title: Systems biology of the 2-cell mouse embryo.
abstract: The transcriptome of the 2-cell mouse embryo was analyzed to provide insight into the molecular networks at play during nuclear reprogramming and embryonic genome activation. Analysis of ESTs from a 2-cell cDNA library identified nearly 4,000 genes, over half of which have not been previously studied. Transcripts of mobile elements, especially those of LTR retrotransposons, are abundantly represented in 2-cell embryos, suggesting their possible role in introducing genomic variation, and epigenetic restructuring of the embryonic genome. Analysis of Gene Ontology of the 2-cell-stage expressed genes outlines the major biological processes that guide the oocyte-to-embryo transition. These results provide a foundation for understanding molecular control at the onset of mammalian development.
authors.affiliation: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Evsikov
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Peaston
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Radford
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Fancher
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bult
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Latham
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solter
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Knowles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020224:Expressed Sequence Tags; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D005796:Genes; D023281:Genomics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018626:Retroelements; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018626:Retroelements; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex