Successful transmission and transcriptional deployment of a human chromosome via mouse male meiosis

Christina Ernst, Jeremy Pike, Sarah J. Aitken, Hannah K. Long, Nils Eling, Lovorka Stojic, Michelle C. Ward, Frances Connor, Timothy F. Rayner, Margus Lukk, Robert J. Klose, Claudia Kutter, Duncan T. Odom

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Most human aneuploidies originate maternally, due in part to the presence of highly stringent checkpoints during male meiosis. Indeed, male sterility is common among aneuploid mice used to study chromosomal abnormalities, and male germline transmission of exogenous DNA has been rarely reported. Here we show that, despite aberrant testis architecture, males of the aneuploid Tc1 mouse strain produce viable sperm and transmit human chromosome 21 to create aneuploid offspring. In these offspring, we mapped transcription, transcriptional initiation, enhancer activity, non-methylated DNA, and transcription factor binding in adult tissues. Remarkably, when compared with mice derived from female passage of human chromosome 21, the chromatin condensation during spermatogenesis and the extensive epigenetic reprogramming specific to male germline transmission resulted in almost indistinguishable patterns of transcriptional deployment. Our results reveal an unexpected tolerance of aneuploidy during mammalian spermatogenesis, and the surprisingly robust ability of mouse developmental machinery to accurately deploy an exogenous chromosome, regardless of germline transmission.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere20235
JournaleLife
Volume5
Issue numberNOVEMBER2016
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 18 2016
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Immunology and Microbiology

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