Genome-wide microarray evidence that 8-cell human blastomeres over-express cell cycle drivers and under-express checkpoints.
OBJECTIVE
To understand cell cycle controls in the 8-Cell human blastomere.


METHODS
Data from whole human genome (43,377 elements) microarray analyses of RNAs from normal 8-Cell human embryos were compiled with published microarrays of RNAs from human fibroblasts, before and after induced pluripotency, and embryonic stem cells. A sub database of 3,803 genes identified by high throughput RNA knock-down studies, plus genes that oscillate in human cells, was analyzed.


RESULTS
Thirty-five genes over-detected at least 7-fold specifically on the 8-Cell arrays were enriched for cell cycle drivers and for proteins that stabilize chromosome cohesion and spindle attachment and limit DNA and centrosome replication to once per cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that 8-cell human blastomere cleavage is guided by cyclic over-expression of key proteins, rather than canonical checkpoints, leading to rapidly increasing gene copy number and a susceptibility to chromosome and cytokinesis mishaps, well-noted characteristics of preimplantation human embryos.
Kiessling
Ann A
AA
Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation, 206 Elm St, Suite 106, Somerville, MA 02144, USA. kiessling@bedfordresearch.org
Bletsa
Ritsa
R
Desmarais
Bryan
B
Mara
Christina
C
Kallianidis
Kostas
K
Loutradis
Dimitris
D
D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D015894:Genome, Human; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D034622:RNA Interference
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins