Journal article
Stra8 and its inducer, retinoic acid, regulate meiotic initiation in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis in mice
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.105(39), pp.14976-14980
09/30/2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/114760
PMCID: PMC2542382
PMID: 18799751
Abstract
In eukaryotes, diploid cells give rise to haploid cells via meiosis, a program of two cell divisions preceded by one round of DNA replication. Although key molecular components of the meiotic apparatus are highly conserved among eukaryotes, the mechanisms responsible for initiating the meiotic program have diverged substantially among eukaryotes. This raises a related question in animals with two distinct sexes: Within a given species, are similar or different mechanisms of meiotic initiation used in the male and female germ lines? In mammals, this question is underscored by dramatic differences in the timing of meiotic initiation in males and females.
Stra8
is a vertebrate-specific, cytoplasmic factor expressed by germ cells in response to retinoic acid. We previously demonstrated that
Stra8
gene function is required for meiotic initiation in mouse embryonic ovaries. Here we report that, on an inbred C57BL/6 genetic background, the same factor is also required for meiotic initiation in germ cells of juvenile mouse testes. In juvenile C57BL/6 males lacking
Stra8
gene function, the early mitotic development of germ cells appears to be undisturbed. However, these cells then fail to undergo the morphological changes that define meiotic prophase, and they do not display the molecular hallmarks of meiotic chromosome cohesion, synapsis and recombination. We conclude that, in mice,
Stra8
regulates meiotic initiation in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Taken together with previous observations, our present findings indicate that, in both the male and female germ lines, meiosis is initiated through retinoic acid induction of
Stra8
.
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Details
- Title
- Stra8 and its inducer, retinoic acid, regulate meiotic initiation in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis in mice
- Creators
- Ericka L Anderson - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142Andrew E Baltus - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142Hermien L Roepers-Gajadien - Center for Reproductive Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1012 ZA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; andTerry J Hassold - School of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164Dirk G de Rooij - Center for Reproductive Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1012 ZA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; andAns M. M van Pelt - Center for Reproductive Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1012 ZA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; andDavid C Page - Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.105(39), pp.14976-14980
- Academic Unit
- Molecular Biosciences, School of
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Identifiers
- 99900547432501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article