TRANSLATIONAL CONTROL OF THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF THE ONSET OF EMBRYOGENESIS

Our project aims to the identification of the molecular processes that lead to the translation of maternal messenger RNAs stored by the oocyte. From the translation of these messenger RNAs depends the erasement of parental genomes imprinting and the onset of embryonic genome reprogramming that will allow the acquisition of the totipotency typical of a stem cell to the first blastomeres of the developing embryo. We aim to isolate and identify the messenger RNAs regulated by Sam68, a RNA-binding protein that is regulated by a sperm factor released into the oocyte at fertilization. The study of translation into proteins of the RNAs regulated by Sam68 at the onset of embryogenesis may shed light on novel pathways involved in the epigenetic and structural modifications that allow the acquisition of totipotency to the embryonic genome. These experiments will be useful to create the knowledge required to manipulate stem cells in vitro in order to appropriately guide their differentiation potential. Moreover, given the involvement of aberrant genetic reprogramming at the onset of embryogenesis in some neurodegenerative diseases, our studies may identify novel target for the therapeutical approach to such diseases.