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D Solter

Publications and source records attributed to D Solter.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Acquisition of a transcriptionally permissive state during the 1-cell stage of mouse embryogenesis.

Zygotic gene transcription initiates during the 2-cell stage of mouse embryogenesis. To learn more of the nature and timing of events leading up to transcriptional activation, we evaluated the ability of enucleated 1-cell-stage embryos to support transcription of the 2-cell-stage-specific gene(s) encoding the 70,000-Da transcription-requiring complex (TRC). Nuclei were transplanted from transcriptionally inhibited alpha-amanitin or N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (H8)-treated 2-cell-stage embryos to either late or early enucleated 1-cell-stage recipients. Expression of the TRC gene(s) was much greater following transfer to late 1-cell than early 1-cell-stage recipients. In addition, treatment of early 1-cell-stage recipients with N6-monobutyryl cyclic AMP following transplantation of a nucleus from an H8-treated donor increased the rate of TRC synthesis to a value similar to that observed for late 1-cell-stage recipients. These results indicate that during the first cell cycle and prior to initiation of zygotic gene expression, the embryonic cytoplasm undergoes a transition from a transcriptionally nonpermissive to permissive state.

Amanitins

Relevance of genomic imprinting to human diseases.

The existence of functional differences between parts of the maternal and paternal genome has been demonstrated. The control of gene expression through genomic imprinting plays a significant role in normal developmental processes in mammals and is also instrumental in several human pathological conditions.

Angelman Syndrome

Gene expression during preimplantation mouse development.

To develop a resource for the identification and isolation of genes expressed in the early mammalian embryo, large and representative cDNA libraries were constructed from unfertilized eggs, and two-cell, eight-cell, and blastocyst-stage mouse embryos. Using these libraries, we now report the first stages at which the cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 beta, and interferon (IFN)-gamma are transcribed in the developing embryo and the presence of IL-7 transcripts in the unfertilized egg. Transcripts for IL-1 alpha, -2, -3, -4, or -5 were not detected at these stages. To identify novel genes expressed on activation of the embryonic genome, the egg and eight-cell stage-specific cDNA libraries were subtracted from the two-cell library, yielding a specialized cDNA library enriched for transcripts expressed at the two-cell stage. Sequence and Southern blot analysis of several of these cDNAs expressed predominantly at the two-cell stage of embryogenesis revealed them to be from novel genes, thereby providing the first molecular tools with which to approach the study of gene expression in the early mammalian embryo.

Animals

A DNA element that regulates expression of an endogenous retrovirus during F9 cell differentiation is E1A dependent.

The retinoic acid-induced differentiation of F9 cells into parietal endoderm-like cells activates transcription of the endogenous mouse retrovirus, the intracisternal A-particle (IAP). To investigate the elements that control IAP gene differentiation-specific expression, we used methylation interference, Southwestern (DNA-protein), and transient-transfection assays and identified the IAP-proximal enhancer (IPE) element that directs differentiation-specific expression. We find that the IPE is inactive in undifferentiated F9 cells and active in differentiated parietal endoderm-like PYS-2 cells. Three proteins of 40, 60, and 68 kDa bind to the sequence GAGTAGAC located between nucleotides -53 and -47 within the IPE. The 40- and 68-kDa proteins from both the undifferentiated and differentiated cells exhibit similar DNA-binding activities. However, the 60-kDa protein from differentiated cells has greater binding activity than that from undifferentiated cells, suggesting a role for this protein in F9 differentiation-specific expression of the IAP gene. The IAP gene is negatively regulated by the adenovirus E1A proteins, and the E1A sequence responsible for repression is located at the N terminus, between amino acids 2 and 67. The DNA sequence that is the target of E1A repression also maps to the IPE element. Colocalization of the differentiation-specific and E1A-sensitive elements to the same protein-binding site within the IPE suggests that the E1A-like activity functions in F9 cells to repress IAP gene expression. Activation of the IAP gene may result when the E1A-like activity is lost or inactivated during F9 cell differentiation, followed by binding of the 60-kDa positive regulatory protein to the enhancer element.

Adenovirus E1A Proteins

Analysis of embryonic mouse development: construction of a high-resolution, two-dimensional gel protein database.

Numerous studies have revealed stage specific alterations in protein synthesis that occur in mouse embryos. A thorough analysis of these changes has been hampered by limitations in the ability to resolve individual proteins, the ability to accurately quantify and manage data from two-dimensional gel images, and by variation in the staging of the embryos used. To learn more of the changes in protein synthesis that occur during early development, we constructed a protein database for the mouse embryo using the QUEST system of high-resolution, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and computerized gel image analysis (Garrels, 1989, J. Biol. Chem., 264:526). Synchronous cohorts of embryos were labeled at 3 h intervals throughout the entire preimplantation period from fertilization to blastocyst stage in order to characterize in detail the changes in protein synthesis pattern that occur during normal preimplantation development. Additional samples were prepared from early post-implantation embryos, isolated inner cell mass and trophoblast cells, and cultured embryonic stem cells. These provide the means for identifying cell and tissue specific proteins and for characterizing changes in protein synthesis that accompany early cellular differentiation in the embryo. We present here a description of the mouse embryo database and discuss its potential usefulness to the study of mammalian embryogenesis.

Animals

Activation of a two-cell stage-specific gene following transfer of heterologous nuclei into enucleated mouse embryos.

Zygotic gene activation occurs at the two-cell stage in the mouse embryo, resulting in the appearance of many new proteins, including a stage-specific family of related proteins of Mr 70,000. The mechanisms that regulate the stage-specific expression of these proteins were examined by transplanting nuclei from oocytes, four-cell-stage blastomeres, inner cell mass cells cultured embryonic stem cells, or differentiated endoderm-like PYS2 cells to enucleated one-cell embryos. Although none of these cell types synthesizes the 70 kDa complex, all were able to direct the synthesis of the 70 kDa complex following transplantation and overnight culture to the two-cell stage. These results suggest that the embryonic cytoplasm can exert a dominant, positive regulatory influence on a variety of heterologous nuclei that results in the transcription of a stage-specific gene. In addition, these results indicate that activation of the gene(s) coding for the 70 kDa complex is not dependent on prior programming during oogenesis and oocyte maturation, and that repression of the gene(s) coding for this complex after the two-cell stage does not involve irreversible gene inactivation.

Animals

Quantitative analysis of protein synthesis in mouse embryos. I. Extensive reprogramming at the one- and two-cell stages.

A quantitative, high-resolution, two-dimensional gel protein database has been constructed for the mouse embryo. This database has been used to obtain a detailed accounting of the amount and relative timing of changes in protein synthesis that occur during the 1-, 2-, and 4-cell stages along with a description of the most prevalent developmentally regulated patterns of synthesis. We find that during these early stages of development the pattern of proteins synthesized changes to a much greater extent than previously appreciated. During the 1- and 2-cell stages, the majority (60% and 85%, respectively) of the analyzed proteins exhibit twofold or greater changes in their rates of synthesis. The periods of greatest change are the late 1-cell and mid 2-cell stages, during which an extensive remodelling of protein synthetic pattern occurs that is largely complete by 15 h following the first cleavage. Once this reprogramming is complete, very little change is observed during the late 2-cell and 4-cell stages. Cluster analysis of individual protein synthesis patterns reveals a limited number of coordinately regulated protein sets that are responsible for most of the changes observed during the 1- and 2-cell stages. During the 2-cell stage, one third of the proteins increase by an average of fivefold, another third decrease by an average of sevenfold, and 10% undergo transient changes in rates of synthesis. These patterns reflect the switch from zygotic to maternal mRNA utilization following transcriptional activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Effect of egg composition on the developmental capacity of androgenetic mouse embryos.

Analysis of the developmental capacities of androgenetic and gynogenetic mouse embryos (bearing two paternal or two maternal pronuclei, respectively) revealed a defect in blastocyst formation of androgenetic, but not gynogenetic, embryos that was a function of the maternal genotype. Androgenetic embryos constructed using fertilized eggs from C57BL/6 or (B6D2)F1 mice developed to the blastocyst stage at frequencies similar to those previously reported, whereas androgenetic embryos constructed with fertilized eggs from DBA/2 mice developed poorly, the majority failing to progress beyond the 16-cell stage and unable to form a blastocoel-like cavity, regardless of whether the male pronuclei were of C57BL6 or DBA/2 origin. This impaired development was observed even in androgenetic embryos constructed by transplanting two male pronuclei from fertilized DBA/2 eggs to enucleated C57BL/6 eggs, indicating that the defect cannot be explained as the lack of some essential component in the DBA/2 cytoplasm that might otherwise compensate for androgeny. Rather, the DBA/2 egg cytoplasm apparently modifies the incoming male pronuclei differently than does C57BL/6 egg cytoplasm. Several specific alterations in the protein synthesis pattern of DBA/2 androgenones were observed that reflect a defect in the regulatory mechanisms that normally modulate the synthesis of these proteins between the 8-cell and blastocyst stages. These results are consistent with a model in which cytoplasmic factors present in the egg direct a strain-dependent modification of paternal genome function in response to epigenetic modifications (genomic imprinting) established during gametogenesis and indicate that preimplantation development can be affected by these modifications at both the morphological and biochemical levels.

Animals

Protein parameters of differential gene activation during development and tumorigenesis.

Various models of normal and abnormal developmental systems were addressed to get an insight into molecular parameters of cell differentiation at the level of protein gene products. Electrophoretic analysis of heterogeneous protein mixtures permitted qualitative analysis of developing systems, particularly during organogenesis in mammals, as well as of neoplastic growth in the animal and plant kingdoms. From our earlier findings indicating that the definite protein patterns characteristic of adult organs are acquired long after the adult morphological and histological characteristics of these tissues have developed, it has been repeatedly proven that quantitative changes in whole proteins is not a dependable indicator of cell differentiation.

Animals

CpG methylation of an endogenous retroviral enhancer inhibits transcription factor binding and activity.

The endogenous retrovirus, intracisternal A-particle (IAP), is expressed at unique stages during murine embryogenesis and is also activated during the in vitro differentiation of F9 cells. We have examined the DNA elements and protein factors that control IAP expression during F9 differentiation. In the present study an IAP upstream enhancer (IUE) is identified by transient transfection assays and found to be active in both undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Further analyses reveal that a ubiquitous 65 kDa protein factor, the IUE binding protein (IUEB), binds with the IUE. Site-specific methylation within the IUEB binding site strongly inhibits both IUEB binding and IUE transcriptional activity, suggesting that methylation may regulate IUE function and IAP expression.

Animals

Embryo-derived teratocarcinoma: I. The role of strain and gender in the control of teratocarcinogenesis.

The role of gender and genetic (strain-specific) factors in the regulation of teratocarcinogenesis was studied by monitoring the outgrowth of benign and malignant embryo-derived teratoid tumors, i.e., teratomas and teratocarconomas in several mouse strains. Teratocarcinomas were produced in all mouse strains tested, but the ratio of teratoma to teratocarcinoma varied from one strain to another. A high yield of teratocarcinomas was obtained in A/J, BALB/cJ, DBA/2J, CBA/J and C3H/J mice, irrespective of the sex of the recipient. A low yield of teratocarcinomas was obtained in both male and female C57BL/6J and AKR/J recipients, and in 129/J female recipients. For all strains but 129/J and eventually AKR/J the sex of the recipients did not significantly affect the outgrowth of embryo-derived tumors. These data suggest the existence of mouse strains with high and low permissiveness for embryo-derived teratocarcinogenesis. The sex of the recipients may influence the yield of embryo-derived teratocarcinomas in some mouse strains but is of no consequence in others.

Animals

Teratomas.

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Animals