Mir-290–295 deficiency in mice results in partially penetrant embryonic lethality and germ cell defects

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1111241108
• Publication Date: 2011-08-16T08:34:54Z
• Authors: Lea A. Medeiros; Lucas M. Dennis; Mark E. Gill; Hristo Houbaviy; Styliani Markoulaki; Dongdong Fu; Amy C. White; Oktay Kirak; Phillip A. Sharp; David C. Page; Rudolf Jaenisch
• Keywords: Lethality

Mir-290 through mir-295 ( mir-290–295 ) is a mammalian-specific microRNA (miRNA) cluster that, in mice, expressed specifically early embryos and embryonic germ cells. Here, we show that plays important roles development as indicated by the partially penetrant lethality of mutant embryos. In addition, surviving -deficient embryos, female but not male fertility compromised. This impairment arises from defect migrating primordial cells occurs equally animals. Male −/− due to extended proliferative lifespan their cells, are able recover this initial cell loss fertile. Female mice unable sterile, premature ovarian failure.