a reverse transcriptase-dependent mechanism is essential for murine preimplantation development反向transcriptase-dependent机制对小鼠胚胎植入前的发展至关重要.pdfVIP

Genes 2011, 2, 360-373; doi:10.3390/genes2020360 OPEN ACCESS genes ISSN 2073-4425 /journal/genes Review A Reverse Transcriptase-Dependent Mechanism Is Essential for Murine Preimplantation Development Ilaria Sciamanna, Patrizia Vitullo, Angela Curatolo and Corrado Spadafora * Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; E-Mails: ilaria.sciamanna@iss.it (I.S.); patrizia.vitullo@iss.it (P.V.); angela.curatolo@iss.it (A.C.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: cspadaf@tin.it; Tel.: +39-06 Fax: +39-06 Received: 6 April 2011; in revised form: 6 May 2011 / Accepted: 10 May 2011 / Published: 18 May 2011 Abstract: LINE-1 (Long Interspersed Nuclear elements) and HERVs (Human Endogenous Retroviruses) are two families of retrotransposons which together account for about 28% of the human genome. Genes harbored within LINE-1 and HERV retrotransposons, particularly that encoding the reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme, are generally expressed at low levels in differentiated cells, but their expression is up-regulated in embryonic tissues and transformed cells. Here we review evidence indicating that the LINE-1-encoded RT plays regulatory roles in early embryonic development. Indeed, antisense-mediated inhibition of expression of a highly expressed LINE-1 family in mouse zygotes caused developmental arrest at the two- or four-cell embryo stages. Development is als