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Telomere lengths in cloned transgenic pigs
Le Jiang1, D Bart Carter, Jie Xu
1Department of Animal Science and Center for Regenerative Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA.
Biology of Reproduction
|January 30, 2004
Summary
Telomere length in pigs remains consistent in fetuses but shortens after birth. Cloned pigs showed normal telomere lengths, suggesting nuclear transfer does not universally affect telomere restoration in pigs.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Nuclear transfer in cattle and mice has conflicting results regarding telomere length restoration.
- Limited data exists on telomere lengths in pigs from natural reproduction or nuclear transfer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate telomere length dynamics in various porcine organs across different ages.
- To assess the impact of nuclear transfer on telomere length in cloned pigs.
Main Methods:
- Telomere lengths were measured in six major organs of pigs at different life stages.
- Skin telomere lengths of cloned transgenic pigs were compared to age-matched controls.
Main Results:
- Porcine telomere lengths were consistent across tissues during fetal development.
- Postnatal telomere shortening occurred in a tissue-specific manner.
- Skin telomere lengths in 4-month-old cloned pigs were comparable to controls.
- Cloned pigs that died shortly after birth exhibited fetal-like telomere lengths.
Conclusions:
- Telomere length in pigs is established during fetal development and undergoes tissue-specific changes post-birth.
- Nuclear transfer did not lead to significantly altered skin telomere lengths in cloned pigs at 4 months of age.
- Early death in some cloned pigs may be associated with fetal telomere lengths.