The efficiency of production, centrifugation, microinjection and transfer of one- and two-cell bovine ova in a gene transfer program

Embryo splitting affects the transcriptome during elongation stage of in vitro-produced bovine blastocysts

Embryo splitting has been used for the production of identical twins and to increase the pregnancy rate per available embryo. Split blastocysts can develop to term; however, little is known about the impact on gene expression of split embryos, especially at the whole transcriptome level. This work was aimed to evaluate the effect of blastocyst splitting on global gene expression profile at the elongation stage. For that, split and time-matched nonsplit (control group) bovine blastocysts were transferred to a bovine recipient and recovered at Day 17 of development. The number of collected embryos, their size, and global gene expression was compared between both groups. From 16 transferred split embryos, six (37.5%) were collected, whereas nine elongated were recovered from 17 nonsplit (52.9%). Neither the recovery rate nor the average length of the elongated embryos was significantly different between both groups. However more than 50% of embryos from the control group had a length surpassing 100 mm, whereas only 33% of the split embryos reached that size. Global gene expression was performed in individual elongated embryos from both groups using Two-Color Microarray-Based Gene Expression Analysis. From detected genes, 383 (1.31%) were differentially expressed between both groups, among them, 185 (0.63%) were downregulated and 198 (0.67%) genes were upregulated in split embryos. Bioinformatic analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that embryo splitting affects transcriptomes of resulting elongated embryos, mainly downregulating genes involved in matrix remodelation, control of growth, detoxification, and transport of metabolites. These in turns might have a detrimental impact on the developmental potential of produced embryos.

Quantitative mRNA expression in ovine blastocysts produced from X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm, both in vitro and in vivo

Artificial insemination (AI) of sex-sorted sperm results in decreased fertility, compared with non-sorted sperm, in most species. However, this has not been the case in sheep, where the low-dose AI of sex-sorted ram sperm produced similar, if not superior, fertility to non-sorted controls. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of sex-sorting technology on ovine embryo gene expression following embryo production in vivo and in vitro. After semen collection, ejaculates were split and either sex-sorted by flow cytometry and frozen, or diluted and frozen. Embryos were produced in vivo by inseminating superovulated ewes with either X- or Y-chromosome enriched sperm, or non-sorted control sperm, and collected by uterine flushing on Day 6 after AI. Embryos were produced in vitro using the same sperm treatments and cultured in vitro for 6 d. The relative abundance of selected gene transcripts was measured in high-grade blastocysts, defined by morphological assessment, using RT-qPCR. The mRNA expression of DNMT3A and SUV39H1 was upregulated in embryos cultured in vitro, compared to those cultured in vivo (DNMT3A: 3.61 ± 1.08 vs 1.99 ± 0.15; SUV39H1: 1.88 ± 0.11 vs 0.88 ± 0.07; mean ± SEM; P < 0.05). Both G6PD and SLC2A3 transcripts were reduced in embryos produced from sex-sorted sperm, in vivo (SLC2A3: 0.23 ± 0.03 vs 0.64 ± 0.10; G6PD: 0.32 ± 0.04 vs 1.01 ± 0.16; P < 0.05). The expression of DNMT3A was up-regulated in male (3.85 ± 0.31), compared to female embryos (2.34 ± 0.15; P < 0.05). This study contributes to the growing body of evidence citing aberrant patterns of gene expression resulting from in vitro culture. Whereas the process of sex-sorting altered the expression of several of the genes examined, no effect on embryo development was detected.

Collection of tubal stage bovine embryos by means of endoscopy. A technique report

Here we describe the development and optimization of endoscopy-mediated transvaginal access for collecting ova and embryos from the bovine oviduct. The novel technique was developed in three experimental setups: In Experiment 1 embryos were collected unilaterally from nonstimulated heifers. We flushed the oviducts of superovulated heifers unilaterally (Experiment 2) and bilaterally (Experiment 3). In Experiment 1 the oviducts of 18 heifers were successfully cannulated, which resulted in the collection of twelve 1-cell to 8-cell embryos and one empty zona. Unilateral flushing of 13 animals (Experiment 2) resulted in 84 ova with 6.3 +/- 3.2 observed ovulation sites. Bilateral flushing of 25 animals (Experiment 3) resulted in 293 ova plus 10 empty zonae from 11.8 +/- 5.4 ovulation sites. Given our experience from these studies we optimized the technical equipment by improving the flushing metal catheter (Experiment 4). The novel catheter hermetically sealed the lumen of the ampulla at the moment, the medium was flushed through the oviduct. This resulted in a visible flow of medium via oviducts toward the embryo filter connected to an embryo flushing catheter that was fixed in the uterine horns. Our endoscopy-guided method is minimally invasive and facilitates the flushing of tubal stage embryos.

Effects of time of deoxyribonucleic acid microinjection on gene detection and in vitro development of bovine embryos

In vivo fertilized embryos were surgically collected from superovulated dairy cows to evaluate microinjection on embryo development and utilized the polymerase chain reaction technique for selection of transgenic embryos. Seventy-two percent of the embryos with visible pronuclei or nuclei were microinjected with DNA, and the remaining 28% served as uninjected controls. All embryos were cocultured with bovine oviductal epithelial cells. Mean final development scores of embryos within the same initial cell stage at collection were unaffected by microinjection. After 144 h of culture, 45% of the microinjected embryos developed to the morula or blastocyst stage. The transgene was detected in 50, 10, and 9% of demimorulae from embryos microinjected at the 1-, 2-, and 4-cell stages. Frequency of transgene detection was higher in morulae from 1-cell embryos than in morulae from 2- and 4-cell embryos. Use of in vitro coculture, embryo bisection, and polymerase chain reaction technique facilitated selection of bovine embryos that carried the transgene.

In vitro and in vivo development of bovine embryos from zygotes and 2-cell embryos microinjected with exogenous DNA

The objectives of these experiments were: 1) to determine an effective culture method for production of transferable bovine embryos following exogenous DNA microinjection; 2) to determine the effect of these methods on the ability of the injected zygotes and 2-cell embryos to develop in vivo; and, 3) to compare development of embryos microinjected as zygotes or 2-cell embryos. DNA fragments encoding bovine growth hormone (bGH), bGH-10Delta6, and a bGH antagonist, bGH-M8 (5) were used. A total of 639 zygotes and 153 2-cell embryos were injected. Zygotes and 2-cell embryos microinjected with bGH-M8 were incubated for 6 days in oviducts of intermediate recipients (rabbits or sheep) or co-cultured in vitro with bovine oviduct epithelial cells. Zygotes and 2-cell embryos microinjected with bGH-10Delta6 were co-cultured in vitro only. The most effective method for the production of transferable bovine embryos following exogenous DNA microinjection was via in vitro co-culturing with bovine epithelial cells. For example, 32.3% of the bGH-M8 and 33.5% of the bGH-10Delta6 microinjected zygotes reached the morula/blastocyst stage while 48.4% and 63.0% of the 2-cell embryos injected with bGH-M8 and bGH-10Delta6, respectively, developed to the morula/blastocyst stage. The percentage of blastocysts obtained for control, non-injected zygotes and 2-cell embryos was 34.5% and 69.6%, respectively. The developmental rate to the morula/blastocyst stage was approximately 20% greater for embryos obtained from microinjected 2-cell embryos relative to microinjected zygotes. However, there was no significant difference in pregnancy rates following transfer of these blastocysts to cow uteri.