Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing

Summary

Here, we present a protocol for specific siRNA-mediated mRNA depletion followed by immunofluorescence analysis to evaluate meiotic spindle assembly and organization in mouse oocytes. This protocol is suitable for in vitro depletion of transcripts and functional assessment of different spindle and/or MTOC-associated factors in oocytes.

Abstract

Errors in chromosome segregation during meiotic division in gametes can lead to aneuploidy that is subsequently transmitted to the embryo upon fertilization. The resulting aneuploidy in developing embryos is recognized as a major cause of pregnancy loss and congenital birth defects such as Down’s syndrome. Accurate chromosome segregation is critically dependent on the formation of the microtubule spindle apparatus, yet this process remains poorly understood in mammalian oocytes. Intriguingly, meiotic spindle assembly differs from mitosis and is regulated, at least in part, by unique microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). Assessment of MTOC-associated proteins can provide valuable insight into the regulatory mechanisms that govern meiotic spindle formation and organization. Here, we describe methods to isolate mouse oocytes and deplete MTOC-associated proteins using a siRNA-mediated approach to test function. In addition, we describe oocyte fixation and immunofluorescence analysis conditions to evaluate meiotic spindle formation and organization.

Introduction

Meiosis is a unique division process that occurs in gametes (oocytes and sperm) and involves two successive divisions without intervening DNA synthesis to segregate homologous chromosomes and sister chromatids during meiosis-I and meiosis-II, respectively¹. Errors in chromosome segregation during meiotic division in oocytes can result in aneuploidy, which is inherited by the embryo during fertilization. Notably, the incidence of aneuploidy in developing embryos increases with advancing maternal age and is a major cause of congenital birth defects as well as pregnancy loss in women^1,2, thus, underscoring an important need to understand the molecul....

Protocol

This protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at the University of Georgia.

1. Preparations

1. For oocyte culture, purchase or freshly prepare Minimal Essential Medium (MEM) and supplement with 3 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA) as outlined in Table 1. Place a polystyrene bottle on a loading balance (tare to zero). Add all reagents, except BSA, in order and bring up the final volume with MQ-water by weight to a total of 250 g. Then add the BSA, allow to dissolve and filter sterilize.
   Note: The described MEM medium requires equilibration and cell incubation with a medical....

Results

Microinjection of siRNAs provides an effective approach for mRNA degradation and subsequent protein depletion in oocytes, which enables efficient and highly specific functional testing of different target factors in vitro. Subsequently, immunofluorescence is used for specific phenotype analysis as well as to validate protein depletion in siRNA-injected oocytes. In the current example, fluorescent labeling of individual oocytes with DAPI together with anti-tubulin and anti-pericentrin antibodies enabled: (i) conf.......

Discussion

While there are multiple methods for exogenous nucleic acid transfer into somatic cells, such as electroporation and transfection, microinjection is the optimal method for delivery of RNA molecules into transcriptionally quiescent mouse oocytes. The current protocol provides an effective approach for in vitro depletion of specific mRNAs that enable the functional testing of different spindle and/or MTOC-associated factors in oocytes. This approach results in efficient transcript depletion and is highly adaptable.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Reagents
Pregnant Mare's Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG)	EMD Biosciences	367222
Minimal Essential Medium (MEM)			*Recipe outlined in Table 1
Earle's Balanced Salt Solution (10x)	Sigma	E-7510
Sodium Bicarbonate	Sigma	S-5761
Pyruvic Acid, sodium salt	Sigma	P-5280
Penicillin G, potassium salt	Sigma	P-7794
Streptomycin Sulfate	Sigma	S-9137
L-Glutamine	Sigma	G-8540
EDTA, disodium salt dihydrate	Sigma	E-4884
Essential Amino Acids (50x)	Gibco	11130-051
MEM Vitamin Mixture (100x)	Sigma	M-6895
Phenol Red solution	Sigma	P-0290
Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA)	Sigma	A1470
Milrinone	Sigma	M4659
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Hyclone	SH30070.01
EmbryoMax M2 Media with Hepes	EMD Millipore	MR-015-D
siRNAs targeting Pericentrin	Qiagen	GS18541
Negative control siRNAs	Qiagen	SI03650318
Paraformaldehyde (16% solution)	Electron Microscopy Sciences	15710
Triton-X	Sigma	T-8787
Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)	Hyclone	SH30028.02
Anti-Pericentrin (rabbit)	Covance	PRB-432C
Anti-acetylated a-tubulin (mouse)	Sigma	T-6793
Goat anti-rabbbit Alexa Fluor 488	Invitrogen	A-21430
Goat anti -mouse Alexa Fluor 555	Invitrogen	A-11017
Major Equipment
Stereomicroscope (SMZ 800)	Nikon
Upright Fluorescent Microscope	Leica Microsystems
Inverted Microscope	Nikon
Femtojet Micro-injections System	Eppenforf
Micro manipulators	Eppendorf
Micro-injection needles (femtotips)	Eppendorf	930000035
Holding pipettes (VacuTip)	Eppendorf	930001015
Plasticware
35 mm culture dishes	Corning Life Sciences	351008
4-well plates	Thermo Scientific	176740
96 well plates	Corning Life Sciences	3367
0.45 mm CA Filter System	Corning Life Sciences	430768