The length of the poly(A) tail of maternal-effect gene mRNAs in the mammalian oocyte and egg: dynamics and possible relevance

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter; Professorin Dr. Ruth Grümmer; Professor Dr. Bernhard Horsthemke
• Subject Area: Human Genetics
• Term: from 2012 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 214365266

• Final Report Year: 2016

Final Report Abstract

The data generated in this collaborative project demonstrate that RNA storage and stability, poly(A) tail dynamics, histone methylation patterns and embryonic genome activation are not (exclusively) timed by ovulation or fertilization, but, at least partly, regulated by events in the growing or maturing oocyte. A delay in ovulation or fertilization desynchronizes oocyte development and fertilization, which may consequently affect the embryonic programs with potentially long-lasting effects.

Publications

• (2014). Pre- and postovulatory aging of murine oocytes affect the transcript level and poly(A) tail length of maternal effect genes. PLoS One Oct 1;9(10):e108907
  Dankert D, Demond H, Trapphoff T, Heiligentag M, Rademacher K, Eichenlaub-Ritter U, Horsthemke B, Grümmer R
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108907)
• (2015) Auswirkung einer postovulatorischen Alterung auf molekulare Parameter und die Entwicklungskompetenz muriner Oozyten. Dissertation, Universität Duisburg-Essen
  Dankert D
  
• (2015) Entwicklung, Proteom und chromosomale, epigenetische und mitrochondriale Konstitution von Oozyten nach Vitrifikation im preantralen Follikelstadium und nach chronischer Bisphenol A Behandlung. Dissertation, Universität Bielefeld
  Trapphoff T
  
• (2016). Postovulatory aging affects dynamics of mRNA, expression and localization of maternal effect proteins, spindle integrity and pericentromeric proteins in mouse oocytes. Human Reproduction 31(1): 133-149
  Trapphoff T, Heiligentag M, Dankert D, Demond H, Deutsch D, Fröhlich T, Arnold GJ, Grümmer R, Horsthemke B, Eichenlaub-Ritter U
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dev279)