title: Fas-associated factor (FAF1) is required for the early cleavage-stages of mouse embryo.
abstract: FAF1 was initially isolated as a Fas-associated factor and was subsequently found to interact with a subset of additional proteins that are involved in many cellular events including Fas-mediated apoptosis, heat shock signalling pathways and ubiquitin-dependent processes. Here, we describe that the 74-kDa FAF1 is ubiquitously expressed, while the expression of its post-translational-processed 49-kDa isoform is restricted to post-meiotic male germ cells. In ovary, FAF1 protein is localized predominantly in the cytoplasm of oocytes in all follicle stages. To determine the function of FAF1 in vivo, we analysed a mouse mutant line in which a gene trap vector was inserted in the Faf1 locus. The mutation disrupts the Faf1 and leads to lethality of the Faf1(GT/GT) embryos near the 2-cell stage. Analysis of FAF1 expression revealed that the protein is present in early preimplantation stages, while embryonic expression of Faf1 mRNA becomes appreciable at 4-cell stage. These results indicate that the death of Faf1(GT/GT) at the 2-cell stage may coincide with the depletion of maternal FAF1 in these embryos. Thus, our results indicate that the FAF1 gene product is necessary for early embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany. iadham@gwdg.de
authors.forename: Ibrahim M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Adham
authors.forename: Janchiv
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khulan
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: Bernhardt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Barbara I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meinhardt
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005838:Genotype; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C097186:Faf1 protein, mouse; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins