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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Defining the Program of Maternal mRNA Translation during In vitro Maturation using a Single Oocyte Reporter Assay
Published on: June 16, 2021
Oocyte-selective expression of MT transposon-like element, clone MTi7 and its role in oocyte maturation and embryo
Chang-Eun Park1, Mi-Ra Shin, Eun-Hyun Jeon
1Genome Research Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, CHA General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract:
Previously, we found MT transposon-like element, clone MTi7 (MTi7) is highly expressed in the mouse ovary. Here, we show that the MTi7 is expressed in the oocyte from the primordial to the preovulatory follicles. For RNA interference (RNAi), double stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) were prepared for MTi7 and c-mos, a control gene with known functions. Each dsRNA was microinjected into germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes or zygotes with pronuclei (PN), after which developmental changes, mRNA expression, and nuclear and microtubular organization were analyzed. We found a 43.4-53% GV arrest in the microinjected oocytes with a concomitant decrease in targeted mRNA expression. In MTi7 dsRNA-injected early and late PN zygotes, a 92.9% 1-cell arrest and 76.9% 2-cell arrest were observed, respectively. This is the first report of an oocyte-selective expression of MTi7 mRNA, and our results strongly suggest that MTi7 involved in the nuclear membrane breakdown during oocyte maturation and embryo development.
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