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Molecular Characterization of Genomic Activities at the Onset of Zygotic Transcription in Mammals¹

^a Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement et Biotechnologie, INRA, 78352 Jouy en Josas Cedex, France ^b Laboratoire de Mathématiques, Informatique et Génome, INRA, Route de Saint-Cyr, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France ^c Laboratoire de Radiobiologie et d'Etude du Génome, INRA, 78352 Jouy en Josas Cedex, France

In rabbit embryos, zygotic transcripts are required for the development of the embryo only from the 8- to 16-cell stage onward, more than 44 h after fertilization (i.e., zygotic gene activation; ZGA). In order to characterize the first zygotic transcripts expressed in this species we used a suppression subtractive hybridization approach to isolate RNA that was present after the major transcriptional activation (morula stage), but absent at the 1-cell stage as maternal transcripts. One hundred fourteen differentially expressed inserts were selected and sequenced. A statistical analysis of expression patterns throughout the preimplantation period of development shows that genes transcribed from ZGA onward follow different patterns of expression. Considering their early post-ZGA behavior, we describe at least two main patterns: a gradual increase from ZGA onward, and a sharp increase in expression at ZGA followed by a marked decrease at the morula stage. Our data show that both ZGA and some early post-ZGA events are involved in the establishment of specific patterns of embryonic gene expression.

¹ This work was supported by European Union contract DG XII-BIO4-CT95-0190. S.P.-T. was a recipient of a fellowship from ARC and from the Société de secours des amis des sciences.

² Correspondence: V. Duranthon, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement et Biotechnologie, INRA, Domaine de Vilvert, 78352 Jouy en Josas Cedex, France. FAX: 33 01 34 65 26 77; richoux{at}jouy.inra.fr

³ Current address: Laboratoire de Biologie et Génétique du Paludisme, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France