PMID: 8947024Nov 15, 1996Paper

Maternal and paternal genomes function independently in mouse ova in establishing expression of the imprinted genes Snrpn and Igf2r: no evidence for allelic trans-sensing and counting mechanisms

The EMBO Journal
P E Szabó, J R Mann

Abstract

It has often been suggested that the parental-specific expression of mammalian imprinted genes might be dependent on maternal-paternal intergenomic or interallelic interactions. Using quantitative allele-specific RT-PCR single nucleotide primer extension assays developed for two imprinted genes, Snrpn and Igf2r, we demonstrate: (i) No role for maternal-paternal allelic interactions: the modes of parental-specific expression of Snrpn and Igf2r in normal ova were unchanged in gynogenetic and androgenetic ova; the latter contain two maternal and two paternal genomes respectively, and cannot undergo maternal-paternal interactions. (ii) No role for allelic counting or exclusion mechanisms: in individual blastomeres of androgenetic ova, both paternal Snrpn alleles were active (Snrpn was not expressed in gynogenetic ova), and in individual gynogenetic and androgenetic blastomeres, both maternal and paternal Igf2r alleles, respectively, were active. (iii) No role for ploidy: the mode of parental-specific expression of Snrpn and Igf2r in normal diploid ova was unchanged in individual blastomeres of triploid and tetraploid ova. Thus, the maternal and paternal genomes function independently in establishing the pre-implantation mode of par...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur as a result of an attack by the immune system on the body’s own tissues resulting in damage and dysfunction. There are different types of autoimmune diseases, in which there is a complex and unknown interaction between genetics and the environment. Discover the latest research on autoimmune diseases here.