Normal embryonic and germ cell development in mice lacking alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase IX (Fut9) which show disappearance of stage-specific embryonic antigen 1.
Stage-specific embryonic antigen 1 (SSEA-1), an antigenic epitope defined as a Lewis x carbohydrate structure, is expressed during the 8-cell to blastocyst stages in mouse embryos and in primordial germ cells, undifferentiated embryonic stem cells, and embryonic carcinoma cells. For many years, SSEA-1 has been implicated in the development of mouse embryos as a functional carbohydrate epitope in cell-to-cell interaction during morula compaction. In a previous study, alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase IX (Fut9) exhibited very strong activity for the synthesis of Lewis x compared to other alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferases in an in vitro substrate specificity assay. Fut4 and Fut9 transcripts were expressed in mouse embryos. The Fut9 transcript was detected in embryonic-day-13.5 gonads containing primordial germ cells, but the Fut4 transcript was not. In order to identify the role of SSEA-1 and determine the key enzyme for SSEA-1 synthesis in vivo, we have generated Fut9-deficient (Fut9(-/-)) mice. Fut9(-/-) mice develop normally, with no gross phenotypic abnormalities, and are fertile. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed an absence of SSEA-1 expression in early embryos and primordial germ cells of Fut9(-/-) mice. Therefore, we conclude that expression of the SSEA-1 epitope in the developing mouse embryo is not essential for embryogenesis in vivo.
Kudo
Takashi
T
Glycogene Function Team, Research Center for Glycoscience, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Open Space Laboratory, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan.
Kaneko
Mika
M
Iwasaki
Hiroko
H
Togayachi
Akira
A
Nishihara
Shoko
S
Abe
Kuniya
K
Narimatsu
Hisashi
H
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000276:immunology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011247:Pregnancy
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007527:Isoenzymes; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; C031692:galactoside 3-fucosyltransferase