Maternal enzyme masks the phenotype of mouse embryos lacking dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase

Abstract

During early embryogenesis, the phenotype reflecting the embryonic genotype emerges only as maternal proteins are replaced by embryonically encoded forms, a process known as the maternal-to-embryonic transition (MET). Little is understood about MET for most proteins. This study investigates how complete deficiency of the murine dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase gene (Dld), a gene that encodes an enzyme of mitochondrial energy metabolism, affects the phenotype of the early embryo and how the MET of the DLD protein affects the phenotype. Dld-deficient (-/-) embryos were found to develop similarly to wild-type (+/+) or heterozygous (+/-) embryos throughout the preimplantation period. These three g..