title: The role of Dby mRNA in early development of male mouse zygotes.
abstract: Ejaculated mammalian spermatozoa contain a complex yet specific population of mRNA. However, the possible roles that mRNA has in early zygotic and embryonic development remain unclear. We found that Dby mRNA is selectively retained in capacitated mouse spermatozoa, and is transferred into the oocyte during fertilization by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction even though no DBY protein expression is detected. The cellular location of Dby mRNA is seen in the post-acrosome region, and it comprises nearly half of the mouse spermatozoa in in situ hybridization. In contrast, transcripts of the control gene, Smcy, are not detected in capacitated mouse spermatozoa, although the H-Y antigen encoded by Smcy is expressed on the surface of the spermatozoa. In our microinjection experiment, the zygotic development rate of the as-Dby male pronucleus injection group was significantly lower than that of the as-Smcy male pronucleus injection group (35.9% vs. 95%, P = 0.001) and the as-Dby female pronucleus injection group (35.9% vs. 93.8%, P = 0.001). The rate of male-developed zygotes was also lower than that of the as-Smcy male pronucleus injection group (17.4% vs. 57.9%, P = 0.002) and the as-Dby female pronucleus injection group (17.4% vs. 54.1%, P = 0.002). Thus, we conclude that Dby mRNA is selectively retained in capacitated mouse spermatozoa, and it has an important role in the early zygotic development of male mouse zygotes. This might imply that spermatozoa mRNA is involved in early zygotic and embryonic stages of reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genetics & Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chen-Jiang
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Wang-Jie
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Zi-Jue
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhao-Xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiao-Li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-Bin
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Lian-Yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Duan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhong-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D056466:Histone Demethylases; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D056466:Histone Demethylases; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D011506:Proteins; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C490659:Kdm5d protein, mouse; C115600:Ddx3y protein, mouse