Transcriptomic data reanalysis allows for a contribution of embryonic transcriptional change-induced gene expression reprogramming in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance

A recent study investigated sperm-mediated inheritance of diet induced metabolic phenotypes, reported underlying regulation of the target genes of the endogenous retroelement MERVL and the ribosomal protein genes in embryos, and suggested that the altered regulation observed may cause placentation defects which can secondarily result in abnormal metabolism. A reanalysis of available transcriptomic data however shows that MERVL targets and the developmentally altered genes are themselves enriched for metabolic pathways, thus connecting embryonic gene expression with offspring phenotypes, and providing an alternative interpretation of the reported findings. This is consistent with a similar study suggesting a contribution of embryonic transcriptional change-induced gene expression reprogramming in altered offspring metabolism.