Deterministic and Stochastic Allele Specific Gene Expression in Single Mouse Blastomeres
Author Information
Author(s): Tang Fuchou, Barbacioru Catalin, Nordman Ellen, Bao Siqin, Lee Caroline, Wang Xiaohui, Tuch Brian B., Heard Edith, Lao Kaiqin, Surani M. Azim
Primary Institution: Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge
Hypothesis
The extent and nature of allele specific expression (ASE) during early mouse development is unknown.
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that allele specific expression is both deterministic and stochastic in early blastomeres.
Supporting Evidence
- Over half of the transcripts with detectable genetic polymorphisms exhibit ASE.
- Individual blastomeres from the same two-cell embryo show similar patterns of ASE.
- About 6% of transcripts exhibit stochastic expression.
- 1,718 genes express two isoforms with different lengths of 3′UTRs.
- The shorter isoform is more abundant in early blastomeres compared to epiblast cells.
Takeaway
This study looked at how genes are expressed differently in individual cells of early mouse embryos, showing that some genes are expressed in a predictable way while others are more random.
Methodology
Single cell RNA-Seq analysis was performed on individual blastomeres from early mouse embryos.
Potential Biases
Potential technical biases in RNA-Seq data could affect the results.
Limitations
The study may not fully account for the influence of maternal transcripts on ASE.
Participant Demographics
Mouse embryos from outbred MF1 females mated with MF1 males.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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