ISSN:
0192-253X
Keywords:
β-galactosidase
;
preimplantation
;
mouse
;
Bgl
;
paternal effect
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Genetics
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Lysosomal acid hydrolase expression during preimplantation mouse embryogenesis has proved useful in estimating when mRNA transcription commences during this period. Previous work from this laboratory has shown that α-galactosidase and β-glucuronidase undergo 50- to 100-fold increases in activity between the two-cell stage and the blastocyst stage [1, 2]. Here we show that β-galactosidase activity levels undergo a similar change. We also demonstrate that mouse strains with the Bgl-sh allele produce cleavage stage embryos with 2-4-fold higher activity levels than strains with the Bgl-sd allele. Bgl has been shown to control β-galactosidase levels in adult mouse tissues [3]. Unfertilized egg β-galactosidase levels are also regulated by Bgl, but loci distant from Bgl modify egg expression. The distant sites are not observed to act during cleavage. Hybrid embryos (Bgl-sd/h) show intermediate activity levels to the parental types. The timing of the deviation of hybrid embryo β-galactosidase activity levels from maternal-type activity levels is used to estimate when transcription of genes governing β-galactosidase expression occurs.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dvg.1020020102
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