Reproductive biology: delivering spermatozoan RNA to the oocyte.
Even though the genetic fingerprint of human sperm has been defined, its role in orchestrating fertilization and the development of the early embryo remains vague. Here we show that human male gametes pass over more to the oocyte than just the haploid male genome--paternal messenger RNAs are also delivered to the egg at fertilization. If these transcripts, previously thought to be left-overs from spermatogenesis, are important in early development, our findings may have implications for the success of somatic-cell nuclear transfer in cloning technology and the identification of components leading to unexplained male-factor infertility.
Ostermeier
G Charles
GC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Miller
David
D
Huntriss
John D
JD
Diamond
Michael P
MP
Krawetz
Stephen A
SA
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010312:Parthenogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D034443:RNA Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger