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20 August 2014 The Gametic Synapse: RNA Transfer to the Bovine Oocyte
Angus D. Macaulay, Isabelle Gilbert, Julieta Caballero, Rodrigo Barreto, Eric Fournier, Prudencio Tossou, Marc-André Sirard, Hugh J. Clarke, Édouard W. Khandjian, Francois J. Richard, Poul Hyttel, Claude Robert
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Abstract

Even after several decades of quiescent storage in the ovary, the female germ cell is capable of reinitiating transcription to build the reserves that are essential to support early embryonic development. In the current model of mammalian oogenesis, there exists bilateral communication between the gamete and the surrounding cells that is limited to paracrine signaling and direct transfer of small molecules via gap junctions existing at the end of the somatic cells' projections that are in contact with the oolemma. The purpose of this work was to explore the role of cumulus cell projections as a means of conductance of large molecules, including RNA, to the mammalian oocyte. By studying nascent RNA with confocal and transmission electron microscopy in combination with transcript detection, we show that the somatic cells surrounding the fully grown bovine oocyte contribute to the maternal reserves by actively transferring large cargo, including mRNA and long noncoding RNA. This occurrence was further demonstrated by the reconstruction of cumulus-oocyte complexes with transfected cumulus cells transferring a synthetic transcript. We propose selective transfer of transcripts occurs, the delivery of which is supported by a remarkable synapselike vesicular trafficking connection between the cumulus cells and the gamete. This unexpected exogenous contribution to the maternal stores offers a new perspective on the determinants of female fertility.

Angus D. Macaulay, Isabelle Gilbert, Julieta Caballero, Rodrigo Barreto, Eric Fournier, Prudencio Tossou, Marc-André Sirard, Hugh J. Clarke, Édouard W. Khandjian, Francois J. Richard, Poul Hyttel, and Claude Robert "The Gametic Synapse: RNA Transfer to the Bovine Oocyte," Biology of Reproduction 91(4), (20 August 2014). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.114.119867
Received: 1 April 2014; Accepted: 1 July 2014; Published: 20 August 2014
KEYWORDS
in vitro maturation (IVM)
intercellular communication
oocyte development
oocyte maturation
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