Normally, "mitosis" occurs in tissues and organs throughout the body, and cell proliferation occurs.On the other hand, in the ovary and testis, after a certain period of time, mitosis is switched to a special cell division called "meiosis", and eggs and sperms having only maternal and paternal genetic information are produced.

　However, the details of the mechanism of switching from mitosis to meiosis have not been elucidated for many years, although it is an important issue directly linked to reproductive medicine such as infertility treatment.Therefore, in this study, in order to investigate how meiosis occurs, we analyzed the proteins contained in the ovary and testis using mass spectrometry.

　As a result, we discovered a new gene with the extremely unusual property of being activated only at a specific time immediately before the onset of meiosis in the ovary and testis.Named the meiosis initiation factor "MEIOSIN", this gene acts to initiate meiosis and acts as a control tower that simultaneously switches on hundreds of genes to form eggs and sperm. It is said that it is fulfilling.

　In this study, it was also found that when the function of mouse MEIOSIN is eliminated by genome editing, meiosis does not occur in both males and females, and no eggs or sperms are produced, resulting in infertility.From this, it is considered that MEIOSIN plays an essential role in the activation of meiosis and is an important gene involved in the formation of eggs and sperm.

　This result will contribute to the elucidation of the pathophysiology of infertility, which indicates dysplasia of eggs and sperms, and will greatly contribute to assisted reproductive technology, such as the application of technological development to ensure the quality of meiosis in the future. It is expected.

Paper information:[Developmental Cell] MEIOS IN directs the switch from mitosis to meiosis in mammalian germ cells