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Updated: Jul 28, 2026
11:02
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay for Tissue-specific Genes using Early-stage Mouse Embryos
Published on: April 29, 2011
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STRAIN-SPECIFIC APPEARANCE OF A POSSIBLE FETAL α-GLOBIN POLYPEPTIDE CHAIN IN MICE
Yoji Ikawa1, Gen-Ichiro Soma1, Takayasu Matsugi1
1Department of Viral Oncology, Cancer Institute, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170, Japan.
Development, Growth & Differentiation
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Researchers identified a distinct fetal alpha-globin chain in DDD mouse embryos, suggesting a potential switch in alpha-globin gene transcription during development. This finding sheds light on developmental hematopoiesis and globin gene regulation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
- Hematopoiesis
Background:
- During embryonic development, globin gene expression undergoes significant changes to meet the oxygen demands of the growing fetus.
- Alpha-globin chains are essential components of hemoglobin, crucial for oxygen transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and nature of alpha-globin chains during embryonic development in DDD mice.
- To explore the potential switch in alpha-globin gene transcription in hepatic erythroid cells.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoretic analysis (acidic urea-Triton gel) to detect and differentiate alpha-globin chains.
- Autoradiography to assess the synthesis of specific globin chains in hepatic erythroid cells.
- Comparison of globin chain profiles across different embryonic stages and mouse strains (DDD, ddY, C57BL/6, BALB/c).
Main Results:
- A putative fetal alpha-globin chain with lower electrophoretic mobility than authentic alpha-globin was detected in DDD mouse embryos (12-16 days gestation).
- In DDD embryos, only the fetal alpha-globin appeared to be synthesized in hepatic erythroid cells, even when contaminated with yolk sac cells.
- In ddY embryos, hepatic erythroid cells showed adult alpha-globin after 15 days gestation, in addition to the fetal form.
- Alpha-globin chains in C57BL/6 and BALB/c embryos exhibited mobilities similar to yolk sac and adult erythroid cells.
Conclusions:
- A potential switch in alpha-globin polypeptide chain transcription occurs in mid-late gestation hepatic erythroid cells of DDD mice.
- The fetal alpha-globin chain may be structurally distinct, indicating a developmental regulation of globin gene expression.
- Post-translational modification of authentic alpha-globin remains a possibility for the observed fetal form.
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