Transcriptome variance in single oocytes within, and between, genotypes

Oocytes in mammals, especially humans, have prolonged developmental histories and each may be quite different in terms of gene expression. It is clear that oocyte quality can differ significantly within a cohort, and the variation in early developmental success from each oocyte can be dramatic. Oocyte quality is ultimately best measured by the success of the embryo, but other features, such as normalcy of the mRNA population, may be important criteria to identify such potential. Here, we test the variation in steady-state levels of mRNAs in mouse oocytes to establish a baseline of “normal” variation, and compare it mRNA levels of individual oocytes of poor quality.