Academic literature on the topic 'Oocyte Maturation Factors'

Maternally supplied mRNAs encode for necessary developmental regulators that pattern early embryos in many species until zygotic transcription is activated. In Caenorhabditis elegans, post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms guide early development during embryogenesis. Maternal transcripts remain in a translationally silenced state until fertilization. A suite of RNA-binding proteins (RBP’s) regulate these maternally supplied mRNAs during oogenesis, the oocyte-to-embryo transition, and early embryogenesis. Identifying the target specificity of these RNA-binding proteins will reveal their contribution to patterning of the embryo. We are studying post-transcriptional regulation of maternal mRNAs during oocyte maturation, which is an essential part of meiosis that prepares oocytes for fertilization. Although the physiological events taking place during oocyte maturation have been well studied, the molecular mechanisms that regulate oocyte maturation are not well understood. OMA-1 and OMA-2 are essential CCCH-type tandem zinc finger (TZF) RBP’s that function redundantly during oocyte maturation. This dissertation shows that I defined the RNA-binding specificity of OMA-1, and demonstrated that OMA-1/2 are required to repress the expression of 3ʹUTR reporters in developing oocytes. The recovered sequences from in vitro selection demonstrated that OMA-1 binds UAA and UAU repeats in a cooperative fashion. Interestingly, OMA-1 binds with high affinity to a conserved region of the glp-1 3ʹUTR that is rich in UAA and UAU repeats. Multiple RNA-binding proteins regulate translation of GLP-1 protein, a homolog of Notch receptor. In addition to previously identified RBP’s, we showed that OMA-1 and OMA-2 repress glp-1 reporter expression in C. elegans oocytes. Mapping the OMA-1 dependent regulatory sites in the glp-1 mRNA and characterizing the interplay between OMA-1 and other factors will help reveal how multiple regulatory signals coordinate the transition from oocyte to embryo but the abundance of OMA-1 binding motifs within the glp-1 3ʹUTR makes it infeasible to identify sites with a functional consequence. I therefore first developed a strategy that allowed us to generate transgenic strains efficiently using a library adaptation of MosSCI transgenesis in combination with rapid RNAi screening to identify RBP-mRNA interactions with a functional consequence. This allowed me to identify five novel mRNA targets of OMA-1 with an in vivo regulatory connection. In conclusion, the findings in this dissertation provide new insights into OMA-1 mediated mRNA regulation and provide new tools for C. elegans transgenesis. Development of library MosSCI will advance functional mapping of OMA-1 dependent regulatory sites in the target mRNAs. Extending this strategy to map functional interactions between mRNA targets and RNAbinding proteins in will help reveal how multiple regulatory binding events coordinate complex cellular events such as oocyte to embryo transition and cell-fate specification.

Maternally supplied mRNAs encode for necessary developmental regulators that pattern early embryos in many species until zygotic transcription is activated. In Caenorhabditis elegans, post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms guide early development during embryogenesis. Maternal transcripts remain in a translationally silenced state until fertilization. A suite of RNA-binding proteins (RBP’s) regulate these maternally supplied mRNAs during oogenesis, the oocyte-to-embryo transition, and early embryogenesis. Identifying the target specificity of these RNA-binding proteins will reveal their contribution to patterning of the embryo. We are studying post-transcriptional regulation of maternal mRNAs during oocyte maturation, which is an essential part of meiosis that prepares oocytes for fertilization. Although the physiological events taking place during oocyte maturation have been well studied, the molecular mechanisms that regulate oocyte maturation are not well understood. OMA-1 and OMA-2 are essential CCCH-type tandem zinc finger (TZF) RBP’s that function redundantly during oocyte maturation. This dissertation shows that I defined the RNA-binding specificity of OMA-1, and demonstrated that OMA-1/2 are required to repress the expression of 3ʹUTR reporters in developing oocytes. The recovered sequences from in vitro selection demonstrated that OMA-1 binds UAA and UAU repeats in a cooperative fashion. Interestingly, OMA-1 binds with high affinity to a conserved region of the glp-1 3ʹUTR that is rich in UAA and UAU repeats. Multiple RNA-binding proteins regulate translation of GLP-1 protein, a homolog of Notch receptor. In addition to previously identified RBP’s, we showed that OMA-1 and OMA-2 repress glp-1 reporter expression in C. elegans oocytes. Mapping the OMA-1 dependent regulatory sites in the glp-1 mRNA and characterizing the interplay between OMA-1 and other factors will help reveal how multiple regulatory signals coordinate the transition from oocyte to embryo but the abundance of OMA-1 binding motifs within the glp-1 3ʹUTR makes it infeasible to identify sites with a functional consequence. I therefore first developed a strategy that allowed us to generate transgenic strains efficiently using a library adaptation of MosSCI transgenesis in combination with rapid RNAi screening to identify RBP-mRNA interactions with a functional consequence. This allowed me to identify five novel mRNA targets of OMA-1 with an in vivo regulatory connection. In conclusion, the findings in this dissertation provide new insights into OMA-1 mediated mRNA regulation and provide new tools for C. elegans transgenesis. Development of library MosSCI will advance functional mapping of OMA-1 dependent regulatory sites in the target mRNAs. Extending this strategy to map functional interactions between mRNA targets and RNAbinding proteins in will help reveal how multiple regulatory binding events coordinate complex cellular events such as oocyte to embryo transition and cell-fate specification.

A resposta da produção in vitro de embriões (PIVE) é reduzida quando comparada à in vivo. O aprimoramento do conhecimento dos mecanismos de maturação de oócitos bovinos permite fornecer embasamento para incrementar os sistemas in vitro, aproximando-os do ideal fisiológico. O presente estudo visou investigar os efeitos da suplementação dos meios de maturação com FGF16 (10 ng/ml), BMP15 (100 ng/ml) e a interação de ambos sobre parâmetros relevantes ao desenvolvimento do complexo cumulus oócito (COC), tais como: expansão as células do cumulus (CC), fragmentação de DNA em CC e oócito, maturação nuclear oocitária, metabolismo energético e produção de progesterona. Os COC foram maturados em meios de tratamento (controle, FGF16, BMP15 e FGF16+BMP15) e avaliados em diferentes momentos da MIV (0 e 22 horas). A análise da expansão das CC demonstrou efeito positivo (p=0,0071) da BMP15 (11,34±1,09 unidade arbitrária/UA) e da combinação FGF16+BMP15 (11,34±0,61 UA) em relação ao grupo controle (8,73±0,44 UA) e ao suplementado com FGF16 (9,42±0,65 UA). A presença de fragmentação de DNA em CC (p=0,0015) e oócitos (p=0,036) foi significativamente menor em COC tratados com BMP15 (11,73±1,24 % e 3,81±2,76 %, respectivamente) em comparação ao grupo FGF16 (22,54±2,80 % e 31,13±7,81 %, respectivamente). Ainda, o FGF16 causou aumento na incidência de fragmentação de DNA em CC, quando relacionado ao controle (16,04±1,45 %). A taxa de maturação nuclear oocitária foi superior (p=0,014) no grupo suplementado com BMP15 (93,60±4,03 %) em comparação aos grupos controle (80,80±2,49 %) e FGF16 (76,75±2,28 %), aproximando-se da totalidade. De forma inédita, descrevemos ação da BMP15 (10,79±0,72 ng/ml) no incremento da produção de progesterona, sendo maior (p=0,0113) do que a produzida nos grupos controle (8,38±0,39 ng/ml) e FGF16 (8,84±0,45 ng/ml). Não foi evidenciado efeito dos tratamentos sobre o consumo de glicose e a produção de lactato. O presente estudo reforça o envolvimento da BMP15 na foliculogênese e na diferenciação do COC. Deste modo, a adição da BMP15 (100ng/ml) aos convencionais protocolos de PIVE pode ser de grande valia para elevar a efetividade desta biotecnologia. A suplementação de FGF16 (10ng/ml) se mostrou indiferente ao processo de maturação, permitindo inferir que o FGF16 não tenha envolvimento nas etapas da maturação compreendidas pelo presente estudo in vitro. Não foi observada ação sinérgica entre o FGF16 e a BMP15.
In vitro embryo production (IVEP) efficiency is reduced when compared to in vivo. Gaining knowledge of bovine oocyte maturation mechanisms will provide bases to improve in vitro systems. The present study assessed the in vitro effects of fibroblast growth factor 16 (FGF16), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and their interaction on relevant parameters to cumulus oocyte complex (COC) development, such as: cumulus cells (CC) expansion, oocyte and CC DNA fragmentation, nuclear maturation, energetic metabolism and progesterone production. COCs were matured in control or supplemented media containing, FGF16 (10ng/ml), BMP15 (100ng/ml), FGF16±BMP15 and analyzed at different times of IVM (0 and 22 hours). CC expansion evaluation demonstrated a positive effect (p=0.0071) of BMP15 (11.34±1.09 arbitrary unit/AU) and FGF16+BMP15 (11.34±0,61 AU) when compared to control (8.73±0.44 AU) and FGF16 groups (9.42±0.65 UA). The presence of DNA fragmentation in CC (p=0.0015) and oocytes (p=0.036) were lower in COCs treated in media supplemented with BMP15 (11.73±1.24 % and 3.81±2.76 %, respectively) in comparison to FGF16 group (22.54±2.80 % and 31.13±7.81 %, respectively). Moreover, FGF16 caused an increase in CC DNA fragmentation, when related to control (16.04±1.45 %). Oocyte nuclear maturation rate was higher (p=0.014) in groups supplemented with BMP15 (93.60±4.03 %) compared to control (80.80±2.49 %) and FGF16 treatments (76.75±2.28 %), almost reaching the totality of COCs. In an unprecedented way, we described the BMP15 increasing action on progesterone production (10.79±0,72 ng/ml; p=0.0113) when compared to control (8.38±0.39 ng/ml) and FGF16 groups (8.84±0.45 ng/ml). There were no differences in glucose consumption and lactate production. The present study reinforces BMP15 involvement in folliculogenesis and COC differentiation. FGF16 (10 ng/ml) media supplementation did not improve any of the outcomes measured, suggesting that FGF16 is not involved in the maturation steps analyzed in the present in vitro study. Thus, the inclusion of BMP15 (100 ng/ml) to conventional IVEP protocols can be valuable to increase the effectiveness of this biotechnology. Synergistic action between FGF16 and BMP15 was not observed.

Kyoto University (京都大学)
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(農学)
甲第6915号
農博第933号
新制||農||742(附属図書館)
学位論文||H9||N3039(農学部図書室)
16032
UT51-97-H299
京都大学大学院農学研究科畜産学専攻
(主査)教授 宮本 元, 教授 佐々木 義之, 教授 矢野 秀雄
学位規則第4条第1項該当

During vertebrate oocyte maturation, the chromosomes progress to and arrest at metaphase of meiosis II in preparation for fertilization. This process includes emission of the first polar body. The second polar body is emitted after fertilization. A number of proteins are accumulated during oocyte maturation. Inhibition of this de novo translation does not appear to affect the progression of meiosis during oocyte maturation. The role of these pools of proteins has yet to be elucidated. Curiously, several of the upregulated proteins are key players in mitosis, including INCENP, a subunit of the chromosome passenger complex implicated in chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. During early stages of development in Xenopus laevis, the embryo cycles through mitosis, also known as embryo cleavage, every 30min with little to no time for transcription/translation. Our goal is to determine if the de novo translation of these mitotic proteins during oocyte maturation has a role in early embryogenesis. We used morpholino oligonucleotides antisense to INCENP mRNA (INCENPmorpho) to inhibit de novo translation during oocyte maturation. Using confocal imaging and the host transfer technique, these injected oocytes were matured, fertilized and assessed for developmental competency. INCENPmorpho and a control morpholino (ctrlmorpho) had no discernable effect on 1st or 2nd polar body emission. Whereas ctrlmorpho embryos developed normally, INCENPmorpho embryos did not cleave. Thus, de novo translation of INCENP during oocyte maturation is necessary for embryogenesis. Specifically, accumulation of INCENP and other mitotic proteins during oocyte maturation may be a common strategy in this species to prepare for the rapid and synchronous mitoses during early embryogenesis.

Thesis advisor: Laura E. Hake
Metazoan development depends on cytoplasmic polyadenylation, a key mechanism that controls the translation of maternally deposited mRNAs. In Xenopus laevis oocytes, CPEB regulates the translation of several developmentally important mRNAs, which drive meiotic progression and the production of fertilizable eggs. Most of our current knowledge of this process, also referred to as oocyte maturation, has been acquired from experiments conducted in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Despite over 30 years of research devoted to the exploration of progesterone signaling during maturation, the very early events that occur from progesterone receptor engagement to CPEB activation are not well understood. XGef, a putative Rho family guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), interacts with CPEB and facilitates CPEB activation and timely meiotic progression. To further our understanding of XGef function during meiotic progression, the requirement for exchange factor activity and the activities of several Rho GTPases during maturation were examined. Despite previous reports of XGef activation of Cdc42 in mammalian cell culture, XGef does not stimulate the activation of Cdc42 in maturing Xenopus oocytes. Further, Cdc42 activity does not affect CPEB phosphorylation and overexpression of a dominant negative Cdc42 mutant does not affect maturation. Inhibition of Toxin B sensitive Rho GTPases, including Cdc42, Rac1 and Rho A-C, also fails to affect CPEB activation or meiotic progression. Lastly, the overexpression of XGef exchange deficient point mutants did not affect maturation compared to oocytes overexpressing wildtype XGef. Together, these results suggest that as a facilitator of CPEB activation and meiotic progression, XGef functions independently of exchange factor activity and Rho GTPase activation. Additionally, we found that XGef activity influences the function of RINGO/CDK1, a novel component of the progesterone signaling pathway. XGef inhibition depresses RINGO-induced GVBD, whereas XGef overexpression enhances this process. XGef interacts with RINGO in oocyte extracts and the interaction is direct in vitro. Our protein interaction data, in total, suggest that a XGef/RINGO/MAPK/CPEB complex forms in ovo to facilitate CPEB activation. Lastly, inhibition of RINGO activity directly compromises CPEB phosphorylation during early maturation, which suggests that RINGO/CDK1 directly mediates CPEB-activation
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Biology