合子基因组启动以前，早期胚胎发育主要受卵母细胞中的母源因子调控。受研究材料和技术的限制，人们对哺乳动物母源调控分子机制了解还很不清楚。我们最近发现了一个新的蛋白复合体（Subcortical maternal complex, SCMC)，该复合体特异、保守地存在于哺乳动物卵母细胞和早期胚胎中，它的缺失导致早期胚胎发育终止，并最终导致雌性不孕。SCMC包括四种已知母源蛋白（MATER、FLOPED、TLE6和FILIA），此外还可能存在其他的组分。现在我们鉴定到该复合体的一个新组分，并通过生物化学、分子生物学和基因敲除小鼠等技术研究新组分SCMC5的功能和分子作用机制。本项目不仅可以促进SCMC蛋白复合体和哺乳动物早期胚胎母源调控的分子机制研究，同时还可为女性不孕不育疾病的发病机理和治疗提供基础理论指导。

Maternal effect genes play essential roles in early embryogenesis of model organisms where they have been intensively investigated. However, maternal control of mammallian early embryonic development remains largely unknown. Recently, we have characterized a subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) that at least contains four proteins encoded by maternal effect genes (Mater, Filia, Floped and Tle6). The molecular mass of SCMC is between ~669 kDa and ~2000 kDa, which is much larger than the aggregate mass (~250 kDa) of the known proteins, suggesting the presence of additional proteins in the SCMC. At present, we identified SCMC5 as a novel component of the SCMC. We will investigate the physiological function and molecular mechanism of Scmc5 through establishing the Scmc5 knockout mouse. The results from current project will contribute to the molecular mechanism of mammalian early embryogenesis and human infertility.