title: Isolation and expression of the human gametocyte-specific factor 1 gene (GTSF1) in fetal ovary, oocytes, and preimplantation embryos.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gametocyte-specific factor 1 has been shown in other species to be required for the silencing of retrotransposons via the Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway. In this study, we aimed to isolate and assess expression of transcripts of the gametocyte-specific factor 1 (GTSF1) gene in the human female germline and in preimplantation embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries from human fetal ovaries and testes, human oocytes and preimplantation embryos and ovarian follicles isolated from an adult ovarian cortex biopsy were used to as templates for PCR, cloning and sequencing, and real time PCR experiments of GTSF1 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GTSF1 cDNA clones that covered the entire coding region were isolated from human oocytes and preimplantation embryos. GTSF1 mRNA expression was detected in archived cDNAs from staged human ovarian follicles, germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes, metaphase II oocytes, and morula and blastocyst stage preimplantation embryos. Within the adult female germline, expression was highest in GV oocytes. GTSF1 mRNA expression was also assessed in human fetal ovary and was observed to increase during gestation, from 8 to 21 weeks, during which time oogonia enter meiosis and primordial follicle formation first occurs. In human fetal testis, GTSF1 expression also increased from 8 to 19 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe the expression of the human GTSF1 gene in human gametes and preimplantation embryos.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproduction and Early Development, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Clarendon Way, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. j.huntriss@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: John
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6001-7977
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huntriss
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproduction and Early Development, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Clarendon Way, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproduction and Early Development, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Clarendon Way, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayne
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Seacroft Hospital, York Road, Leeds, LS14 6UH, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.affiliation: Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Seacroft Hospital, York Road, Leeds, LS14 6UH, UK.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balen
authors.affiliation: Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge, CB23 2TN, UK.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproduction and Early Development, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Clarendon Way, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Picton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; C575258:GTSF1 protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins
keywords: FAM112B; GTSF1; Oocyte; Ovarian follicle; cue110; piRNA