Human Reproduction, Vol 12, 2251-2256, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
R Daniels, S Lowell, V Bolton and M Monk
We have recently detected de-novo transcripts of the predominantly
muscle-specific myotonin protein kinase gene in human preimplantation
embryos from the 1-cell to the 4-cell stages. Others have shown de-novo
transcripts of the Y-linked genes, ZFY and SRY, in the 1-cell zygote. In
order to assess the significance of early transcription of these
predominantly tissue-specific genes in preimplantation development, we have
analysed individual human oocytes and preimplantation embryos for the
presence of transcripts of two further tissue-specific genes, alpha- globin
and beta-globin, and two house-keeping genes, HPRT and APRT. Reverse
transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays were developed to the
required single cell sensitivity, using human red blood cells and
fibroblasts, prior to their application to human oocytes and embryos. As
expected, transcripts of the house-keeping genes, HPRT and APRT, were
detected at all stages of preimplantation development. Transcripts of
'tissue-specific' alpha-globin were readily detected in preimplantation
embryos from the 1-cell stage. However, transcripts of beta-globin were
detected only rarely (in only one of the 11 embryos analysed). This
difference may be due to the fact that alpha-globin contains a CpG island.
A survey of the data on gene expression in early human development suggests
that CpG-island-containing genes may be expressed in preimplantation
embryos. Expression of these genes in gametes and early embryos may be
involved in the survival of CpG islands in evolution.
ARTICLES
Transcription of tissue-specific genes in human preimplantation embryos
Division of Biochemistry, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
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