Genome-wide analysis of Dnmt3L heterozygous and wildtype spermatocytes and spermatids

Comparison of gene expression differences between Dnmt3L heterozygous and wildtype pachytene spermatocytes, and similarly between Dnmt3L heterozygous and wildtype round spermatids which were isolated from the Dnmt3L knockout mouse line. This array was conducted to address the hypothesis that Dnmt3L heterozygosity results in deregulated gene expression within spermatocytes and spermatids. Results show that Dnmt3L heterozygosity causes numerous genes to be differentially regulated on a genome-wide level, showing that DNMT3L has an important role in regulating gene expression within these male germ cells. Three preparations each of Dnmt3L purified wildtype spermatocytes, wildtype spermatids, heterozygous spermatids, and two preparations of heterozygous spermatocytes were isolated for a total of 11 samples. Each preparation was made up of cells isolated from 10 mice.