Timing of paternal Pgk-1 expression in embryos of transgenic mice

Abstract

In mouse development, the paternal allele of the X-linked gene Pgk-1 initiates expression on day 6, two days later than the maternal allele, which is activated on day 4. The different timing of expression of the maternal and paternal alleles may be determined by (i) imprinting of the chromosome region in which the gene resides, but not aimed specifically at the Pgk-1 gene; (ii) gene specific imprinting, acting on Pgk-1 irrespective of the chromosomal localization of the gene; (iii) an interplay between embryo cell differentiation, timing of X-inactivation and Pgk-1 expression, without the involvement of imprinting at the Pgk-1 locus itself (Fundele R., Illmensee, K., Jagerbauer, E. M., Fehlau, M. and Krietsch, W. K. (1987) Differentiation 35, 31-36). Our findings in transgenic mouse lines, carrying Pgk-1 on autosomes, indicate the importance of the X chromosomal location for the delayed expression of the paternal Pgk-1 allele, and are in agreement with the first of the explanations listed above. We propose that the late activation of the paternal Pgk-1 locus is a consequence of imprinting targeted at, and centered around, the X chromosome controlling element.