PRC1-mediated epigenetic programming is required to generate the ovarian reserve.
Mengwen Hu1,2, Yu-Han Yeh1,2, Yasuhisa Munakata1,2
1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Nature Communications
|August 10, 2022
Summary
Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) maintains the ovarian reserve by silencing genes that trigger meiotic entry in oocytes. PRC1 dysfunction depletes the ovarian reserve, leading to premature ovarian failure.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Epigenetics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- The ovarian reserve determines female reproductive lifespan, relying on oocyte meiotic arrest.
- Epigenetic reprogramming is crucial for meiotic entry, but underlying chromatin changes are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) in establishing and preserving the ovarian reserve.
- To understand the epigenetic mechanisms governing oocyte meiotic arrest and female reproductive lifespan.
Main Methods:
- Studied perinatal mouse oocytes.
- Investigated the function of PRC1 in chromatin modification and gene expression.
- Analyzed the impact of PRC1 dysfunction on ovarian reserve and fertility.
Main Results:
- PRC1 establishes repressive chromatin states in perinatal oocytes.
- PRC1 suppresses the gene expression program for meiotic prophase-I, enabling dictyate arrest.
- PRC1 dysfunction leads to ovarian reserve depletion and premature ovarian failure.
Conclusions:
- PRC1-mediated gene silencing is fundamental for female reproductive lifespan.
- A critical epigenetic programming window involving PRC1 is required to establish ovarian reserve.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
1.9K
Nuclear reprogramming is a process of transforming one cell type into an unrelated cell type by epigenetic changes that alter the cell’s original gene expression pattern. Such epigenetic changes force cells to express a different set of genes, which play a significant role in inducing transformation into other cell types. Nuclear reprogramming offers applications in reproductive cloning for livestock propagation and regenerative medicine — developing patient-specific cells for...
1.9K
02:07Oogenesis
64.1K
In human women, oogenesis produces one mature egg cell or ovum for every precursor cell that enters meiosis. This process differs in two unique ways from the equivalent procedure of spermatogenesis in males. First, meiotic divisions during oogenesis are asymmetric, meaning that a large oocyte (containing most of the cytoplasm) and minor polar body are produced as a result of meiosis I, and again following meiosis II. Since only oocytes will go on to form embryos if fertilized, this unequal...
64.1K
01:37Epigenetic Regulation
3.1K
Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
X-chromosome...
3.1K
02:30Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
35.1K
Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
35.1K
01:14Introduction to Nuclear Reprogramming
2.0K
Nuclear reprogramming is the process of switching gene expression of one cell type to that of another cell type, usually from a differentiated cell state to an undifferentiated cell state. Differentiation occurs during processes such as development and morphogenesis, tissue regeneration, and malignancy. Cells can also be artificially induced to reprogram their gene expression by techniques such as nuclear transfer, induced pluripotency, and cell fusion. Such techniques have many applications in...
2.0K
01:29Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
2.3K
Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
2.3K