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Kurzella J, Miskel D, Rings F, Tholen E, Tesfaye D, Schellander K, Salilew-Wondim D, Held-Hoelker E, Große-Brinkhaus C, Hoelker M. The mitochondrial respiration signature of the bovine blastocyst reflects both environmental conditions of development as well as embryo quality. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19408. [PMID: 37938581 PMCID: PMC10632430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45691-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The major limitation of the widespread use of IVP derived embryos is their consistent deficiencies in vitality when compared with their ex vivo derived counterparts. Although embryo metabolism is considered a useful metric of embryo quality, research connecting mitochondrial function with the developmental capacity of embryos is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse bovine embryo respiration signatures in relation to developmental capacity. This was achieved by taking advantage of two generally accepted metrics for developmental capacity: (I) environmental conditions during development (vivo vs. vitro) and (II) developmental kinetics (day 7 vs. day 8 blastocysts). Our study showed that the developmental environment affected total embryo oxygen consumption while different morphokinetics illustrating the embryo qualities correlate with maximal mitochondrial respiration, mitochondrial spare capacity, ATP-linked respiration as well as efficiency of ATP generation. This respiration fingerprint for high embryo quality is reflected by relatively lower lipid contents and relatively higher ROS contents. In summary, the results of the present study extend the existing knowledge on the relationship between bovine embryo quality and the signature of mitochondrial respiration by considering contrasting developmental environments as well as different embryo morphokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kurzella
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dennis Miskel
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Franca Rings
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ernst Tholen
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dawit Tesfaye
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University, 3105 Rampart Rd, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Karl Schellander
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dessie Salilew-Wondim
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Reproduction of Farm Animals, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Held-Hoelker
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christine Große-Brinkhaus
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding, University of Bonn, Endenicher Allee 15, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Hoelker
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Reproduction of Farm Animals, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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van der Weijden VA, Schmidhauser M, Kurome M, Knubben J, Flöter VL, Wolf E, Ulbrich SE. Transcriptome dynamics in early in vivo developing and in vitro produced porcine embryos. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:139. [PMID: 33639836 PMCID: PMC7913449 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07430-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transcriptional changes around the time of embryonic genome activation in pre-implantation embryos indicate that this process is highly dynamic. In vitro produced porcine blastocysts are known to be less competent than in vivo developed blastocysts. To understand the conditions that compromise developmental competence of in vitro embryos, it is crucial to evaluate the transcriptional profile of porcine embryos during pre-implantation stages. In this study, we investigated the transcriptome dynamics in in vivo developed and in vitro produced 4-cell embryos, morulae and hatched blastocysts. RESULTS In vivo developed and in vitro produced embryos displayed largely similar transcriptome profiles during development. Enriched canonical pathways from the 4-cell to the morula transition that were shared between in vivo developed and in vitro produced embryos included oxidative phosphorylation and EIF2 signaling. The shared canonical pathways from the morula to the hatched blastocyst transition were 14-3-3-mediated signaling, xenobiotic metabolism general signaling pathway, and NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response. The in vivo developed and in vitro produced hatched blastocysts further were compared to identify molecular signaling pathways indicative of lower developmental competence of in vitro produced hatched blastocysts. A higher metabolic rate and expression of the arginine transporter SLC7A1 were found in in vitro produced hatched blastocysts. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that embryos with compromised developmental potential are arrested at an early stage of development, while embryos developing to the hatched blastocyst stage display largely similar transcriptome profiles, irrespective of the embryo source. The hatched blastocysts derived from the in vitro fertilization-pipeline showed an enrichment in molecular signaling pathways associated with lower developmental competence, compared to the in vivo developed embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera A van der Weijden
- ETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Meret Schmidhauser
- ETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mayuko Kurome
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, and Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Knubben
- Physiology Weihenstephan, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Veronika L Flöter
- ETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland.,Physiology Weihenstephan, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, and Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne E Ulbrich
- ETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Casser E, Israel S, Schlatt S, Nordhoff V, Boiani M. Retrospective analysis: reproducibility of interblastomere differences of mRNA expression in 2-cell stage mouse embryos is remarkably poor due to combinatorial mechanisms of blastomere diversification. Mol Hum Reprod 2019; 24:388-400. [PMID: 29746690 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gay021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the prevalence, reproducibility and biological significance of transcriptomic differences between sister blastomeres of the mouse 2-cell embryo? SUMMARY ANSWER Sister 2-cell stage blastomeres are distinguishable from each other by mRNA analysis, attesting to the fact that differentiation starts mostly early in the mouse embryo; however, the interblastomere differences are poorly reproducible and invoke the combinatorial effects of known and new mechanisms of blastomere diversification. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Transcriptomic datasets for single blastomeres in mice have been available for years but have never been systematically analysed together, although such an analysis may shed light onto some unclarified topics of early mammalian development. Two unknowns that remain are at which stage embryonic blastomeres start to diversify from each other and what is the molecular origin of that difference. At the earliest postzygotic stage, the 2-cell stage, opinions differ regarding the answer to these questions; one group claims that the first zygotic division yields two equal blastomeres capable of forming a full organism (totipotency) and another group claims evidence for interblastomere differences reminiscent of the prepatterning found in embryos of lower taxa. Regarding the molecular origin of interblastomere differences, there are four prevalent models which invoke (1) oocyte anisotropy, (2) sperm entry point, (3) partition errors of the transcript pool and (4) asynchronous embryonic genome activation in the two blastomeres. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Seven transcriptomic studies published between 2011 and 2017 were eligible for retrospective analysis, since both blastomeres of the mouse 2-cell embryo had been analysed individually regarding the original pair associations and since the datasets were made available in public repositories. Five of these studies, encompassing a total of 43 pairs of sister blastomeres, were selected for further analyses based on high interblastomere correlations of mRNA levels. A double cut-off was used to select mRNAs that had robust interblastomere differences both within and between embryos (hits). The hits of each study were compared and contrasted with the hits of the other studies using Venn diagrams. The hits shared by at least four of five studies were analysed further by bioinformatics. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS PubMed was systematically examined for mRNA expression profiles of single 2-cell stage blastomeres in addition to publicly available microarray datasets (GEO, ArrayExpress). Based on the original normalizations, data from seven studies were screened for pairwise sample correlation at the gene level (Spearman), and the top five datasets with the highest correlation were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis. Interblastomere differences of gene expression were expressed as a ratio of the higher to the lower mRNA level for each pair of blastomeres. A double cut-off was used to make the call of interblastomere difference, accepting genes with mRNA ratios above 2 when observed in at least 50% of the pairs, and discarding the other genes. The proportion of interblastomere differences common to at least four of the five datasets was calculated. Finally, the corresponding gene, pathway and enrichment analyses were performed utilizing PANTHER and GORILLA platforms. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE An average of 17% of genes within the datasets are differently expressed between sister blastomeres, a proportion which falls to 1% when considering the differences that are common to at least four of the five studies. Housekeeping mRNAs were not included in the 17% and 1% gene lists, suggesting that the interblastomere differences do not occur simply by chance. The 1% of shared interblastomere differences comprise 100 genes, of which 35 are consistent with at least one of the four prevalent models of sister blastomere diversification. Bioinformatics analysis of the remaining 65 genes that are not consistent with the four models suggests that at least one more mechanism is at play, potentially related to the endomembrane system. Although there are many dimensions to the issue of reproducibility (biological, experimental, analytical), we consider that the sister blastomeres are poised to escape high interblastomere correlations of mRNA levels, because at least five sources of diversity superimpose on each other, accounting for at least 25 = 32 different states. As a result, interblastomere mRNA differences of a given 2-cell embryo are necessarily difficult to reproduce in another 2-cell embryo. LARGE SCALE DATA Data were as provided by the original studies (GSE21688, GSE22182, GSE27396, GSE45719, GSE57249, E-MTAB-3321, GSE94050). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The original studies present similarities (e.g. fertilization in vivo after ovarian stimulation) as well as differences (e.g. mouse strains, method and timing of blastomere separation). We identified robust mRNA differences between the sister blastomeres, but these differences are underestimated because our double cut-off method works with thresholds and affords more protection against false positives than false negatives. Regarding the false negatives, transcriptome analysis may have captured only part of the interblastomere differences due to: (1) the 2-fold cut-off not being sensitive enough to detect the remaining part of the interblastomere differences, (2) the detection limit of the transcriptomic methods not being sufficient, or (3) interblastomere differences being oblivious to transcriptomic identification because transcriptional changes are oscillatory or because differences are mediated non-transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally. Regarding the false positives, it seems unlikely that a difference was found just by chance for the same group of transcripts due to the same technical error, given that different laboratories produced the data. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS It is clear that the sister blastomeres are distinguishable from each other by mRNA analysis even at the 2-cell stage; however, efforts to identify large stable patterns may be in vain. This elicits thoughts about the wisdom of adding new transcriptomic datasets to the ones that already exist; if all transcriptomic datasets produced so far show a reproducibility of 1%, then any future study would probably face the same issue again. Possibly, a solid identification of the 'large stable pattern that should be there but was not found' requires an even larger dataset than the sum of the seven datasets considered here. Conversely, small stable patterns may be easier to identify, but their biological relevance is less obvious. Alternatively, interblastomere differences may not be mediated by nucleic acids but by other cellular components. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant DFG BO 2540-4-3 to M.B. and grant NO 413/3-3 to V.N.). The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Casser
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Roentgenstrasse 20, Muenster, Germany
| | - S Israel
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Roentgenstrasse 20, Muenster, Germany
| | - S Schlatt
- University Hospital Muenster, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA), Albert Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building D11, Muenster, Germany
| | - V Nordhoff
- University Hospital Muenster, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA), Albert Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building D11, Muenster, Germany
| | - M Boiani
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Roentgenstrasse 20, Muenster, Germany
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Ullah O, Li Z, Ali I, Xu L, Liu H, Shah SZA, Fang N. Pterostilbene alleviates hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress via nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 pathway in mouse preimplantation embryos. J Reprod Dev 2018; 65:73-81. [PMID: 30429414 PMCID: PMC6379763 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2018-089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterostilbene (PTS) in blueberries is a phytoalexin with antioxidant properties. PTS exerts strong cytoprotective effects on various cells via Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 like 2 (NFE2L2)
pathway. We evaluated the antioxidant PTS treatment in mouse preimplantation embryos. In vitro culture media were supplemented with different concentrations of PTS.
Treatment of zygotes with 0.25 μM PTS improved the development of day 4 blastocysts (P < 0.05). Moreover, H2O2 treatment significantly increased the
reactive oxygen species level and reduced the glutathione level in mouse blastocyst, whereas PTS treatment counteracted these effects. The fluorescence intensity of apoptotic positive cell
was higher in the H2O2 group than in the PTS group. Furthermore, PTS-treated embryos significantly increased the protein expression of NFE2L2 in the nucleus and
decreased Kelch-like ECH-associated protein1 (KEAP1). PTS treatment significantly increased the expression of downstream target genes involved in the NFE2L2 pathway, such as catalase
(CAT), heme oxygenase1 (HMOX1), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD); these genes confer
cellular protection. In addition, PTS treatment significantly increased the expression of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), with a concomitant reduction in the
apoptotic Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) and Caspase-3 genes in the embryo. PTS treatment also increased the protein expression of BCL2 and reduced the
protein expression of BAX in the mouse embryo. In conclusion, PTS activated NFE2L2 signaling pathway in the development of mouse embryos by altering downstream expression of genes involved
in the antioxidant mechanisms and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Obaid Ullah
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Zhongshu Li
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Ihsan Ali
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Lijie Xu
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Haixing Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
| | - Syed Zahid Ali Shah
- National Animal Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Nanzhu Fang
- Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College, Yanbian University, Jilin Province 133002, China
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5
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Jaton C, Schenkel F, Sargolzaei M, Cánova A, Malchiodi F, Price C, Baes C, Miglior F. Genome-wide association study and in silico functional analysis of the number of embryos produced by Holstein donors. J Dairy Sci 2018; 101:7248-7257. [DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-13848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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6
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Nawaz MY, Jimenez-Krassel F, Steibel JP, Lu Y, Baktula A, Vukasinovic N, Neuder L, Ireland JLH, Ireland JJ, Tempelman RJ. Genomic heritability and genome-wide association analysis of anti-Müllerian hormone in Holstein dairy heifers. J Dairy Sci 2018; 101:8063-8075. [PMID: 30007805 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-14798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is an ovarian growth factor that plays an important role in regulation of ovarian follicle growth. The objectives of this study were to estimate the genomic heritability of AMH and identify genomic regions associated with AMH production in a genome-wide association (GWA) analysis. Concentrations of AMH were determined in 2,905 dairy Holstein heifers genotyped using the Zoetis medium density panel (Zoetis Inclusions, Kalamazoo, MI) with 54,519 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers remaining after standard genotype quality control edits. A linear mixed model was used to model the random effects of sampling day and genomics on the logarithm of AMH. The genomic heritability (± standard error of the mean) of AMH was estimated to be 0.36 ± 0.03. Our GWA analysis inferred significant associations between AMH and 11 SNP markers on chromosome 11 and 1 SNP marker on chromosome 20. Annotated genes with significant associations were identified using the Ensembl genome database (version 88) of the cow genome (version UMD 3.1; https://www.ensembl.org/biomart). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that 2 gene ontology (GO) terms were significantly enriched in the list of candidate genes: G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathway (GO:0007186) and the detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception (GO:0050907). The estimated high heritability and previously established associations between AMH and ovarian follicular reserve, fertility, longevity, and superovulatory response in cattle implies that AMH could be used as a biomarker for genetic improvement of reproductive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Y Nawaz
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - F Jimenez-Krassel
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - J P Steibel
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - Y Lu
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - A Baktula
- Zoetis Inclusions, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
| | | | - L Neuder
- Green Meadow Dairy Farm, Elsie, MI 48831
| | - J L H Ireland
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - J J Ireland
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823
| | - R J Tempelman
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823.
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The Role of Maternal-Effect Genes in Mammalian Development: Are Mammalian Embryos Really an Exception? Stem Cell Rev Rep 2017; 12:276-84. [PMID: 26892267 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-016-9648-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The essential contribution of multiple maternal factors to early mammalian development is rapidly altering the view that mammals have a unique pattern of development compared to other species. Currently, over 60 maternal-effect mutations have been described in mammalian systems, including critical determinants of pluripotency. This data, combined with the evidence for lineage bias and differential gene expression in early blastomeres, strongly suggests that mammalian development is to some extent mosaic from the four-cell stage onward.
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Hashiyada Y. The contribution of efficient production of monozygotic twins to beef cattle breeding. J Reprod Dev 2017; 63:527-538. [PMID: 29033399 PMCID: PMC5735263 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2017-096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Production of sires with high breeding potential is indispensable for prompt and reliable breeding using their semen in the cattle industry. Currently, in Japan, we aim to further the production of Japanese black sires via a new
breeding system that uses genetically homologous monozygotic twins so that better growth performance and carcass traits can be translated to the increased production of beef with higher economic value. Several studies have
reported that monozygotic twins are produced by embryo bisection. On the other hand, with the evolution and stabilization of in vitro fertilization technology, it has become possible to produce multiple
monozygotic twin calves from blastomeres separated from a cleavage-stage embryo. This review attempts to clarify breeding practices through revalidation of the factors that affect the production efficiency of monozygotic twin
calves by embryo bisection. Furthermore, the establishment of a system for monozygotic twin embryo production via the simplified technique of blastomere separation is reviewed while showing data from our previously performed
studies.
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Hoelker M, Kassens A, Salilew-Wondim D, Sieme H, Wrenzycki C, Tesfaye D, Neuhoff C, Schellander K, Held-Hoelker E. Birth of healthy calves after intra-follicular transfer (IFOT) of slaughterhouse derived immature bovine oocytes. Theriogenology 2017; 97:41-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Orozco-Lucero E, Dufort I, Sirard MA. Regulation of ATF1 and ATF2 transcripts by sequences in their 3' untranslated region in cleavage-stage cattle embryos. Mol Reprod Dev 2017; 84:296-309. [PMID: 28198054 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The sequence of a 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of mRNA governs the timing of its polyadenylation and translation in mammalian oocytes and early embryos. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of cis-elements in the 3'UTR of the developmentally important ATF1 and ATF2 transcripts on their timely translation during first cleavages in bovine embryos. Eight different reporter mRNAs (coding sequence of green fluorescent protein [GFP] fused to the 3'UTR of short or long isoforms of cattle ATF1 or -2, with or without polyadenylation) or a control GFP mRNA were microinjected separately into presumptive bovine zygotes at 18 hr post-insemination (hpi), followed by epifluorescence assessment for GFP translation between 24 and 80 hpi (expressed as percentage of GFP-positive embryos calculated from the total number of individuals). The presence of either polyadenine or 3'UTR sequence in deadenylated constructs is required for GFP translation (implying the need for polyadenylation), and all exogenous mRNAs that met either criteria were translated as soon as 24 hpi-except for long-deadenylated ATF2-UTR, whose translation began at 36 hpi. Overall, GFP was more visibly translated in competent (cleaving) embryos, particularly in long ATF1/2 constructs. The current data shows a timely GFP translation in bovine embryos depending on sequences in the 3'UTR of ATF1/2, and indicates a difference between short and long isoforms. In addition, cleaving embryos displayed increased translational capacity of the tested constructs. Functional confirmation of the identification cis-sequences in the 3'UTR of ATF1/2 will contribute to the understanding of maternal mRNA translation regulation during early cattle development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Orozco-Lucero
- Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Pavillon INAF, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Dufort
- Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Pavillon INAF, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marc-André Sirard
- Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Pavillon INAF, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
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11
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Barnwell CV, Farin PW, Ashwell CM, Farmer WT, Galphin SP, Farin CE. Differences in mRNA populations of short and long bovine conceptuses on Day 15 of gestation. Mol Reprod Dev 2016; 83:424-41. [PMID: 27013032 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The majority of pregnancy loss in cattle occurs between Days 8 and 16 of gestation, coincident with the initiation of conceptus elongation and the onset of maternal recognition of pregnancy. Differences in conceptus length on the same day of gestation may be related to an inherent lack of developmental competency or may simply be a consequence of asynchrony with the maternal environment. The objective of this work was to characterize differential patterns of mRNA expression between short and long bovine conceptuses recovered on Day 15 of gestation. Embryos were produced from super-ovulated Holstein donor cows, and groups of Grade-1 and Grade-3 compact morulas were transferred into recipient heifers at Day 6.5 of their cycle. Conceptuses were recovered at Day 15 of gestation, and measured to assess overall length and area. Total RNA was extracted and analyzed on individual GeneChip Bovine Genome Arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA). Gene expression was compared between conceptuses derived from the transfer of Grade-1 versus Grade-3 embryos; no differences were identified in the profiles of Day-15 conceptuses of these different embryo grades. When gene expression was compared between conceptuses classified as either short (mean length of 4.2 ± 0.1 mm [standard error]) or long (24.7 ± 1.9 mm) upon recovery at Day 15 of gestation, a total of 348 genes were differentially expressed. Of these, 221 genes were up-regulated and 127 were down-regulated in long compared to short conceptuses. In summary, differences in gene expression were identified between conceptuses recovered on Day 15 of gestation, based on their length. These data may be used to identify genes and cellular pathways involved in enhanced conceptus elongation that could serve as markers of successful pregnancy. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 424-441, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callie V Barnwell
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Peter W Farin
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Christopher M Ashwell
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - William T Farmer
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Samuel P Galphin
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Charlotte E Farin
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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12
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Hosseini SM, Moulavi F, Tanhaie-Vash N, Asgari V, Ghanaei HR, Abedi-Dorche M, Jafarzadeh N, Gourabi H, Shahverdi AH, Dizaj AV, Shirazi A, Nasr-Esfahani MH. The Principal Forces of Oocyte Polarity Are Evolutionary Conserved but May Not Affect the Contribution of the First Two Blastomeres to the Blastocyst Development in Mammals. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148382. [PMID: 27030988 PMCID: PMC4816511 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Oocyte polarity and embryonic patterning are well-established features of development in lower species. Whether a similar form of pre-patterning exists in mammals is currently under hot debate in mice. This study investigated this issue for the first time in ovine as a large mammal model. Microsurgical trisection of unfertilized MII-oocytes revealed that cortical cytoplasm around spindle (S) contained significant amounts of total maternal mRNAs and proteins compared to matched cytoplast hemispheres that were located either near (NS) or far (FS) -to-spindle. RT-qPCR provided striking examples of maternal mRNA localized to subcellular substructures S (NPM2, GMNN, H19, PCAF, DNMT3A, DNMT1, and STELLA), NS (SOX2, NANOG, POU5F1, and TET1), and FS (GCN) of MII oocyte. Immunoblotting revealed that specific maternal proteins DNMT3A and NANOG were asymmetrically enriched in MII-spindle-half of the oocytes. Topological analysis of sperm entry point (SEP) revealed that sperm preferentially entered via the MII-spindle-half of the oocytes. Even though, the topological position of first cleavage plane with regard to SEP was quite stochastic. Spatial comparison of lipid content revealed symmetrical distribution of lipids between 2-cell blastomeres. Lineage tracing using Dil, a fluorescent dye, revealed that while the progeny of leading blastomere of 2-cell embryos contributed to more cells in the developed blastocysts compared to lagging counterpart, the contributions of leading and lagging blastomeres to the embryonic-abembryonic parts of the developed blastocysts were almost unbiased. And finally, separated sister blastomeres of 2-cell embryos had an overall similar probability to arrest at any stage before the blastocyst (2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell, and morula) or to achieve the blastocyst stage. It was concluded that the localization of maternal mRNAs and proteins at the spindle are evolutionarily conserved between mammals unfertilized ovine oocyte could be considered polar with respect to the spatial regionalization of maternal transcripts and proteins. Even though, the principal forces of this definitive oocyte polarity may not persist during embryonic cleavages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayyed-Morteza Hosseini
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Fariba Moulavi
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Nima Tanhaie-Vash
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Vajihe Asgari
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid-Reza Ghanaei
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Abedi-Dorche
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Naser Jafarzadeh
- Department of Medical Physics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Gourabi
- Department of Genetics at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, P.O. Box: 19395–4644, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdol-Hossein Shahverdi
- Department of Embryology at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Medicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Vosough Dizaj
- Department of Reproductive Imaging at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Shirazi
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Research Institute of Animal Embryo Technology, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
- * E-mail: (AS); (MHNE)
| | - Mohammad-Hossein Nasr-Esfahani
- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
- * E-mail: (AS); (MHNE)
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13
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Milazzotto MP, Goissis MD, Chitwood JL, Annes K, Soares CA, Ispada J, Assumpção MEOÁ, Ross PJ. Early cleavages influence the molecular and the metabolic pattern of individually cultured bovine blastocysts. Mol Reprod Dev 2016; 83:324-36. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James Lee Chitwood
- Department of Animal Science; University of California; Davis California
| | - Kelly Annes
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences; Universidade Federal do ABC; Santo Andre Sao Paulo Brazil
| | - Carlos Alexandre Soares
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences; Universidade Federal do ABC; Santo Andre Sao Paulo Brazil
| | - Jéssica Ispada
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences; Universidade Federal do ABC; Santo Andre Sao Paulo Brazil
| | | | - Pablo Juan Ross
- Department of Animal Science; University of California; Davis California
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14
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Kassens A, Held E, Salilew-Wondim D, Sieme H, Wrenzycki C, Tesfaye D, Schellander K, Hoelker M. Intrafollicular Oocyte Transfer (IFOT) of Abattoir-Derived and In Vitro-Matured Oocytes Results in Viable Blastocysts and Birth of Healthy Calves. Biol Reprod 2015; 92:150. [DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.114.124883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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15
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Amin A, Gad A, Salilew-Wondim D, Prastowo S, Held E, Hoelker M, Rings F, Tholen E, Neuhoff C, Looft C, Schellander K, Tesfaye D. Bovine embryo survival under oxidative-stress conditions is associated with activity of the NRF2-mediated oxidative-stress-response pathway. Mol Reprod Dev 2015; 81:497-513. [PMID: 25057524 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In present study, we sought to examine the ability of preimplantation bovine embryos to activate the NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated oxidative-stress response under an oxidative stress environment. In vitro 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-cell-, and blastocyst-stage embryos were cultured under low (5%) or high (20%) oxygen levels. The expression of NRF2, KEAP1 (NRF2 inhibitor), antioxidants downstream of NRF2, and genes associated with embryo metabolism were analyzed between the embryo groups using real-time quantitative PCR. NRF2 and KEAP1 protein abundance, mitochondrial activity, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also investigated in blastocysts of varying competence that were derived from high- or low-oxygen levels. The expression levels of NRF2 and its downstream antioxidant genes were higher in 8-cell, 16-cell, and blastocyst stages under high oxygen tension, whereas KEAP1 expression was down-regulated under the same conditions. Higher expression of NRF2 and lower ROS levels were detected in early (competent) blastocysts compared to their late (noncompetent) counterparts in both oxygen-tension groups. Similarly, higher levels of active nuclear NRF2 protein were detected in competent blastocysts compared to their noncompetent counterparts. Thus, the survival and developmental competence of embryos cultured under oxidative stress are associated with activity of the NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response pathway during bovine pre-implantation embryo development.
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16
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Hoelker M, Held E, Salilew-Wondim D, Schellander K, Tesfaye D. Molecular signatures of bovine embryo developmental competence. Reprod Fertil Dev 2014; 26:22-36. [PMID: 24305174 DOI: 10.1071/rd13255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of the developmental capacity of early bovine embryos is still an obstacle. Therefore, the present paper reviews all current knowledge with respect to morphological criteria and environmental factors that affect embryo quality. The molecular signature of an oocyte or embryo is considered to reflect its quality and to predict its subsequent developmental capacity. Therefore, the primary aim of the present review is to provide an overview of reported correlations between molecular signatures and developmental competence. A secondary aim of this paper is to present some new strategies to enable concomitant evaluation of the molecular signatures of specific embryos and individual developmental capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hoelker
- Institute of Animal Science, Animal Breeding and Husbandry Group, University of Bonn, Endenicher Alle 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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17
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Brison DR, Sturmey RG, Leese HJ. Metabolic heterogeneity during preimplantation development: the missing link? Hum Reprod Update 2014; 20:632-40. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmu018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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18
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Condic ML. Totipotency: what it is and what it is not. Stem Cells Dev 2014; 23:796-812. [PMID: 24368070 PMCID: PMC3991987 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There is surprising confusion surrounding the concept of biological totipotency, both within the scientific community and in society at large. Increasingly, ethical objections to scientific research have both practical and political implications. Ethical controversy surrounding an area of research can have a chilling effect on investors and industry, which in turn slows the development of novel medical therapies. In this context, clarifying precisely what is meant by "totipotency" and how it is experimentally determined will both avoid unnecessary controversy and potentially reduce inappropriate barriers to research. Here, the concept of totipotency is discussed, and the confusions surrounding this term in the scientific and nonscientific literature are considered. A new term, "plenipotent," is proposed to resolve this confusion. The requirement for specific, oocyte-derived cytoplasm as a component of totipotency is outlined. Finally, the implications of twinning for our understanding of totipotency are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen L Condic
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, Utah
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19
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Betts DH, Bain NT, Madan P. The p66(Shc) adaptor protein controls oxidative stress response in early bovine embryos. PLoS One 2014; 9:e86978. [PMID: 24475205 PMCID: PMC3901717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The in vitro production of mammalian embryos suffers from high frequencies of developmental failure due to excessive levels of permanent embryo arrest and apoptosis caused by oxidative stress. The p66Shc stress adaptor protein controls oxidative stress response of somatic cells by regulating intracellular ROS levels through multiple pathways, including mitochondrial ROS generation and the repression of antioxidant gene expression. We have previously demonstrated a strong relationship with elevated p66Shc levels, reduced antioxidant levels and greater intracellular ROS generation with the high incidence of permanent cell cycle arrest of 2-4 cell embryos cultured under high oxygen tensions or after oxidant treatment. The main objective of this study was to establish a functional role for p66Shc in regulating the oxidative stress response during early embryo development. Using RNA interference in bovine zygotes we show that p66Shc knockdown embryos exhibited increased MnSOD levels, reduced intracellular ROS and DNA damage that resulted in a greater propensity for development to the blastocyst stage. P66Shc knockdown embryos were stress resistant exhibiting significantly reduced intracellular ROS levels, DNA damage, permanent 2-4 cell embryo arrest and diminished apoptosis frequencies after oxidant treatment. The results of this study demonstrate that p66Shc controls the oxidative stress response in early mammalian embryos. Small molecule inhibition of p66Shc may be a viable clinical therapy to increase the developmental potential of in vitro produced mammalian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean H. Betts
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Children’s Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Nathan T. Bain
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pavneesh Madan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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20
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Orozco-Lucero E, Dufort I, Robert C, Sirard MA. Rapidly cleaving bovine two-cell embryos have better developmental potential and a distinctive mRNA pattern. Mol Reprod Dev 2013; 81:31-41. [PMID: 24285591 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian embryos that rapidly reach the two-cell stage in culture have a higher probability of becoming viable blastocysts. Our goal was to separate two-cell bovine embryos based on their zygotic cleavage timing, and to assess their global mRNA levels. Following in vitro fertilization, all embryos that cleaved by 29.5 hpi (early) were cultured separately from those that divided at 46 hpi (late). The blastocyst rates were 46.1 ± 3.7% and 6.1 ± 3.4% for early- and late-cleavers, respectively (P < 0.01). Seven replicates of selected two-cell embryos were collected at each time point for microarray characterization (n = 4) and quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (n = 3); the rest were left in culture for blastocyst evaluation. A total of 774 and 594 probes were preferentially present in early- and late-cleaving embryos, respectively (fold change ± 1.5, P < 0.05), with important contrasts related to cell cycle, gene expression, RNA processing, and protein degradation functions. A total of 12 transcripts were assessed by quantitative PCR, of which ATM, ATR, CTNNB1, MSH6, MRE11A, PCNA, APC, CENPE, and GRB2 were in agreement with the hybridization results. Since most of these molecules are directly or indirectly associated with cell-cycle regulation, DNA damage response, and transcription control, our results strongly suggest key roles for those biological functions in mammalian preimplantation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Orozco-Lucero
- Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Département des Sciences Animales, Pavillon INAF, Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction (CRBR), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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21
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Labrecque R, Sirard MA. The study of mammalian oocyte competence by transcriptome analysis: progress and challenges. Mol Hum Reprod 2013; 20:103-16. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gat082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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