Cellular Source and Mechanisms of High Transcriptome Complexity in the Mammalian Testis

Understanding the extent of genomic transcription and its functional relevance is a central goal in genomics research. However, detailed genome-wide investigations of transcriptome complexity in major mammalian organs have been scarce. Here, using extensive RNA-seq data, we show that transcription of the genome is substantially more widespread in the testis than in other organs across representative mammals. Furthermore, we reveal that meiotic spermatocytes and especially postmeiotic round spermatids have remarkably diverse transcriptomes, which explains the high transcriptome complexity of the testis as a whole. The widespread transcriptional activity in spermatocytes and spermatids encompasses protein-coding…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• AP
  Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer
• AN
  Agence Nationale de la Recherche

  Award: ANR-09-BLAN-0269
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

  Award: 130287
• CN
  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique