Imbalance between the expression dosages of X-chromosome and autosomal genes in mammalian oocytes

Sci Rep. 2015 Sep 15:5:14101. doi: 10.1038/srep14101.

Abstract

Oocytes have unique characteristics compared with other cell types. In mouse and human oocytes, two X chromosomes are maintained in the active state. Previous microarray studies have shown that the balance of the expression state is maintained in haploid oocytes. Here, we investigated transcripts using RNA-sequence technology in mouse and human oocytes. The median expression ratio between X chromosome and autosomal genes (X:A) in immature mouse oocytes increased as the gene expression levels increased, reaching a value of 1. However, the ratio in mature oocytes was under 1 for all expression categories. Moreover, we observed a markedly low ratio resulting from the bimodal expression patterns of X-linked genes. The low X:A expression ratio in mature oocyte was independent of DNA methylation. While mature human oocytes exhibited a slightly low X:A expression ratio, this was the result of the skewed high frequency of lowly expressed X-linked genes rather than the bimodal state. We propose that this imbalance between the expression dosages of X-chromosome and autosomal genes is a feature of transcripts in mammalian oocytes lacking X-chromosome inactivation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Mammalian*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA Methylation
  • Gene Dosage*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Genes, Dominant
  • Genes, Recessive
  • Genes, X-Linked
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Oocytes / cytology
  • Oocytes / metabolism*
  • Oogenesis / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • X Chromosome Inactivation
  • X Chromosome*