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Loss‐of‐imprinting of Peg1 in mouse interspecies hybrids is correlated with altered growth
Author(s) -
Shi Wei,
Lefebvre Louis,
Yu Yang,
Otto Sabine,
Krella Antje,
Orth Annie,
Fundele Reinald
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/gene.20027
Subject(s) - biology , hybrid , allele , genomic imprinting , imprinting (psychology) , loss of heterozygosity , genetics , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , dna methylation , botany
Abstract Previous studies have shown that loss‐of‐imprinting (LOI) is a regular occurrence in interspecies hybrids of the genus Peromyscus. Furthermore, evidence was presented that indicated that LOI is involved in a placental hybrid dysgenesis effect resulting in abnormal placental growth and thus possibly in speciation. We show here that LOI of the strictly paternally expressed gene Peg1 (also called Mest ) occurs in F1 hybrids between Mus musculus (MMU) and M. spretus (MSP). Peg1 LOI is correlated with increased body weight and increased weight of two of the organs tested, kidney and spleen. X‐gal staining of tissues derived from Peg1 +/‐ × MSP F1 mice, carrying a maternal LacZ knock‐in allele of Peg1 , demonstrates that LOI is stochastic in that it affects different tissues to variable extents and that, even within one tissue, not all cells are similarly affected. Furthermore, this expression from the maternal allele does not necessarily follow the endogenous paternal Peg1 expression pattern. Our results indicate that LOI occurs in interspecies hybrids in the genus Mus and that altered growth is a frequent outcome of LOI. genesis 39:65–72, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.