Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42907457›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Single-cell TimeLapse-seq reveals MTA is an essential retrotransposon orchestrating mouse zygotic genome activation.

You Wu, Hanxi Shi, Rushuang Yan, Jiang Wu, Lei Yang, Lingfeng Xu, Xiaochen Kou, Yanhong Zhao, Xuelian Liu, Lingling Lai and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

You Wu *Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Hanxi Shi *Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Rushuang Yan *Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Jiang Wu *Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Lei YangDepartment of Reproductive Medicine Center, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Lingfeng XuShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaochen KouShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Yanhong ZhaoShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Xuelian LiuDepartment of Reproductive Medicine Center, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Lingling LaiShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Silin TianShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Yujie HuShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Qiyue WangShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Hong WangShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Shaorong GaoShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. gaoshaorong@tongji.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-1041-3928
Xiao-Ou ZhangShanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Clinical and Translation Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity & Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. zhangxiaoou@tongji.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-2027-1313
Yawei GaoDepartment of Reproductive Medicine Center, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. gaoyawei@tongji.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0001-8946-9697

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32330030National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32488101National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 92168205
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transposable elements (TEs) are temporally activated during mammalian early embryogenesis and are closely linked to zygotic genome activation (ZGA), yet their nascent transcriptional dynamics remain incompletely resolved owing to limited sensitivity and maternal RNA background. Here, we develop single-cell TimeLapse sequencing (scTL-seq), enabling allele-resolved detection of nascent RNA in individual embryos. Applying scTL-seq to mouse ZGA, we generate a refined transcriptional atlas of genes and TEs and identify the pronuclear (PN) stage activated genes and TEs. We found that transcription at PN stage is largely contributed by the maternal genome and enriched for genes highly transcribed in germinal vesicle oocytes. Similarly, Mouse Transcripts type-A (MTA) elements are transcribed in oocytes and highly active in PN stage. MTA knockdown disrupts zygotic gene activation and dysregulates hundreds of TE subfamilies, resulting in 1-cell embryo arrest. Using nascent transcripts, we further identify 662 TE-driven chimeric transcripts and show that TEs are essential for regulating key developmental genes, including Nfya, Setd2 and Tead4. Finally, we identify maternal transcription factors, including NOBOX, as potential regulators of MTA activation. Together, our study provides a high-resolution nascent transcriptome landscape of mouse ZGA and reveals vital regulatory roles of MTA retrotransposon in orchestrating early embryonic development.

Indexed as

GenomeRetroelementsSingle-Cell AnalysisZygoteAnimalsEmbryonic DevelopmentFemaleGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalMiceOocytesSingle-Cell Gene Expression AnalysisTranscriptional ActivationRetroelements

Identifiers

PMID42907457
PMCPMC13686978

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.