title: Use of combined in silico expression data and phylogenetic analysis to identify new oocyte genes encoding RNA binding proteins in the mouse.
abstract: During folliculogenesis, oocytes accumulate maternal mRNAs in preparation for the first steps of early embryogenesis. The processing of oocyte mRNAs is ensured by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) genes that encode RNA binding proteins implied in mRNA biogenesis, translation, alternative splicing, nuclear exportation, and degradation. In the present work, by combining phylogenetic analyses and, when available, in silico expression data, we have identified three new oocyte-expressed genes encoding RNA binding proteins by using two strategies. Firstly, we have identified mouse orthologs of the Car1 gene, known to be involved in regulation of germ cell apoptosis in C. elegans, and of the Squid gene, required for the establishment of anteroposterior polarity in the Drosophila oocyte. Secondly, we have identified, among genes whose ESTs are highly represented in oocyte libraries, a paralog of Poly(A) binding protein--Interacting Protein 2 (Paip2) gene, known to inhibit the interaction of the Poly(A)-Binding Protein with Poly(A) tails of mRNAs. For all of these genes, the expression in oocyte was verified by in situ hybridization. Overall, this work underlines the efficiency of in silico methodologies to identify new genes involved in biological processes such as oogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 6073 INRA-CNRS-Université François Rabelais de Tours-Haras Nationaux, Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Drouilhet
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paillisson
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bontoux
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jeanpierre
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazerbourg
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monget
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C081480:sqd protein, Drosophila