title: Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) regulates meiotic initiation of ovarian germ cells in chick embryos.
abstract: Meiosis is essential for gametogenesis and exhibits sex-specific property during embryonic development. Retinoic acid (RA) signalling initiates germ cell meiosis by activating Stra8 (stimulated by RA gene 8). Although additional factors are involved in regulating the meiotic initiation of germ cells, their regulatory mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we found that Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) is largely expressed in chicken ovarian germ and somatic cells during early stages of meiosis. We demonstrated that PRC1 regulates Stra8, pluripotent factors and paracrine factors (Notch ligands) leading to a synergistic effect on the suppression of germ cell meiotic initiation. Finally, we observed that repression of PRC1 resulted in precocious meiotic initiation and apoptosis of ovarian cells in vivo. These results aid in understanding the regulation of meiotic initiation in germ cells by PRC1 and provide evidence to support the hypothesis that regulation of meiotic initiation is conserved in higher vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaochuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jingling Institute of Technology, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shiyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Rongyang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongpeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jingling Institute of Technology, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wangjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: liuhonglin@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Honglin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D014212:Tretinoin; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1
keywords: Meiotic initiation of germ cells; Notch ligands; PRC1; Retinoic acid; Rnf2