IF3, a novel cell-differentiation factor, highly expressed in murine liver and ovary. Mano H et al. (2002) The IF3 gene was isolated by expression cloning from a cDNA library of mouse oocytes. This gene was revealed to have no homology to any known gene and its cDNA encodes a 202-amino acid protein that contains a signal-peptide sequence. Moreover, an IF3 isoform, IF3(2), was expressed in both liver and ovary. Its cDNA encoded a 92-amino acid protein contains a signal-peptide sequence, which may be an alternative splice and frameshift form of IF3. The mRNA of IF3s was expressed in oocytes, ovary, and liver. Moreover, the gene expression of IF3s was regulated in a development-dependent manner in preimplantation-embryo and liver. Both IF3(1) and IF3(2) isoforms induced the differentiation of 2T3 and ATDC5 cells to the osteogenic and chondrogenic phenotype, respectively, suggesting that IF3s may modulate the differentiation status. Our findings suggest that IF3 may be one of the secreted factors that regulate oogenesis and certain liver functions.//////////////////
Yan CN, et al 2001 reported that Oosp1 encodes a novel mouse oocyte-secreted protein.
Oocyte-somatic cell communication is necessary for normal ovarian function.
However, the identities of the majority of oocyte-secreted proteins remain
unknown. A novel cDNA encoding mouse oocyte-secreted-protein 1 (OOSP1) was
identified using a modified subtractive hybridization screen. The Oosp1 cDNA
encodes a 202-amino acid protein that contains a 21-amino acid signal peptide
sequence, 5 putative N-linked glycosylation consensus sequences, and 6
cysteines that are predicted to form 3 disulfide bonds. OOSP1 shares amino
acid identity with placental-specific protein I (PLAC1), a secreted protein
expressed in the placenta and the ectoplacental cone. The Oosp1 mRNA is
approximately 1.0 kb and is present at high levels in the oocytes of adult
ovaries and at lower levels in the spleen. The mouse Oosp1 gene is 5 exons,
spans greater than 16.4 kb, and localizes to chromosome 19 at a position that
shares synteny with human chromosome 11q12-11q13. The identification of OOSP1
as a new oocyte-secreted protein permits future in vitro and in vivo
functional analyses to define its role in ovarian folliculogenesis.
General function
Ligand
Comment
Cellular localization
Secreted
Comment
Ovarian function
Comment
The expression of gene is decreased in NOBOX KO mice. Microarray analyses of newborn mouse ovaries lacking Nobox. Choi Y et al. Nobox is a homeobox gene expressed in oocytes and critical in oogenesis. Nobox deficiency leads to rapid loss of postnatal oocytes. Early oocyte differentiation is poorly understood. We hypothesized that lack of Nobox perturbs global expression of genes preferentially expressed in oocytes as well as microRNAs. We compared Nobox knockout and wild-type ovaries using Affymetrix 430 2.0 microarray platform. We discovered that 28 (74%) of 38 of the genes downregulated more than 5-fold in the absence of Nobox were preferentially expressed in oocytes, whereas only 5 (15%) of 33 genes upregulated more than 5-fold in the absence of Nobox were preferentially expressed in oocytes. Protein-binding microarray helped identify nucleotide motifs that NOBOX binds and that several downregulated genes contain within putative promoter regions. MicroRNA population in newborn ovaries deficient of Nobox was largely unaffected. Genes whose proteins are predicted to be secreted but were previously unknown to be significantly expressed in early oogenesis were downregulated in Nobox knockouts and included astacin-like metalloendopeptidase (Astl), Jagged 1 (Jag1), oocyte-secreted protein 1 (Oosp1), fetuin beta (Fetub), and R-spondin 2 (Rspo2). In addition, pluripotency-associated genes Pou5f1 and Sall4 are drastically downregulated in Nobox-deficient ovaries, whereas testes-determining gene Dmrt1 is overexpressed. Our findings indicate that Nobox is likely an activator of oocyte-specific gene expression and suggest that the oocyte plays an important role in suppressing expression of male-determining genes, such as Dmrt1.
Expression regulated by
Comment
Ovarian localization
Oocyte
Comment
Paillisson A, et al reported the identification, characterization and metagenome analysis of oocyte-specific genes organized in clusters in the mouse genome.
BACKGROUND: Genes specifically expressed in the oocyte play key roles in oogenesis, ovarian folliculogenesis, fertilization and/or early embryonic development. In an attempt to identify novel oocyte-specific genes in the mouse, we have used an in silico subtraction methodology, and we have focused our attention on genes that are organized in genomic clusters. RESULTS: In the present work, five clusters have been identified: a cluster of thirteen genes characterized by an F-box domain localized on chromosome 9, a cluster of six genes related to T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma protein 1 (Tcl1) on chromosome 12, a cluster composed of a SPErm-associated glutamate (E)-Rich (Speer) protein expressed in the oocyte in the vicinity of four unknown genes specifically expressed in the testis on chromosome 14, a cluster composed of the oocyte secreted protein-1 (Oosp-1) gene and two Oosp-related genes on chromosome 19, all three being characterized by a partial N-terminal zona pellucida-like domain, and another small cluster of two genes on chromosome 19 as well, composed of a TWIK-Related spinal cord K+ channel encoding-gene, and an unknown gene predicted in silico to be testis-specific. The specificity of expression was confirmed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization for eight and five of them, respectively. Finally, we showed by comparing all of the isolated and clustered oocyte-specific genes identified so far in the mouse genome, that the oocyte-specific clusters are significantly closer to telomeres than isolated oocyte-specific genes are. CONCLUSION: We have identified five clusters of genes specifically expressed in female, some of them being also expressed in male germ-cells. Moreover, contrarily to non-clustered oocyte-specific genes, those that are organized in clusters tend to map near chromosome ends, suggesting that this specific near-telomere position of oocyte-clusters could constitute an evolutionary advantage. Understanding the biological benefits of such an organization as well as the mechanisms leading to a specific oocyte expression in these clusters now requires further investigation.
Follicle stages
Comment
Phenotypes
Mutations
2 mutations
Species: human
Mutation name: type: naturally occurring fertility: None Comment: SNP associated with POI. Rajkovic
Species: human
Mutation name: type: null mutation fertility: fertile Comment: CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing Reveals Oosp Family Genes are Dispensable for Female Fertility in Mice. Abbasi F et al. (2020) There are over 200 genes that are predicted to be solely expressed in the oocyte and ovary, and thousands more that have expression patterns in the female reproductive tract. Unfortunately, many of their physiological functions, such as their roles in oogenesis or fertilization, have yet to be elucidated. Previous knockout (KO) mice studies have proven that many of the genes that were once thought to be essential for fertility are dispensable in vivo. Therefore, it is extremely important to confirm the roles of all genes before spending immense time studying them in vitro. To do this, our laboratory analyzes the functions of ovary and oocyte-enriched genes in vivo through generating CRISPR/Cas9 KO mice and examining their fertility. In this study, we have knocked out three Oosp family genes (Oosp1, Oosp2, and Oosp3) that have expression patterns linked to the female reproductive system and found that the triple KO (TKO) mutant mice generated exhibited decreased prolificacy but were not infertile; thus, these genes may potentially be dispensable for fertility. We also generated Cd160 and Egfl6 KO mice and found these genes are individually dispensable for female fertility. KO mice with no phenotypic data are seldom published, but we believe that this information must be shared to prevent unnecessary experimentation by other laboratories.//////////////////