Asb4, Ata3, and Dcn are novel imprinted genes identified by high-throughput screening using RIKEN cDNA microarray

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Genetics
• Epigenetics

Background:

• Imprinted genes are expressed from only one parental allele (maternal or paternal).
• Identifying imprinted genes is crucial for understanding development and disease.
• Previous methods for identifying imprinted genes were often low-throughput.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-throughput method for screening novel imprinted genes.
• To identify candidate imprinted genes by comparing gene expression in parthenogenetic and androgenetic embryos.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the RIKEN full-length enriched mouse cDNA microarray.
• Compared gene expression profiles between parthenogenetic and androgenetic embryos.
• Confirmed candidate imprinted genes using normal diploid embryos from reciprocal crosses.

Main Results:

• Identified 25 candidate genes differentially expressed between parthenogenetic and androgenetic embryos.
• Confirmed 8 known imprinted genes and identified 3 novel imprinted genes (Asb4, Ata3, Decorin).
• Some candidates showed no imprinting-associated expression in normal diploid embryos, highlighting the screening method's specificity.

Conclusions:

• The RIKEN cDNA microarray provides a feasible high-throughput method for discovering novel imprinted genes.
• This approach accelerates the identification of genes involved in genomic imprinting.
• The findings contribute to a better understanding of parent-specific gene regulation in mammals.