表观遗传修饰对转基因和克隆胚早期发育的影响研究进展

表观遗传修饰在基因表达和克隆胚的早期发育方面有重要作用.本文从DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、染色质重塑和非编码RNA调控方面综述了表观遗传的发生机制及其对转基因和克隆胚早期发育的影响.该文对表观遗传的研究有重要的指导作用.     

CRISPR/dCas9技术在基因表达调控中的研究进展

CRISPR/dCas9是在CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统的基础上改造升级建立起的一种用于调控基因组转录与表观遗传修饰的系统,它不仅继承了CRISPR/Cas9系统的精准性,同时还展现出了良好的作用效果。在该系统中dCas9蛋白保留了Cas9蛋白结合DNA的能力而切割功能不复存在。将dCas9蛋白与不同的激活、抑制效应子域和表观遗传调控酶偶联,可以对基因表达与表观遗传修饰进行精确调控。组蛋白乙酰化、组蛋白甲基化、DNA甲基化等表观遗传修饰过程是基因表达的基础,对整个生命过程作出了巨大的贡献,同时表观遗传与多种疾病和癌症都存在因果关系,因此以CRISPR/dCas9系统为框架的不同表观遗传修饰系统在人类疾病治疗和癌症研究领域具有重要的研究价值。笔者简要介绍了CRISPR/Cas9系统的发现过程以及作用原理,主要总结了以CRISPR/dCas9系统为框架的不同调控系统在基因表达调控和表观遗传调控中的应用以及优化过程,以期为从事相关领域的科研工作者提供一些参考。     

哺乳动物合子基因组激活过程中的染色质重塑

哺乳动物受精后,终末分化的卵子和精子结合并转变为具有全能性的受精卵,从而产生胚胎。胚胎发育最初由卵母细胞储存的基因产物指导,然后完成由母源到合子的过渡（maternal-to-zygotic transition,MZT）。母源mRNA逐渐被降解,合子基因组开始转录,合子的发育由自身调控。伴随着胚胎发育的进行,表观基因组经历了剧烈的重编程,表观遗传修饰在胚胎发育过程起到重要调控作用。其中,染色质重塑是指开放（转录激活）和关闭（转录抑制或沉默）染色质结构之间的动态变化。核小体在染色质上的不均匀分布导致基因组不同区域的松散程度不同,染色质可及性高的区域比较松散,易与转录因子结合,通常是重要的调控区域。染色质重塑通过调节DNA结合蛋白的基因组可及性,参与合子基因表达的调控,在合子基因组激活（zygotic genome activation,ZGA）过程中起到重要作用。作者讨论了伴随ZGA的整体染色质结构（和局部染色质可及性）的变化,以及它们在ZGA中的作用,为深入理解合子基因表达的调控机制提供参考。     

牧草表观遗传学研究进展

表观遗传是指在DNA序列不变的情况下基因表达发生变化的现象。表观遗传现象与外界环境条件的变化紧密相关,它参与植物的生长发育、胁迫响应、衰老死亡等重要生命过程并在其中起到了关键作用。表观遗传学作为一门新兴学科在近20年间得到了快速发展,成为当前动植物和医学领域的研究热点。目前植物表观遗传学的相关研究主要集中在DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、RNA甲基化、染色质重塑和非编码RNA修饰等方面,并取得了许多重要成果。然而,相对于模式植物拟南芥和其他主要作物而言,牧草的表观遗传学研究仍处于起步阶段。因此,开展牧草表观遗传学研究对我国草牧业的可持续发展具有重要意义。本研究对表观遗传学的概念、研究方法、研究内容(包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、RNA甲基化、染色质重塑和非编码RNA修饰等)及牧草表观遗传学相关研究进行了全面总结和综述,并对表观遗传在草牧业中的发展前景进行了展望。     

可变剪接的表观遗传学调控机制及其在脂肪代谢中的作用研究进展

可变剪接是指从1个mRNA前体中通过不同的剪接方式产生不同的mRNA剪接异构体,并使得最终的蛋白产物表现出不同或者相互拮抗的功能和结构特性的过程。基因通过可变剪接在组织发育和疾病中起着至关重要的作用,是高等真核生物蛋白质多样性的主要来源之一。剪接过程受多种因素调控,其中表观遗传学现象是可变剪接过程中重要的影响因素,多项研究表明多种表观遗传学现象对于可变剪接存在调控作用。可变剪接对于脂肪细胞的分化以及脂质的代谢也起到不可或缺的作用。本文综述了表观遗传学修饰对可变剪接的调控及其在脂肪代谢调控中的研究进展,以期为可变剪接的进一步研究提供参考依据。     

Epigenetic assessment of environmental chemicals detected in maternal peripheral and cord blood samples

Epigenetic alteration is an emerging paradigm underlying the long-term effects of chemicals on gene functions. Various chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides and heavy metals, have been detected in the human fetal environment. Epigenetics by DNA methylation and histone modifications, through dynamic chromatin remodeling, is a mechanism for genome stability and gene functions. To investigate whether such environmental chemicals may cause epigenetic alterations, we studied the effects of selected chemicals on morphological changes in heterochromatin and DNA methylation status in mouse ES cells (ESCs). Twenty-five chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides, heavy metals and their metabolites, were assessed for their effect on the epigenetic status of mouse ESCs by monitoring heterochromatin stained with 4￠,6-diamino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The cells were surveyed after 48 or 96 h of exposure to the chemicals at the serum concentrations of cord blood. The candidates for epigenetic mutagens were examined for the effect on DNA methylation at genic regions. Of the 25 chemicals, five chemicals (diethyl phosphate (DEP), mercury (Hg), cotinine, selenium (Se) and octachlorodipropyl ether (S-421)) caused alterations in nuclear staining, suggesting that they affected heterochromatin conditions. Hg and Se caused aberrant DNA methylation at gene loci. Furthermore, DEP at 0.1 ppb caused irreversible heterochromatin changes in ESCs, and DEP-, Hg- and S-421-exposed cells also exhibited impaired formation of the embryoid body (EB), which is an in vitro model for early embryos. We established a system for assessment of epigenetic mutagens. We identified environmental chemicals that could have effects on the human fetus epigenetic status.     

长链非编码RNA及其在医学、家畜方面的研究进展

长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA, LncRNA)是一类转录本长度超过200 nt的RNA分子,没有或少有编码蛋白的能力。LncRNA参与编码基因表达调控的表观遗传机制,能够直接调控靶基因的转录与蛋白的降解等,在基因组印记、转录调控及人类疾病等方面有着广泛功能。作者着重对LncRNA的特点、分类、作用机制及其在医学和家畜方面的研究进展作一综述,最后对LncRNA在家畜方面的研究与应用进行展望。     

DNA methylation profile: a composer-, conductor-, and player-orchestrated Mammalian genome consisting of genes and transposable genetic elements

Epigenetic systems play crucial roles in the differentiation of a mammalian fertilized egg into hundreds of cell types exhibiting distinct phenotypes, using a set of DNA molecules comprising about 3 billion nucleotides. Genome-wide analyses of epigenetic marks have revealed the remarkably well-established and well-maintained structure of the epigenome, consisting of DNA methylation and histone modifications that vary their state in a tissue type- and developmental stage-specific manner at numerous genomic loci. DNA methylation profiles comprising numerous tissue-dependent and differentially methylated regions (T-DMRs), found at such loci, are unique to every type of cell and tissue, and illuminate molecular networks that represent their phenotypes. T-DMRs are located in not only genic but also nongenic regions-including transposable genetic elements, such as short interspersed transposable element. Epigenetic studies indicate that the molecules that perform these modifications directly, such as DNA methyltransferases and eukaryotic histone methyltransferases, or indirectly, such as CpG-binding protein and noncoding RNAs-and combinations of these-contribute to the DNA methylation profile. It remains to be addressed how these molecules precisely find their target genomic loci.     

玻璃化冷冻对哺乳动物MⅡ期卵母细胞表观遗传学的影响

玻璃化冷冻作为一种操作简单、成功率高的细胞保存方式具有诸多优点，广泛应用于农业、医学、生物等领域。但相较于新鲜卵母细胞，玻璃化冷冻后的卵母细胞仍存在许多问题，如玻璃化冷冻后的卵母细胞妊娠率和产活仔率低于新鲜的卵母细胞、基因表达异常等。表观遗传学是研究基因在核苷酸序列不发生改变的情况下基因表达的可遗传变化的一门学科。表观遗传修饰在不改变DNA序列的情况下使基因和环境之间产生相互作用。在体外胚胎生产过程中，外界环境因素会对表观遗传修饰造成影响。作者从表观遗传学方面综述了玻璃化冷冻对哺乳动物MⅡ期卵母细胞DNA和全基因组甲基化、组蛋白甲基化和乙酰化、磷酸化及泛素化、基因印迹、microRNA的影响，以及玻璃化冷冻MⅡ卵母细胞后表观遗传修饰的改变对转录过程中基因的表达影响，为揭示并调控玻璃化冷冻卵母细胞后表观遗传修饰事件、进一步提高玻璃化冷冻后卵母细胞的质量提供参考。     

microRNA对动物生殖轴以及胚胎着床影响的研究进展

表观调控作为调节基因功能的一种重要手段,其对生殖内分泌方面的调控起着重要作用。microRNA(miRNA)作为一类小的非编码RNA,也是一种表观遗传因子,它广泛参与生物体内各种生理及病理过程,对哺乳动物繁殖起着重要的调控作用。本文围绕miRNA在哺乳动物繁殖相关组织的表达及调控作用和miRNA对胚胎着床的影响进行综述,为理解miRNA对繁殖方面的表观调控、改善哺乳动物繁殖能力提供理论基础。     

表观遗传调控机制在犬肿瘤中的研究进展

犬肿瘤性疾病是兽医临床上常发的一种疾病，其发病率较高，是造成世界范围内犬死亡的重要原因之一，由于其病理学分类、自发性、基因和信号通路等方面与人类肿瘤有相似之处，可作为人类肿瘤的研究模型。表观遗传是基于DNA序列没有发生改变的情况下所致基因功能和表达水平发生了可遗传的变化，主要通过基因转录或翻译过程的调控，影响其功能和特性。表观遗传改变主要包括DNA甲基化水平改变、组蛋白修饰、染色质重塑和非编码RNA调控等。DNA异常甲基化在犬的多种肿瘤中均有研究，包括犬白血病、淋巴瘤及黑色素瘤等，且犬与人类肿瘤的DNA异常甲基化模式相似。在肿瘤中组蛋白各种修饰酶表达失调，是抗肿瘤药物开发分子靶点研究的主要焦点，但目前在犬肿瘤中的研究较少。非编码RNA中microRNA与lncRNA是目前的研究热点，已有较多研究致力于开发针对非编码RNA的靶向研究药物，但目前在兽医领域应用较少。作者主要综述了犬肿瘤疾病的流行病学、DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、非编码RNA等表观遗传学变化在犬肿瘤中的研究进展，揭示表观遗传异常与犬肿瘤发生发展的关系，以期为开发犬肿瘤性疾病诊断、靶向治疗及预后的特异性标志物提供参考依据。     

牛印记基因的研究进展

基因组印记是一种表观调控机制,在哺乳动物的发育中具有重要作用。印记基因是仅一方亲本来源的同源基因表达,而来自另一亲本不表达的一种基因。近年来,印记基因被广泛研究。印记基因分为父系印记基因和母系印记基因,其表达具有组织特异性,而且在胚胎不同发育阶段的表达也具有一定差异,胚胎期的营养水平也影响印记基因的表达。DNA甲基化在调控印记基因的表达中起重要作用,影响细胞核移植过程细胞的表观重编程,并影响胎盘及内脏器官的正常发育;基因印记模式的改变也可以引起甲基化的改变进而导致基因印记的丢失等。本文综述了近年来关于牛的印记基因的研究进展情况,为印记基因的后续相关研究工作提供借鉴。     

Board-invited review: intrauterine growth retardation: implications for the animal sciences

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), defined as impaired growth and development of the mammalian embryo/fetus or its organs during pregnancy, is a major concern in domestic animal production. Fetal growth restriction reduces neonatal survival, has a permanent stunting effect on postnatal growth and the efficiency of feed/forage utilization in offspring, negatively affects whole body composition and meat quality, and impairs long-term health and athletic performance. Knowledge of the underlying mechanisms has important implications for the prevention of IUGR and is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of livestock production and animal health. Fetal growth within the uterus is a complex biological event influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, as well as maternal maturity. These factors impact on the size and functional capacity of the placenta, uteroplacental blood flows, transfer of nutrients and oxygen from mother to fetus, conceptus nutrient availability, the endocrine milieu, and metabolic pathways. Alterations in fetal nutrition and endocrine status may result in developmental adaptations that permanently change the structure, physiology, metabolism, and postnatal growth of the offspring. Impaired placental syntheses of nitric oxide (a major vasodilator and angiogenic factor) and polyamines (key regulators of DNA and protein synthesis) may provide a unified explanation for the etiology of IUGR in response to maternal undernutrition and overnutrition. There is growing evidence that maternal nutritional status can alter the epigenetic state (stable alterations of gene expression through DNA methylation and histone modifications) of the fetal genome. This may provide a molecular mechanism for the role of maternal nutrition on fetal programming and genomic imprinting. Innovative interdisciplinary research in the areas of nutrition, reproductive physiology, and vascular biology will play an important role in designing the next generation of nutrient-balanced gestation diets and developing new tools for livestock management that will enhance the efficiency of animal production and improve animal well being.     

Establishment,Differentiation, Electroporation and Nuclear Transfer of Porcine Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The limited success of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is largely attributed to defects in epigenetic reprogramming of the donor genome. Donor cell types with distinct potential competence may offer different epigenetic flexibility for subsequent genome reprogramming in SCNT. Stem cells possibly enable their genomes to be more readily reprogrammed than differentiated cells. To improve the efficiency of cloning, porcine mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) were isolated and well identified by 6‐channel flow cytometry and differentiation assays and were used as donors in SCNT. Compared with porcine embryonic fibroblasts (pEFs), our results showed that pMSCs markedly enhanced cloned embryo development in terms of cleavage and blastocyst formation (p < 0.05). To enhance the epigenetic flexibility of pMSCs, classical reprogramming factors (RFs) were transfected by electroporation, and we achieved optimization with ectopic expression of RFs in pMSCs. Our results suggest that the epigenetic status of donor cells has an improvement on genome reprogramming, and multipotent pMSCs favoured subsequent embryonic development.     

胚胎母源-合子转换期中的表观遗传调控

哺乳动物个体由终端分化的单倍体精子和卵子受精融合成的双倍体受精卵发育而来。在胚胎发育的初始阶段,合子基因组处于休眠状态,胚胎发育调控由卵母细胞内母源调控逐渐转换为合子基因组调控(Maternal-Zygotic Transition,MZT)。在此期间,随着母源物质的清除,合子基因组激活(Zygotic Genome Activation,ZGA),但调控MZT的具体分子机制还不清楚。最新研究表明,DNA甲基化、染色质重塑、组蛋白表观修饰、ncRNA在MZT和ZGA中发挥重要的作用。本文总结了上述4种表观修饰在动物植入前胚胎MZT中的生物学功能和特异的分子机制,对揭示动物胚胎MZT的调控机理有借鉴意义。     

狗尾草GASA基因家族鉴定及其在不同逆境下表达模式分析

GASA蛋白（Gibberellic acid-stimulated in arabidopsis）是植物特有的小分子蛋白，通过参与调控相关植物激素信号转导与生长发育过程在植物体内发挥着重要作用。深入研究GASA蛋白的功能对阐明植物小分子蛋白作用机理具有重要理论研究意义。狗尾草（Setaria viridis）是新型的C₄模式植物，对其GASA基因家族的研究尚未见报道。本研究采用生物信息学技术，基于狗尾草全基因组序列，分析获得12个GASA基因。进一步生物信息学分析结果表明，狗尾草GASA家族基因结构简单，GASA蛋白可划分为三个进化枝，均含有3~4个模体结构，12个基因启动子区共同含有响应脱水、低温、高盐及植物激素的顺式作用元件。采用实时荧光定量PCR技术对短期干旱（15%聚乙二醇6000）、冷害（4℃）、盐害（150 mM NaCl）逆境胁迫下狗尾草叶片中GASA基因表达模式进行了初步研究。结果表明，狗尾草不同GASA基因对各类逆境胁迫有响应。研究结果将为进一步开展GASA基因参与逆境胁迫的功能解析提供初步的实验证据。