A genetic method for sex determination in Ovis spp. by interruption of the zinc finger protein, Y-linked (ZFY) gene on the Y chromosome

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Sheng Zhang ◽  
Ying Chun Du ◽  
Li Rong Sun ◽  
Xu Hai Wang ◽  
Shuai Bing Liu ◽  
...  

The mammalian Y chromosome plays a critical role in spermatogenesis. However, the exact functions of each gene on the Y chromosome have not been completely elucidated, due, in part, to difficulties in gene targeting analysis of the Y chromosome. The zinc finger protein, Y-linked (ZFY) gene was first proposed to be a sex determination factor, although its function in spermatogenesis has recently been elucidated. Nevertheless, ZFY gene targeting analysis has not been performed to date. In the present study, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to generate ZFY-interrupted Hu sheep by injecting short hairpin RNA (shRNA) into round spermatids. The resulting spermatozoa exhibited abnormal sperm morphology, including spermatozoa without tails and others with head and tail abnormalities. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that ZFY mRNA expression was decreased significantly in Hu sheep with interrupted ZFY compared with wild-type Hu sheep. The sex ratio of lambs also exhibited a bias towards females. Together, the experimental strategy and findings of the present study reveal that ZFY also functions in spermatogenesis in Hu sheep and facilitate the use of RNAi in the control of sex in Hu sheep.

Brain ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (8) ◽  
pp. 2380-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saurav Brahmachari ◽  
Saebom Lee ◽  
Sangjune Kim ◽  
Changqing Yuan ◽  
Senthilkumar S Karuppagounder ◽  
...  

Abstract α-Synuclein misfolding and aggregation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. Although loss of function mutations in the ubiquitin ligase, parkin, cause autosomal recessive Parkinson’s disease, there is evidence that parkin is inactivated in sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Whether parkin inactivation is a driver of neurodegeneration in sporadic Parkinson’s disease or a mere spectator is unknown. Here we show that parkin in inactivated through c-Abelson kinase phosphorylation of parkin in three α-synuclein-induced models of neurodegeneration. This results in the accumulation of parkin interacting substrate protein (zinc finger protein 746) and aminoacyl tRNA synthetase complex interacting multifunctional protein 2 with increased parkin interacting substrate protein levels playing a critical role in α-synuclein-induced neurodegeneration, since knockout of parkin interacting substrate protein attenuates the degenerative process. Thus, accumulation of parkin interacting substrate protein links parkin inactivation and α-synuclein in a common pathogenic neurodegenerative pathway relevant to both sporadic and familial forms Parkinson’s disease. Thus, suppression of parkin interacting substrate protein could be a potential therapeutic strategy to halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease and related α-synucleinopathies.


Author(s):  
Min Duan ◽  
Xiao-Juan Ke ◽  
Hong-Xia Lan ◽  
Xi Yuan ◽  
Peng Huang ◽  
...  

Abstract Gibberellins (GAs) play important roles in the regulation of plant growth and development. The green revolution gene SD1 encoding gibberellin 20-oxidase 2 (GA20ox2) has been widely used in modern rice breeding. However, the molecular mechanism of how SD1/OsGA20ox2 expression is regulated remains unclear. Here, we report a Cys2/His2 zinc finger protein ZFP207 acting as a transcriptional repressor of OsGA20ox2. ZFP207 was mainly accumulated in young tissues and more specifically in culm nodes. ZFP207-overexpression (ZFP207OE) plants displayed semidwarfism phenotype and small grains by modulating cell length. RNA interference of ZFP207 caused increased plant height and grain length. The application of exogenous GA3 could rescue the semidwarf phenotype of ZFP207OE rice seedlings. Moreover, ZFP207 repressed the expression of OsGA20ox2 via binding to its promoter region. Taken together, ZFP207 acts as a transcriptional repressor of SD1/OsGA20ox2 and it may play a critical role in plant growth and development in rice through the fine-tuning of GA biosynthesis .


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaella Spina ◽  
Gessica Filocamo ◽  
Enrico Iaccino ◽  
Stefania Scicchitano ◽  
Michela Lupia ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1644-1659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaping Nie ◽  
Shufang Cai ◽  
Renqiang Yuan ◽  
Suying Ding ◽  
Xumeng Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Zinc finger protein 422 (Zfp422) is a widely expressed zinc finger protein that serves as a transcriptional factor to regulate downstream gene expression, but until now, little is known about its roles in myogenesis. We found here that Zfp422 plays a critical role in skeletal muscle development and regeneration. It highly expresses in mouse skeletal muscle during embryonic development. Specific knockout of Zfp422 in skeletal muscle impaired embryonic muscle formation. Satellite cell-specific Zfp422 deletion severely inhibited muscle regeneration. Myoblast differentiation and myotube formation were suppressed in Zfp422-deleted C2C12 cells, isolated primary myoblasts, and satellite cells. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (ChIP-Seq) revealed that Zfp422 regulated ephrin type-A receptor 7 (EphA7) expression by binding an upstream 169-bp DNA sequence, which was proved to be an enhancer of EphA7. Knocking EphA7 down in C2C12 cells or deleting Zfp422 in myoblasts will inhibit cell apoptosis which is required for myoblast differentiation. These results indicate that Zfp422 is essential for skeletal muscle differentiation and fusion, through regulating EphA7 expression to maintain proper apoptosis.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Duan ◽  
Xiao-Juan Ke ◽  
Hong-Xia Lan ◽  
Xi Yuan ◽  
Peng Huang ◽  
...  

AbstractGibberellins (GAs) play important roles in the regulation of plant growth and development. The green evolution geneSD1encoding gibberellin 20-oxidase 2 (GA20ox2) has been widely used in modern rice breeding. However, the molecular mechanism of howSD1/OsGA20ox2expression is regulated remains unclear. Here we report a Cys2/His2 zinc finger protein ZFP207 acting as a transcriptional repressor ofOsGA20ox2.ZFP207was mainly accumulated in young tissues and more specifically in culm nodes.ZFP207-overexpression (ZFP207OE) plants displayed semi-dwarfism phenotype and small grains by modulating cell length. RNA interference ofZFP207caused higher plant and longer grains. The endogenous bioactive GA levels were significantly reduced inZFP207OEplants and application of exogenous GA3rescued the semi-dwarf phenotype. Thein vivoandin vitrostudies showed that ZFP207 repressed the expression ofOsGA20ox2via binding to its promoter region. Together, ZFP207 acts as a transcriptional repressor of gibberellins biosynthesis and it may play a critical role in plant growth and development through fine-tuning GA biosynthesis in rice.


2002 ◽  
Vol 195 (7) ◽  
pp. 941-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Kimura ◽  
Adam Hart ◽  
Masanori Hirashima ◽  
Chen Wang ◽  
Doug Holmyard ◽  
...  

Using an expression gene trapping strategy, we recently identified a novel gene, hematopoietic zinc finger (Hzf), which encodes a protein containing three C2H2-type zinc fingers that is predominantly expressed in megakaryocytes. Here, we have examined the in vivo function of Hzf by gene targeting and demonstrated that Hzf is essential for megakaryopoiesis and hemostasis in vivo. Hzf-deficient mice exhibited a pronounced tendency to rebleed and had reduced α-granule substances in both megakaryocytes and platelets. These mice also had large, faintly stained platelets, whereas the numbers of both megakaryocytes and platelets were normal. These results indicate that Hzf plays important roles in regulating the synthesis of α-granule substances and/or their packing into α-granules during the process of megakaryopoiesis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2358-2367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Sik Kim ◽  
Hong Soon Kang ◽  
Ronald Herbert ◽  
Ju Youn Beak ◽  
Jennifer B. Collins ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT To obtain insight into the physiological functions of the Krüppel-like zinc finger protein Gli-similar 2 (Glis2), mice deficient in Glis2 expression were generated. Glis2 mutant (Glis2mut) mice exhibit significantly shorter life spans than do littermate wild-type (WT) mice due to the development of progressive chronic kidney disease with features resembling nephronophthisis. Glis2mut mice develop severe renal atrophy involving increased cell death and basement membrane thickening in the proximal convoluted tubules. This development is accompanied by infiltration of lymphocytic inflammatory cells and interstitial/glomerular fibrosis. The severity of the fibrosis, inflammatory infiltrates, and glomerular and tubular changes progresses with age. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine increase, and Glis2mut mice develop proteinuria and ultimately die prematurely of renal failure. A comparison of the gene expression profiles of kidneys from 25-day-old/60-day-old WT and Glis2mut mice by microarray analysis showed increased expressions of many genes involved in immune responses/inflammation and fibrosis/tissue remodeling in kidneys of Glis2mut mice, including several cytokines and adhesion and extracellular matrix proteins. Our data demonstrate that a deficiency in Glis2 expression leads to tubular atrophy and progressive fibrosis, similar to nephronophthisis, that ultimately results in renal failure. Our study indicates that Glis2 plays a critical role in the maintenance of normal kidney architecture and functions.


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