Early embryonic lethality caused by targeted disruption of the mouse selenocysteine tRNA gene ( Trsp )

作者：Michael R. Bösl, Kazuaki Takaku, Masanobu Oshima, Susumu Nishimura, Makoto Mark Taketo · 发表于：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 年份：1997 · DOI：10.1073/pnas.94.11.5531 · 被引用次数：336 · 研究领域：Selenium in Biological Systems、RNA modifications and cancer、Trace Elements in Health

Selenoprotein biosynthesis is mediated by tRNASec, which inserts selenocysteine at UGA codons in a complex, context-specific manner. This opal suppressor serves in the conversion of serine to selenocysteine as well. The mouse tRNASec gene (Trsp) maps to a proximal segment of chromosome 7. We constructed mice carrying a targeted deletion of the Trsp gene. The heterozygous mutants were viable, fertile, and appeared normal. Although the level of tRNASec was reduced to about 50%-80% of the wild type in most organs, one of the selenoproteins, glutathione peroxidase, remained unaffected in the levels of its mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity, indicating that the haploid amount of tRNASec is not limiting in its biosynthesis. In contrast, the homozygous mutants died shortly after implantation, and the embryos were resorbed before 6.5 days post coitum. When the preimplantation embryos were placed in culture, however, the trophoectoderm cells showed outgrowths and the inner cell mass cells of the homozygous embryos were able to proliferate. These results indicate that Trsp expression is essential for early development of the embryo, and its lack causes peri-implantation lethality. However, the lethality does not appear to be due to a cell-autonomous function of tRNASec.