title: The promoter of the oocyte-specific gene, Gdf9, is active in population of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells with an oocyte-like phenotype.
abstract: The study of germ cell-specific gene regulation in vitro is challenging. Here we report that the promoter of the oocyte-specific gene, Gdf9, is active in a population of cultured murine embryonic stem cells (ES) which have a phenotype resembling oocytes. The promoter region of the murine Gdf9 coupled to enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) was stably transfected into XX mouse ES cells. eGFP was expressed only in oocytes of chimeric mice generated from the transfected XX ES cells. The transfected ES cells were examined when cultured on feeder layers or as embryoid bodies. Large eGFP-positive cells, surrounded by a structure resembling a zona pellucida appeared transiently in cultures of the ES cells on feeder layers. Surprisingly, they were detectable on days 1 and 2 of culture but virtually absent on day 3. Addition of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) to the media significantly increased the number of eGFP-positive cels resembling oocytes. Quantitative-time PCR demonstrated a parallel increase in Gdf9 and Zp3 mRNA with changes in the abundance of eGFP-positive cells. In embryoid body cultures, eGFP-positive cells appeared transiently and then re-appeared in regional clusters after 30-45 days of culture. These findings demonstrate that a population of cultured murine ES cells contain the transcriptional machinery to drive expression of an oocyte-specific gene, and that those cells phenotypically resemble oocytes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.forename: Celso P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kostetskii
authors.forename: Glenn L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Radice
authors.forename: Jerome F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C525901:BMP15 protein, human; C525902:Bmp15 protein, mouse; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; C525897:GDF9 protein, human; C525898:Gdf9 protein, mouse; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C507837:LIF protein, human; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins