Projects per year
Abstract
In human embryos, the initiation of transcription (embryonic genome activation [EGA]) occurs by the eight-cell stage, but its exact timing and profile are unclear. To address this, we profiled gene expression at depth in human metaphase II oocytes and bipronuclear (2PN) one-cell embryos. High-resolution single-cell RNA sequencing revealed previously inaccessible oocyte-to-embryo gene expression changes. This confirmed transcript depletion following fertilization (maternal RNA degradation) but also uncovered low-magnitude upregulation of hundreds of spliced transcripts. Gene expression analysis predicted embryonic processes including cell-cycle progression and chromosome maintenance as well as transcriptional activators that included cancer-associated gene regulators. Transcription was disrupted in abnormal monopronuclear (1PN) and tripronuclear (3PN) one-cell embryos. These findings indicate that human embryonic transcription initiates at the one-cell stage, sooner than previously thought. The pattern of gene upregulation promises to illuminate processes involved at the onset of human development, with implications for epigenetic inheritance, stem-cell-derived embryos, and cancer.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 209-216.e4 |
Journal | Cell Stem Cell |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 2 |
Early online date | 21 Dec 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 3 Feb 2022 |
Keywords
- embryonic genome activation (EGA)
- fertilization
- human one-cell embryo
- single-cell RNA-seq
- totipotency
- transcriptome
- zygote
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
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Dive into the research topics of 'Human embryonic genome activation initiates at the one-cell stage'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 4 Finished
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Switchable Gene Drives
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
30/06/17 → 30/09/21
Project: Research council
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Novel Homology-Directed Gene Targeting to Enhance Biomedical Modelling
17/10/16 → 16/04/19
Project: Research council
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Delineating the Roles of NSun Proteins at the Onset of Mouse Embryogenesis
1/10/15 → 31/03/19
Project: Research council