title: In vivo function and evolution of the eutherian-specific pluripotency marker UTF1.
abstract: Embryogenesis in placental mammals is sustained by exquisite interplay between the embryo proper and placenta. UTF1 is a developmentally regulated gene expressed in both cell lineages. Here, we analyzed the consequence of loss of the UTF1 gene during mouse development. We found that homozygous UTF1 mutant newborn mice were significantly smaller than wild-type or heterozygous mutant mice, suggesting that placental insufficiency caused by the loss of UTF1 expression in extra-embryonic ectodermal cells at least in part contributed to this phenotype. We also found that the effects of loss of UTF1 expression in embryonic stem cells on their pluripotency were very subtle. Genome structure and sequence comparisons revealed that the UTF1 gene exists only in placental mammals. Our analyses of a family of genes with homology to UTF1 revealed a possible mechanism by which placental mammals have evolved the UTF1 genes.
authors.affiliation: Radioisotope Experimental Laboratory, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Yamane Hidaka, Saitama, Japan. masamasa@saitama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masazumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimoto
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katano
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hishida
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamon
authors.forename: Ayumu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirasaki
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nabeshima
authors.forename: Yo-ichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nabeshima
authors.forename: Yukako
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsura
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Satta
authors.forename: Janine E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Deakin
authors.forename: Jennifer A Marshall
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuroki
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ishino
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ema
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hidemasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuda
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D018390:Gene Targeting; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010920:Placenta / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D015534:Trans-Activators; C112198:Utf1 protein, mouse