The Influence of Interspecies Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer on Epigenetic Enzymes Transcription in Early Embryos

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Influence of Interspecies Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer on Epigenetic Enzymes Transcription in Early Embryos

AU - Morovic, Martin

AU - Murin, Matej

AU - Strejcek, Frantisek

AU - Benc, Michal

AU - Paál, Dusan

AU - Østrup, Olga

AU - Niemann, Heiner

AU - Pendovski, Lazo

AU - Laurincik, Jozef

PY - 2016/10/15

Y1 - 2016/10/15

N2 - One of the main reason for the incorrect development of embryos derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer is caused by insufficient demethylation of injected somatic chromatin to a state comparable with an early embryonic nucleus. It is already known that the epigenetic enzymes transcription in oocytes and early embryos of several species including bovine and porcine zygotes is species-dependent process and the incomplete DNA methylation correlates with the nuclear transfer failure rate in mammals. In this study the transcription of DNA methyltransferase 1 and 3a (DNMT1, DNMT3a) genes in early embryonic stages of interspecies (bovine, porcine) nuclear transfer embryos (iSCNT) by RT-PCR were analyzed. Coming out from the diverse timing of embryonic genome activation (EGA) in porcine and bovine preimplantation embryos, the intense effect of ooplasm on transferred somatic cell nucleus was expected. In spite of the detection of ooplasmic DNA methyltransferases, the somatic genes for DNMT1 and DNMT3a enzymes were not expressed and the development of intergeneric embryos stopped at the 4-cell stage. Our results indicate that the epigenetic reprogramming during early mammalian development is strongly influenced by the ooplasmic environment.

AB - One of the main reason for the incorrect development of embryos derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer is caused by insufficient demethylation of injected somatic chromatin to a state comparable with an early embryonic nucleus. It is already known that the epigenetic enzymes transcription in oocytes and early embryos of several species including bovine and porcine zygotes is species-dependent process and the incomplete DNA methylation correlates with the nuclear transfer failure rate in mammals. In this study the transcription of DNA methyltransferase 1 and 3a (DNMT1, DNMT3a) genes in early embryonic stages of interspecies (bovine, porcine) nuclear transfer embryos (iSCNT) by RT-PCR were analyzed. Coming out from the diverse timing of embryonic genome activation (EGA) in porcine and bovine preimplantation embryos, the intense effect of ooplasm on transferred somatic cell nucleus was expected. In spite of the detection of ooplasmic DNA methyltransferases, the somatic genes for DNMT1 and DNMT3a enzymes were not expressed and the development of intergeneric embryos stopped at the 4-cell stage. Our results indicate that the epigenetic reprogramming during early mammalian development is strongly influenced by the ooplasmic environment.

KW - embryo

KW - intergeneric nuclear transfer

KW - DNMT1 and DMT3a gene expression

KW - species

U2 - 10.1515/macvetrev-2016-0085

DO - 10.1515/macvetrev-2016-0085

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1409-7621

VL - 39

SP - 209

EP - 217

JO - Macedonian Veterinary Review

JF - Macedonian Veterinary Review

IS - 2

ER -