnormalities was upregulation of Dlk1, a paternally imprinted gene. This might be a potential cause of the occasional placenta-only conceptuses seen in SCNT-generated mouse embryos (1M-bM-^@M-^S5% per embryo transferred in our laboratory), because dysregulation of the same gene is known to cause developmental failure of embryos derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. There were also some DEGs in the extraembryonic tissues, which might explain the poor development of SCNT-derived placentas at early stages, although these alterations were not always statistically significant for all three SCNT groups because of variability. These findings suggest that SCNT affects the embryonic and extraembryonic development differentially and might cause further deterioration in the embryonic lineage in a donor cell-specific manner. This could explain donor cell-dependent variations in cloning efficiency using SCNT. Comparative gene expression analyses using post-implanted E6.5 cloned embryos were performed by microarray. Cloned embryos were produced with three different types of donor cells (cumulus cells, neonatal Sertoli cells and fibroblasts). As controls, sex- and genotype-matched embryos produced by in vitro fertilization were used. Each embryos were mechanically dissected into the embryonic and extraembryonic parts at E6.5 and were subjected to gene expression microarray.
Project description:We created mice, which are deficient for Myc specifically in cardiac myocytes by crossing crossed Myc-floxed mice (Mycfl/fl) and MLC-2VCre/+ mice. Serial analysis of earlier stages of gestation revealed that Myc-deficient mice died prematurely at E13.5-14.5. Morphological analyses of E13.5 Myc-null embryos showed normal ventricular size and structure; however, decreased cardiac myocyte proliferation and increased apoptosis was observed. BrdU incorporation rates were also decreased significantly in Myc-null myocardium. Myc-null mice displayed a 3.67-fold increase in apoptotic cardiomyocytes by TUNEL assay. We examined global gene expression using oligonucleotide microarrays. Numerous genes involved in mitochondrial death pathways were dysregulated including Bnip3L and Birc2. Keywords: wildtype vs Myc-null
Project description:A transcriptome study in mouse hematopoietic stem cells was performed using a sensitive SAGE method, in an attempt to detect medium and low abundant transcripts expressed in these cells. Among a total of 31,380 unique transcript, 17,326 (55%) known genes were detected, 14,054 (45%) low-copy transcripts that have no matches to currently known genes. 3,899 (23%) were alternatively spliced transcripts of the known genes and 3,754 (22%) represent anti-sense transcripts from known genes. Mouse hematopoietic stem cells were purified from bone marrow cells using negative and positive selection with a Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorter (MACS). total RNA and mRNA were purified from the purified cells using Trizol reagent and magnetic oligo dT beads. Double strand cDNAs were synthesized using a cDNA synthesis kit and anchored oligo dT primers. After NlaIII digestion, 3’ cDNAs were isolated and amplified through 16-cycle PCR. SAGE tags were released from the 3’ cDNA after linker ligation. Ditags were formed, concatemerized and cloned into a pZERO vector. Sequencing reactions were performed with the ET sequencing terminator kit. Sequences were collected using a Megabase 1000 sequencer. SAGE tag sequences were extracted using SAGE 2000 software.