In vivo function and evolution of the eutherian-specific pluripotency marker UTF1

Masazumi Nishimoto; Miyuki Katano; Toshiyuki Yamagishi; Tomoaki Hishida; Masayoshi Kamon; Ayumu Suzuki; Masataka Hirasaki; Yoko Nabeshima; Yo-ichi Nabeshima; Yukako Katsura; Yoko Satta; Janine E Deakin; Jennifer A Marshall Graves; Yoko Kuroki; Ryuichi Ono; Fumitoshi Ishino; Masatsugu Ema; Satoru Takahashi; Hidemasa Kato; Akihiko Okuda

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068119

In vivo function and evolution of the eutherian-specific pluripotency marker UTF1

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 9;8(7):e68119. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068119. Print 2013.

Affiliation

¹ Radioisotope Experimental Laboratory, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Yamane Hidaka, Saitama, Japan. masamasa@saitama-med.ac.jp

Abstract

Embryogenesis in placental mammals is sustained by exquisite interplay between the embryo proper and placenta. UTF1 is a developmentally regulated gene expressed in both cell lineages. Here, we analyzed the consequence of loss of the UTF1 gene during mouse development. We found that homozygous UTF1 mutant newborn mice were significantly smaller than wild-type or heterozygous mutant mice, suggesting that placental insufficiency caused by the loss of UTF1 expression in extra-embryonic ectodermal cells at least in part contributed to this phenotype. We also found that the effects of loss of UTF1 expression in embryonic stem cells on their pluripotency were very subtle. Genome structure and sequence comparisons revealed that the UTF1 gene exists only in placental mammals. Our analyses of a family of genes with homology to UTF1 revealed a possible mechanism by which placental mammals have evolved the UTF1 genes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / chemistry
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics*
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism*
Embryonic Development / genetics*
Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism
Evolution, Molecular
Female
Gene Knockout Techniques
Gene Targeting
Genotype
Mice
Molecular Sequence Data
Mutation
Phenotype
Phylogeny
Placenta / embryology
Placenta / metabolism
Pregnancy
Sequence Alignment
Trans-Activators / chemistry
Trans-Activators / genetics*
Trans-Activators / metabolism*

Substances

Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
Trans-Activators
Utf1 protein, mouse

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and mostly by the Support Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities, 2008–2012. This study was performed as a part of the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) Agency. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.