title: Peg3 mutational effects on reproduction and placenta-specific gene families.
abstract: Peg3 (paternally expressed gene 3) is an imprinted gene encoding a DNA-binding protein. This gene plays important roles in controlling fetal growth rates and nurturing behaviors. In the current study, a new mutant mouse model has been generated to further characterize the functions of this DNA-binding protein. Besides known phenotypes, this new mutant model also revealed potential roles of Peg3 in mammalian reproduction. Female heterozygotes produce a much smaller number of mature oocytes than the wild-type littermates, resulting in reduced litter sizes. According to genome-wide expression analyses, several placenta-specific gene families are de-repressed in the brain of Peg3 heterozygous embryos, including prolactin, cathepsin and carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule (Ceacam) families. The observed de-repression is more pronounced in females than in males. The de-repression of several members of these gene families is observed even in the adult brain, suggesting potential defects in epigenetic setting of the placenta-specific gene families in the Peg3 mutants. Overall, these results indicate that Peg3 likely controls the transcription of several placenta-specific gene families, and further suggest that this predicted transcriptional control by Peg3 might be mediated through unknown epigenetic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joomyeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Wesley D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hongzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Muhammad B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ekram
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Arundhati
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faisal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Bambarendage P U
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teruyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology; D006579:Heterozygote; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008098:Litter Size / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; C097901:Peg3 protein, mouse