title: Investigation of MYST4 histone acetyltransferase and its involvement in mammalian gametogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various histone acetylases (HATs) play a critical role in the regulation of gene expression, but the precise functions of many of those HATs are still unknown. Here we provide evidence that MYST4, a known HAT, may be involved in early mammalian gametogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although MYST4 mRNA transcripts are ubiquitous, protein expression was restricted to select extracts (including ovary and testis). Immunohistochemistry experiments performed on ovary sections revealed that the MYST4 protein is confined to oocytes, granulosa and theca cells, as well as to cells composing the blood vessels. The transcripts for MYST4 and all-MYST4-isoforms were present in oocytes and in in vitro produced embryos. In oocytes and embryos the MYST4 protein was localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Within testis sections, the MYST4 protein was specific to only one cell type, the elongating spermatids, where it was exclusively nuclear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We established that MYST4 is localized into specialized cells of the ovary and testis. Because the majority of these cells are involved in male and female gametogenesis, MYST4 may contribute to important and specific acetylation events occurring during gametes and embryo development.
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences Animales, Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. serge.mcgraw.1@ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGraw
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vigneault
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.forename: Marc-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sirard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002417:Cattle; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000201:enzymology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases