scholarly journals Fate of centrosomes following somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in bovine oocytes

Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 131 (6) ◽  
pp. 1051-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunping Dai ◽  
Lili Wang ◽  
Haiping Wang ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Ning Li ◽  
...  

Cloning mammalians by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) remains inefficient. A majority of clones produced by SCNT fail to develop properly and of those which do survive, some exhibit early aging, premature death, tumors, and other pathologies associated with aneuploidy. Alterations of centrosomes are linked to aberrant cell cycle progression, aneuploidy, and tumorigenesis in many cell types. It remains to be determined how centrosomes are remodeled in cloned bovine embryos. We show that abnormalities in either distribution and/or number of centrosomes were evident in approximately 50% of reconstructed embryos following SCNT. Moreover, centrosome abnormalities and failed ‘pronuclear’ migration which manifested during the first cell cycle coincided with errors in spindle morphogenesis, chromosome alignment, and cytokinesis. By contrast, nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA) exhibited normal expression patterns at metaphase spindle poles and in ‘pronucleus’ during interphase. The defects in centrosome remodeling and ‘pronuclear’ migration could lead to chromosome instability and developmental failures associated with embryo production by SCNT. Addressing these fundamental problems may enhance production of normal clones.

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
G. Coppola ◽  
B.-G. Jeon ◽  
B. Alexander ◽  
E. St. John ◽  
D. H. Betts ◽  
...  

The early reprogramming events following somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) determine the fate of the cloned embryo and its development to a healthy viable offspring. In the present study, we undertook a detailed immunocytochemical study of the patterns of both microtubules and chromatin during the first cell cycle of sheep nuclear transfer embryos after fusion and artificial activation using either 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) or cycloheximede (CHX). Sheep oocytes were collected from abattoir ovaries and matured in vitro for 18-20 h and enucleated; fetal fibroblasts were transplanted using standard SCNT techniques. Reconstructed cell-cytoplast couplets were fused and activated with ionomycin, followed by culture in two separate groups containing 6-DMAP (2 mM) or CHX (10 �g/mL) for 3 h. Following activation, embryos were cultured in in vitro culture (IVC) medium for blastocyst development. Embryos (n = 15, 3 replicates) were randomly removed from culture at various time points and stained using standard immunocytochemical methods to observe microtubule and nuclear configurations. Images were captured using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Results reveled that at 1 h post-fusion, 63.3% of reconstructed embryos underwent nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC) was apparent as chromosomes were situated on a non-polar spindle. The remaining embryos showed abnormal spindle and DNA configurations including chromosome outliers, congression failure, and non-NEBD. At 1 h post-activation (hpa), the embryos treated with 6-DMAP had already formed a clearly visible pronucleus (diameter 6-8 �m), whereas in the CHX-treated group, none of the embryos were at pronuclear stage; instead most of the latter embryos showed two masses of chromatin. At 1 hpa, 6-DMAP- and CHX-treated embryos showed one swelled pronucleus with a mean diameter of 8.4 � 1.3 �m and 25.8 � 0.8 �m, respectively (P < 0.05). At 16 hpa, embryos from both treatment groups still showed one swelled pronucleus. In the 6-DMAP-treated embryos, most of the embryos showed a metaphase spindle with aligned chromosomes of the first mitotic division as early as 18-10 hpa, whereas in the CHX-treated group embryos were still at the pronuclear stage. Typical 2-cell division was seen in most of the 6-DMAP-treated embryos between 24 and 30 hpa, but it was slightly delayed in CHX-treated embryos (32-35 hpa). Blastocyst development rates in the 6-DMAP- and CHX-treated groups were 21.4 � 5.6% and 14.0 � 6.3%, respectively (P < 0.05). In summary, artificial activating agents 6-DMAP and CHX exhibited different effects on chromatin remodeling, cell cycle progression, and the degree of pronuclear swelling which may explain the poor developmental rates and abnormal chromosome complements observed for cloned embryos. This work was funded by NSERC, OMAF, and International Council for Canadian Studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
LiJun Wang ◽  
LiXiu Liu ◽  
YongSheng Wang ◽  
Nan Li ◽  
HongLi Zhu ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
I. Choi ◽  
K. H. S. Campbell

After fertilization, early embryo development is dependent upon maternally inherited proteins and protein synthesised from maternal mRNA until zygotic gene activation (ZGA) occurs. The transition of transcriptional activity from maternal to embryonic control occurs with the activation of rRNA genes and the formation of the nucleolus at the 8- to 16-cell stage that coincides with a prolonged fourth cell cycle in bovine and ovine embryos. However, previous studies have reported a shift in the longest cell cycle (fifth cell cycle) in bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, suggesting that the major genome activation is delayed, possibly due to incomplete changes in chromatin structure such as hypermethylation and hypoacetylation of histone (Memili and First 2000 Zygote 8, 87–96; Holm et al. 2003 Cloning Stem Cells 5, 133–142). Although global gene expression profile studies have been carried out in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos, little is known about the expression of genes which can alter chromatin structure in early embryo development and possibly effect ZGA. To determine whether epigenetic reprogramming of donor nuclei affected ZGA and expression profiles in SCNT embryos, ZBTB33 (zinc finger and BTB domain containing 33, also known as kaiso, a methy-CpG specific repressor), BRG1(brahma-related gene 1, SWI/SNF family of the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes), JMJD1A (jumonji domain containing 1A, H3K9me2/1-specific demethylase), JMJD1C (putative H3K9-specific demethylase), and JMJD2C (H3K9me3-specific demethylase) were examined by RT-PCR at different developmental stages [germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase II (MII), 8- to 16-cell, 16- to 32-cell, and blastocyst in both parthenogenetic and SCNT embryos]. All genes were detected in parthenogenetic and SCNT blastocyts, and ZBTB33 was also expressed in all embryos at all stages tested. However, the onset of expression of JMJD1C, containing POU5F1 binding site at 5′-promoter region and BRG1 required for ZGA are delayed in SCNT embryos as compared to parthenotes (16- v. 8-cell, and blastoocyst v. 16-cell stage). Furthermore, JMJD2C containing NANOG binding sites at the 3′-flanking region was expressed in GV and MII oocytes and parthenogenetic blastocysts, whereas in SCNT embryos, JMJD2C was only observed from the 16-cell stage onwards. Interestingly, JMJD1A, which is positively regulated by POU5F1, was not detected in GV and MII oocytes but was present in blastocyst stage embryos of both groups. Taken together, these results suggest that incomplete epigenetic modifications of genomic DNA and histones lead to a delayed onset of ZGA which may affect further development and establishment of totipotency. Subsequently, aberrant expression patterns reported previously in SCNT embryos may be attributed to improper expression of histone H3K9 and H3K4 demethylase genes during early embryo development.


2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kühholzer ◽  
G. Brem

Abstract. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) in sheep, cattle, goats, swine and rabbits. Numerous advances have been reported as this technique has developed over the last five years. In the first part of this review, we describe the reported data pertaining to each of the species mentioned above. Theories are offered to explain the different results seen between different species and cell types. One of the main aspects of somatic cell NT, the production of transgenic animals will also be reviewed. Future applications of this powerful technique are discussed. This review concludes with a discussion of some of the problems observed in animals produced using NT as well as possible Solutions for these challenges.


Zygote ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 704-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su Jin Kim ◽  
Ok Jae Koo ◽  
Hee Jung Park ◽  
Joon Ho Moon ◽  
Bego Roibas da Torre ◽  
...  

SummaryOctamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) is a critical molecule for the self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. Recent reports have shown that Oct4 also controls cell-cycle progression and enhances the proliferation of various types of cells. As the high proliferation of donor fibroblasts is critical to the production of transgenic pigs, using the somatic cell nuclear transfer technique, we analysed the effect of Oct4 overexpression on the proliferation of porcine fibroblasts and embryos. Porcine endogenous Oct4 cDNA was cloned, sequenced and inserted into an expression vector. The vector was transfected into porcine fibroblasts, and a stable Oct4-overexpressed cell line was established by antibiotic selection. Oct4 expression was validated by the immunostaining of Oct4. Cell morphology was changed to sharp, and both proliferation and migration abilities were enhanced in Oct4-overexpressed cells. Real-time RT-PCR results showed that p16, Bcl2 and Myc were upregulated in Oct4-overexpressed cells. Somatic cell nuclear transfer was performed using Oct4-overexpressed cells, and the development of Oct4 embryos was compared with that of wild-type cloned embryos. The cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were improved in the Oct4 embryos. Interestingly, blastocyst formation of the Oct4 embryos was observed as early as day 5 in culture, while blastocysts were observed from day 6 in wild-type cloned embryos. In conclusion, the overexpression of Oct4 enhanced the proliferation of both porcine fibroblasts and embryos.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
T. Xiang ◽  
S. Walker ◽  
K. Gregg ◽  
W. Zhou ◽  
V. Farrar ◽  
...  

Oct-4, a POU domain-containing transcription factor encoded by Pou5f1, is selectively expressed in pre-implantation embryos and pluripotent stem cells, but not in somatic cells. Because of such a unique expression feature, Oct-4 can serve as a useful reprogramming indicator in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Compared with data of Oct-4 expression in mouse and bovine cloned embryos, little is known about this gene in equine nuclear transfer. In the present study, we investigated Oct-4 expression in donor cells, oocytes, and SCNT embryos to evaluate reprogramming of equine somatic cells following nuclear transfer. Horse ovaries were obtained from a local slaughterhouse and the oocytes collected from the ovaries were matured in vitro in an M199-based medium (Galli et al. 2003 Nature 424, 635) for 24 h. Donor cells were derived from biopsy tissue samples of adult horses and cultured for 1 to 5 passages. Standard nuclear transfer procedures (Zhou et al. 2008 Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75, 744–758) were performed to produce cloned embryos derived from equine adult somatic cells. Cloned blastocysts were obtained after 7 days of in vitro culture of reconstructed embryos. Total RNA were extracted using Absolutely RNA Miniprep/Nanoprep kits (Stratagen, La Jolla, CA) from oocytes (n = 200), donor cells, and embryos (n = 5). DNase I treatment was included in the procedure to prevent DNA contamination. Semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed with optimized cycling parameters to analyze Oct-4, GDF9, and β-actin in equine donor cells, oocytes, and cloned blastocysts. The RT-PCR products were sequenced to verify identity of the genes tested. The relative expression abundance was calculated by normalizing the band intensity of Oct-4 to that of β-actin in each analysis. No transcript of Oct-4 was detected in equine somatic cells used as donor nuclei, consistent with its expression patterns in other animal species, whereas Oct-4 was abundantly expressed in equine SCNT blastocysts derived from the same donor cell line. Oct-4 transcripts were also detected in equine oocytes and whether any maternally inherited Oct-4 mRNA persisted up to the blastocyst stage was unclear in this study. We selected GDF9 to address this question; GDF9 was abundantly detected in equine oocytes, consistent with its expression pattern in mouse and bovine, but not detected in donor cells and cloned blastocysts, suggesting that the GDF9 mRNA from the oocyte was degraded at least by the blastocyst stage. The results from this study imply occurrence of Oct-4 reprogramming in equine SCNT blastocysts, and future analysis for more developmentally important genes is needed to better understand reprogramming at molecular levels in this species.


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