Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2039107 | Cell Reports | 2015 | 7 Pages |
•In vitro protaminization of somatic cell nuclei•Conversion of interphase somatic nuclei into “spermatid-like” structures•Protaminization of somatic nuclei that is reversed upon injection into enucleated oocytes•A simplified model of nuclear remodeling and reprogramming in vitro
SummaryProtamines confer a compact structure to the genome of male gametes. Here, we find that somatic cells can be remodeled by transient expression of protamine 1 (Prm1). Ectopically expressed Prm1 forms scattered foci in the nuclei of fibroblasts, which coalescence into spermatid-like structures, concomitant with a loss of histones and a reprogramming barrier, H3 lysine 9 methylation. Protaminized nuclei injected into enucleated oocytes efficiently underwent protamine to maternal histone TH2B exchange and developed into normal blastocyst stage embryos in vitro. Altogether, our findings present a model to study male-specific chromatin remodeling, which can be exploited for the improvement of somatic cell nuclear transfer.
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