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MicroRNA expression in preimplantation mouse embryos from Ped gene positive compared to Ped gene negative mice

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Abstract

Purpose

The mouse preimplantation embryo development (Ped) gene product, Qa-2, influences the rate of preimplantation embryonic development and overall reproductive success. Here we investigated the expression pattern of two microRNAs, miR-125a and miR-125b, known to be involved in development in lower organisms, in preimplantation embryos from the two-cell, four-cell, eight-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages of development from the congenic B6.K1 (Ped negative) and B6.K2 (Ped positive) strains of mice.

Method

B6.K1 and B6.K2 congenic mice differ only in the absence (B6.K1) or presence (B6.K2) of the genes encoding Qa-2 protein. We analyzed the expression of miR-125a and miR-125b in B6.K1 and B6.K2 preimplantation embryos by using real-time PCR.

Result

We found no variability in miR-125b expression at any developmental stage in both strains. However, miR-125a expression increased during development in both strains and was ten times higher in Ped negative (B6.K1) embryos than in Ped positive (B6.K2) embryos by the blastocyst stage of development.

Conclusion

Our results show that the absence of the Ped gene profoundly affects the level of a miRNA (miR-125a) known to regulate early development. The implication is that miR-125a is likely involved in the regulation of timing of early development in mice.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Paula Lampton for technical assistance with the culture of the embryonic stem cells. We thank Michele Mammolenti and Robert Crooker for expert care of the mice. Supported by NIH grant HD39215, the Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (NSF EEC-9986821), and a NSF GK-12 pre-doctoral fellowship to M.B. (NSF-0338255)

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  1. Biology Department, Northeastern University, 134 Mugar Hall, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Michael J. Byrne & Carol M. Warner

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  1. Michael J. Byrne
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  2. Carol M. Warner
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Correspondence to Carol M. Warner.

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Capsule

Expression of miR-125a increases during preimplantation mouse embryo development and is 10 times higher in B6.K1 (Ped negative) mice than in B6.K2 (Ped positive) mice by the blastocyst stage of development.

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Byrne, M.J., Warner, C.M. MicroRNA expression in preimplantation mouse embryos from Ped gene positive compared to Ped gene negative mice. J Assist Reprod Genet 25, 205–214 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9211-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9211-8

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