Review Article

Nuclear Distribution of RNA Polymerase II and mRNA Processing Machinery in Early Mammalian Embryos

Table 1

RNA polymerase II, mRNA processing factors, and mRNA export factors revealed in early mammalian embryos.

Group of factorsAnimalDetected antigenMethodStage of embryogenesisReference

RNAP IIMouse, rabbitcore of the RPB1
RNAPIIa, RNAPIIo
IF*, WB1-cell–16–32 cell[23]
MouseRNAPIIa, RNAPIIoIF, IEM1-cell-2-cell[2427]

mRNA transcription factorsMouseTBPIF1-cell[28]
Sp1, TBPIF
Microinjection of Sp1-dependent luciferase reporter gene
1-cell-2-cell[29]
TBP, TAF1IF1-cell[30]
TBP, TBP2IF, WB1-cell-2-cell[31]
TFIIDIF1-cell-2-cell[24]

Splicing factorsMouseU1, U2, U4, U6 snRNAs
snRNPs
ISH
IF
1-cell-blastocyst[32]
U1 snRNA
U1 snRNP
ISH
IF
1-cell-blastocyst[33]
U1, U2 snRNAs
snRNPs, SC35
ISH
IF
1-cell–8-cell[34]
snRNPs, SC35IF, IEM1 cell-2-cell[24, 35, 36]
snRNPsIF1-cell-2-cell[27]
snRNPsIEM2-cell[37]
hnRNPs, snRNPsIEM1-cell–8-cell[38]
BovineU2 snRNA
snRNPs
ISH, NB
IF
1-cell-blastocyst[39]
snRNPs, SC35IEM1-cell–16-cell[40, 41]
CaprinesnRNPs, SC35IEM1-cell-2-cell[41]
PorcinesnRNPsIF1-cell-blastocyst[42]
snRNPs, SC35IEM1-cell–4-cell[43]
HamsterU1, U2 snRNAs
snRNPs
SC35
ISH
IF
IF, IEM
1-cell–8-cell[44]

mRNA export-related factorsMousehnRNPsIF, WB1-cell–8-cell
1-cell
[34]
[28]
hnRNPs, Y14, Aly/REF, NXF1/TAPIF, IEM1-cell-2-cell[45, 46]
HamsterhnRNPsIF1-cell–8-cell[44]

 *Abbreviations: IF: immunofluorescence; IEM: immunoelectron microscopy; ISH: in situ hybridization; NB: northern blotting; RNAPIIa: hypophosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II; RNAPIIo: hyperphosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II; WB: western blotting.