研究実績
2026
2.
Akihiro Inoue, Nicole Cheung, Tadayuki Yamanouchi, Hideo Matsuda, Hajime Yoshioka, Hiroki Takeuchi, Mikiko Nishioka, Mari Yamamoto, Yubao Wei, Kazuya Houri, Hideo Sato, Renlong Guo, Asuka Kamio, Hisato Kobayashi, Tomohiro Kono, Kazuya Matsumoto, Kei Miyamoto
bioRxiv, 2026.
Abstract | Links | タグ: Miyamoto G
@unpublished{Inoue2026,
title = {Minimally invasive measurement of maternal transcripts enables predicting the developmental potential of mammalian zygotes},
author = {Akihiro Inoue and Nicole Cheung and Tadayuki Yamanouchi and Hideo Matsuda and Hajime Yoshioka and Hiroki Takeuchi and Mikiko Nishioka and Mari Yamamoto and Yubao Wei and Kazuya Houri and Hideo Sato and Renlong Guo and Asuka Kamio and Hisato Kobayashi and Tomohiro Kono and Kazuya Matsumoto and Kei Miyamoto},
url = {http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.64898/2026.06.02.726088},
doi = {10.64898/2026.06.02.726088},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-06-06},
urldate = {2026-06-06},
publisher = {openRxiv},
abstract = {Maternal transcripts are stored in the oocyte cytoplasm during oogenesis and play a pivotal role in early embryonic development after fertilization. However, specific maternal transcripts that reflect the developmental potential of embryos have not been systematically identified, and the use of maternal transcript levels as an indicator of successful development has not been explored. Here, we link the maternal transcriptome to the zygote's developmental potential by examining transcripts in a single polar body. The transcriptome of a zygote or an oocyte was highly similar to that of its accompanying polar body in mouse, cow, and human. We have identified a set of maternal transcripts whose expression levels fluctuate between poor- and good-quality zygotes. Specifically, Sipa1 and Zmym6 were identified as marker transcripts that accurately reflect the developmental potential of zygotes. Using these marker genes, combined with machine learning, the development of zygotes to the blastocyst stage was successfully predicted with more than 80% specificity as early as 12 hours after fertilization. Furthermore, our prediction platform significantly improved implantation rates and live births to term. Thus, we have demonstrated a minimally invasive method for identifying maternal transcripts associated with zygote developmental potential. Our developed prediction system provides a generalizable conceptual framework for human infertility treatment to reduce the risk of implantation failure by excluding embryos with low developmental potential, especially when early embryos are transferred, and for livestock propagation to assess selected expressed maternal trait-associated variants before embryo transfer.},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
keywords = {Miyamoto G},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {unpublished}
}
Maternal transcripts are stored in the oocyte cytoplasm during oogenesis and play a pivotal role in early embryonic development after fertilization. However, specific maternal transcripts that reflect the developmental potential of embryos have not been systematically identified, and the use of maternal transcript levels as an indicator of successful development has not been explored. Here, we link the maternal transcriptome to the zygote's developmental potential by examining transcripts in a single polar body. The transcriptome of a zygote or an oocyte was highly similar to that of its accompanying polar body in mouse, cow, and human. We have identified a set of maternal transcripts whose expression levels fluctuate between poor- and good-quality zygotes. Specifically, Sipa1 and Zmym6 were identified as marker transcripts that accurately reflect the developmental potential of zygotes. Using these marker genes, combined with machine learning, the development of zygotes to the blastocyst stage was successfully predicted with more than 80% specificity as early as 12 hours after fertilization. Furthermore, our prediction platform significantly improved implantation rates and live births to term. Thus, we have demonstrated a minimally invasive method for identifying maternal transcripts associated with zygote developmental potential. Our developed prediction system provides a generalizable conceptual framework for human infertility treatment to reduce the risk of implantation failure by excluding embryos with low developmental potential, especially when early embryos are transferred, and for livestock propagation to assess selected expressed maternal trait-associated variants before embryo transfer.
2025
1.
Atsushi Takasu, Toshiaki Hino, Osamu Takenouchi, Yasuki Miyagawa, Zhihua Liang, Shota Tanaka, Tomoya Mimura, Chisato Ida, Yuki Matsuo, Yuna Lee, Haruka Ikegami, Miho Ohsugi, Shogo Matoba, Atsuo Ogura, Kazuo Yamagata, Kazuya Matsumoto, Tomoya S Kitajima, Kei Miyamoto
Characterization of H3K4me3 in mouse oocytes at the metaphase II stage Journal Article
In: J Biol Chem, pp. 110308, 2025, ISSN: 1083-351X.
Abstract | Links | タグ: Miyamoto G, Yamagata G
@article{pmid40449591,
title = {Characterization of H3K4me3 in mouse oocytes at the metaphase II stage},
author = {Atsushi Takasu and Toshiaki Hino and Osamu Takenouchi and Yasuki Miyagawa and Zhihua Liang and Shota Tanaka and Tomoya Mimura and Chisato Ida and Yuki Matsuo and Yuna Lee and Haruka Ikegami and Miho Ohsugi and Shogo Matoba and Atsuo Ogura and Kazuo Yamagata and Kazuya Matsumoto and Tomoya S Kitajima and Kei Miyamoto},
doi = {10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110308},
issn = {1083-351X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-05-29},
urldate = {2025-05-01},
journal = {J Biol Chem},
pages = {110308},
abstract = {Central functions of histone modifications in germ cell and embryonic development have been documented. Accumulating evidence suggests that oocytes possess unique profiles of histone modifications, among which histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) is broadly spread on the mouse oocyte chromosomes at the metaphase II (MII) stage, unlike later embryonic stages. However, the characteristics and developmental roles of H3K4me3 on MII chromosomes are unclear. Here, we discovered that H3K4me3 was abundantly localized on some of the MII oocyte chromosomes facing the cortical side. Using multicolor FISH and CRISPR-Sirius-based labeling of chromosomes, we revealed that the X chromosome tended to be localized at the cortical side with strong H3K4me3 signals. Anchoring oocyte chromosomes to the cortex may play a role in the asymmetric H3K4me3 distribution. Furthermore, we found that the forced removal of H3K4me3 through the overexpression of a specific lysine demethylase in MII oocytes resulted in abnormal chromosome-spindle structure and impaired preimplantation development after in vitro fertilization. These findings highlight the developmental function of H3K4me3 in transcriptionally-silent MII oocytes.},
keywords = {Miyamoto G, Yamagata G},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Central functions of histone modifications in germ cell and embryonic development have been documented. Accumulating evidence suggests that oocytes possess unique profiles of histone modifications, among which histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) is broadly spread on the mouse oocyte chromosomes at the metaphase II (MII) stage, unlike later embryonic stages. However, the characteristics and developmental roles of H3K4me3 on MII chromosomes are unclear. Here, we discovered that H3K4me3 was abundantly localized on some of the MII oocyte chromosomes facing the cortical side. Using multicolor FISH and CRISPR-Sirius-based labeling of chromosomes, we revealed that the X chromosome tended to be localized at the cortical side with strong H3K4me3 signals. Anchoring oocyte chromosomes to the cortex may play a role in the asymmetric H3K4me3 distribution. Furthermore, we found that the forced removal of H3K4me3 through the overexpression of a specific lysine demethylase in MII oocytes resulted in abnormal chromosome-spindle structure and impaired preimplantation development after in vitro fertilization. These findings highlight the developmental function of H3K4me3 in transcriptionally-silent MII oocytes.
