甲基转移酶dSet1调控果蝇生殖细胞发育

Trimethyltransferase dSet1 controls the development of ovary primordial germ cell of Drosophila larvae

[目的]探究表观遗传调控在细胞增殖和分化过程中的调控作用。[方法]雌性果蝇幼虫性腺的发育涉及到原始生殖细胞(PGC)增殖及分化,为细胞生物学研究提供了绝佳的在体研究模型。利用UAS-Gal4二元表达系统和果蝇组蛋白H3K4甲基转移酶dSet1-RNAi果蝇品系,分别降低果蝇性腺中生殖细胞谱系和体细胞谱系中dSet1表达量,研究表观遗传调控因子dSet1在细胞增殖和分化中的功能。[结果]本研究发现组蛋白H3K4甲基转移酶dSet1参与调控雌性果蝇幼虫PGC有序分化的证据,dSet1表达量下调的三龄期幼虫雌性果蝇,PGC的分化被提前开启。不仅如此,特异性将果蝇性腺体细胞谱系中dSet1下调可致PGC增殖异常,该基因型的果蝇性腺中包含更多的PGC。[结论]本研究的结果证明,表观遗传调控因子dSet1参与调控雌性果蝇幼虫性腺发育,以细胞自治性与非自治两种方式调控原始生殖细胞的有序分化,不仅如此,性腺体细胞谱系中的dSet1参与调控原始生殖细胞增殖。

[Objective]The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of epigenetic regulation in cell proliferation and differentiation.[Methods]The primordial germ cell(PGC)proliferation and differentiation are involved in the morphogenesis of Drosophila larval ovary which provide a perfect in vivo working platform for cell biological study.The potential function of dSet1 in cell development process was determined by using UAS-Gal4 system and H3K4 trimethyltransferase dSet1-RNAi fly strains to knock down dSet1 expression in PGC and somatic cells.[Results]The study indicated that the dSet1 was necessary for PGC development.Knockdown of dSet1 function in germline or somatic cells led to earlier PGC differentiation at LL3.Besides,we also found that downregulation dSet1 in somatic cell produced abnormal but a higher proliferation of PGCs.[Conclusion]This study provided scientific evidence that epigenetic regulation is involved in the Drosophila larval ovary morphogenesis.