Cruciform DNA in mouse growing oocytes: Its dynamics and its relationship with DNA transcription

PLoS One. 2020 Oct 20;15(10):e0240844. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240844. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Cruciform DNA is a causing factor of genome instability and chromosomal translocation, however, most studies about cruciform DNA in mammalian cells were based on palindromic sequences containing plasmids and reports about endogenous cruciform DNA are rare. In this study we observed the dynamics of endogenous cruciform DNA in mouse growing oocytes using immunofluorescence labeling method. We found cruciform DNA foci exist in transcription active growing oocytes but not in transcription inactive fully grown oocytes and colocalized with Parp1 but not with DNA damage marker γH2A.X. By analyzing the Genotype-Tissue Expression data, we found cruciform DNA-mediated chromosomal translocation in human spermatocytes is associated with the specific DNA transcription in testis. When inhibiting the transcription with α-amanitin in mouse oocytes, we found oocyte cruciform DNA foci decreased significantly. In summary, we observed the endogenous cruciform DNA in growing oocytes and our results showed that the cruciform DNA formation is transcription-dependent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alpha-Amanitin / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • DNA, Cruciform / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique / methods
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Oocytes* / cytology
  • Oocytes* / growth & development
  • Oogenesis
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 / metabolism
  • Spermatogenesis
  • Testis / cytology
  • Testis / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology*

Substances

  • Alpha-Amanitin
  • DNA, Cruciform
  • H2AX protein, mouse
  • Histones
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Key Research & Development Program of Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory to X.H.O. [2019GZR110104001] and the Talent introduction fund of Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital to J.Y.M. [YY2018-001]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.